Musar Dinner

Tim's, SF
Tasted Thursday, December 15, 2016 by RajivAyyangar with 524 views

Introduction

Evernote: https://www.evernote.com/l/ABYB6E-nI2tO2pVWLBQ2VnAk3x825aM0TeM

With Michael H, Ashish, Tim, Elliott, Alejandro, Nicole

An extravagant celebration of Musar and of MH's recent passing of the Advanced Somm exam!

CHEESE
Munster d'Alsace, a soft fruity blue, a drier nuttier blue, a superb goats milk washed-rind, a triple-cream.

FOIE GRAS
Absurdly large portions with apple-pear compote, rustic toast.

STEAK
Bone-in Ribeye (entrecôte) and Bavette from Olivier's.

RATATOUILLE
Pixar/Keller-style.

MEZZES
Chicken and vegetable rolls in philo dough.

---
A few notes on the progression of Chateau Musar wines, and the "Inflection Point":

My working model right now, based on conversations with Bartholomew Broadbent, Marc Hochar, and some other Musarophile friends, is that both whites and reds undergo an "inflection point" around 15-20 years, depending on the vintage. At the inflection, primary fruit drops out, and tertiary notes (which give the illusion of fruit) begin to emerge. Past the inflection point, this "tertiary fruit" intensifies with age, which explains why good bottles of older vintages tend to show more powerfully than younger bottles. Maybe there's a point around 40-50 years where even pristine bottles start to diminish, but I don't have enough experience with older vintages to tell.

To describe the inflection points in concrete sensory terms:

Whites start off with fresh apple and ripe citrus notes that diminish over the first 10-15 years. Post-inflection they take on aromas of honey, bee pollen, sweet carrot, baked yam, along with a baked-apple-balsamic note. These tertiary notes intensify with age. Wines that are mid-inflection (like the '06) can seem neutral and shut-down, because the primary fruit is gone but the tertiary notes haven't become apparent yet.

Throughout their development there is a backdrop of bruised apple (oxidation), slight Brett (in most vintages), wax, ethyl acetate (VA), and acetic notes (giving a balsamic impression).

Reds start off with varietal aromas of blackcurrant, slight stewed bell peppers (cab), ripe red and black cherry (Cinsault/Carignane), along with characteristic Musarian oxidation, VA, acetic acid, and brett.

Post-inflection they take on a savory tamari-blackberry along with a sort of dried blackcurrant and cherry - like fruit seen through stained glass. This tertiary fruit actually intensifies with age.

The reds' progression parallels the whites'—mutatis mutandis—and wines that are mid-inflection (like the '99 was last year) can seem diminished and quiet when tasted next to post-inflection and pre-inflection wines.

Flight 1 - Bubbly (3 Notes)

Flight 2 - Musar Rose (2 Notes)

I loved both of these - need to get more!

  • 2014 Chateau Musar Rosé 92 Points

    Lebanon, Bekaa Valley

    Pale salmon color. Fresh, ripe lemon. Ripe apple. Slight wildness (brett, VA, balsamic). A suggestion of christmas spices - orange and cinnamon. Slight honey. Bruised strawberry.
    Dry, medium-bodied, moderate alcohol, elevated acid, slight phenolic texture.
    This is the first younger rose I've tasted, and my favorite by a mile.
    Youthful, but with detail and complexity.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2004 Chateau Musar Rosé 94 Points

    Lebanon, Bekaa Valley

    Pale salmon-copper color.

    This is past the initial inflection point, which means the primary fruit has departed and the honeyed, sweet carrot/yam secondary fruit is starting to intensify.

    Riveting nose of rich honeyed tertiary fruit. Piave cheese rind, baked and bruised strawberries, oxidative notes - raw almond, and even a bit of savory sweet carrot.
    Dry with medium body, alcohol, and medium plus acid. Nutty strawberry finish.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 3 - Musar Blanc (4 Notes)

These are special wines, and it's rare to taste them in a vertical deep enough to see the progression and inflection point.

  • 2006 Chateau Musar Blanc 90 Points

    Lebanon, Bekaa Valley

    Mid-inflection. The primary fruit has gone, but there isn't much tertiary development yet.

    Low aromatic intensity. Indistinct apple and chalk.
    On the palate, slight savoriness, raw apple core.
    Medium body, moderate alcohol, persistent elevated acid.
    On the finish, slight cheese rind and green apples, which hints at the potential.

    Right now this is a simple, relatively neutral wine. Over the next 10 years, the tertiary complexities of Musar should emerge - sweet honeyed fruit.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2004 Chateau Musar Blanc

    Lebanon, Bekaa Valley

    Popped and poured as an afterthough - no decant.
    This is just starting to inflect. The nose is aromatic with waxy raw carrot, a hint of honey, slight apple-balsamic, and ripe lemon.
    On the palate it’s vibrant and youthful.
    Medium body, with moderate alcohol, medium plus acid, and no bitterness.
    Long finish, though still relatively simple.

    The particular note of raw honeyed carrot is typical of a White Musar that's just starting to inflect. There's a notable absence of primary fruit (fresh apple, fresh Meyer lemon) that the 2006 had as recently as last year).

    Like all white Musars I've had, this has untold potential to develop. I'd estimate the '04 will become interesting in ~10-15 years. Check back in 2026.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 1999 Chateau Musar Blanc 92 Points

    Lebanon, Bekaa Valley

    Nose is a bit quiet, but this is a beautiful example of a post-inflection-but-still-early-on White Musar, meaning the primary fruit has gone, and the tertiary complexity, and sweet honeyed fruit, is starting to intensify.

    Expansive nose that's difficult to deconstruct - hints of almonds, parmeggiano reggiano rind, honey, wax, dried lemon, dried peach.

    Medium bodied with moderate alcohol, elevated acid, and slight phenolic bitterness (which isn't always present in Musar Blanc).

    In the mid-palate, expansive yellow apple fruit and slight bretty balsamic notes.
    This is still early on in its post-inflection life. Check in again in 5-10 years.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 1989 Chateau Musar Blanc 95 Points

    Lebanon, Bekaa Valley

    Beautiful tertiary Musar nose of slight caramelized sugar, beeswax, sweet yam, sweet carrot, honey, toasted almond, cherry liqueur, yellow-apple balsamic with just a hint of bruised apple and dog fur (brett).
    Medium body with moderate alcohol, elevated acidity, no bitterness.
    Candied lemon, spun sugar on the finish.
    Sweet and vibrant. Detailed and shifting.
    A candle viewed through stained glass on a summer night.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 4 - Musar Rouge (6 Notes)

The '98 was more robust and structured than I recall - it seems to be gaining in weight. The '89 was more detailed and beautiful than I've found in the past. Perhaps the absence of more powerful compatriots (e.g. the '95, '72, '99) allowed it to shine.

  • 2009 Chateau Musar 92 Points

    Lebanon, Bekaa Valley

    Double-decanted the night before.
    This was fantastic out of the bottle - ripe black fruit with faint pyrazines (stewed bell pepper). Light brett, light oxidation, and a kiss of new oak. Maybe would blind this as a right-bank Bdx? Pomerol? So good.

    At dinner:
    Ripe fruit - red and black. Feels strong but not overly ripe. Tremendous balance. Still young and primary with juicy fruit, slight amaro and herbal tones. Brett and oxidation are in the background. Pyrazines aren't noticeable at this point.
    Medium plus body with slightly elevated alcohol, elevated acid, and medium tannins.
    In the context of Musar styles (bold-classic-beautiful-atypical), this feels like a classic-style Musar, maybe slightly on the bold side. Mid-weight with ripeness but also structure.
    This is decidedly pre-inflection. As AA remarked, the 2000 Red is a totally different wine. It's constantly surprising that *this* can turn into *that*!

    You can drink this now, but you'll be missing out entirely on what this wine can become. Try this again after the inflection point - in 10-15 years. It will be unrecognizable.

    Post a Comment / 4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2007 Chateau Musar 92 Points

    Lebanon, Bekaa Valley

    Still has some ripe fruit - slightly developed blackcurrant. Has more savory secondaries than the '09 red - sweet tobacco, savory baked apple, leather and brett.
    On the palate, the oak sticks out just a bit - nutmeg and christmas spices. The finish is long, with red fruit: slight roasted ripe peach and ripe cherry, and some black fruit. Beautiful balancing acidity.
    Seems comparable in weight to the '09, but more developed. Still pre-inflection.

    Post a Comment / 4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2000 Chateau Musar

    Lebanon, Bekaa Valley

    Compromised bottle - had been under Coravin.

    Mature nose of deep tertiary blackcurrant and overt dog fur. Savory cherry, brett, bruised apple, and tamari-blackberry. This is classic Musar, but a bit faded (has been under coravin for a bit). Delightful nonetheless.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 1998 Chateau Musar 94 Points

    Lebanon, Bekaa Valley

    Pleasantly earthy, bretty nose, with a core of ripe tertiary cherry and dried raspberry.
    The palate is more structured than I remember - elevated acid and tannins.
    The finish is laden with ripe tamari-cherry and sweet-smelling forest leaves. Beautiful.

    It's possible that this is putting on weight and power as it ages, as is the puzzling case with post-Inflection Musar.

    Read 1 Comment / Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 1989 Chateau Musar Flawed

    Lebanon, Bekaa Valley

    Purchased at Hedonism-London last week. Double-decanted at 10:45 am
    Base neck fill, cork is soaked through with some crud on the exposed end.
    Right out of the bottle, thin and volatile, bretty and watery with just a hint of intense tertiary black fruit.
    Might be slightly corked.

    At dinner: Definitely corked

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 1982 Chateau Musar 96 Points

    Lebanon, Bekaa Valley

    Top shoulder fill. Cork soaked through to ~5 mm from the outside. The exposed cork end is dry and clean.
    Right out of the bottle this was slightly reductive, with burnt black fruit, and some tertiary fruit - blackcurrant liqueur. Muscular and tannic, if a bit thin.

    At dinner:
    The nose recalls effervescent obsidian. Light, multifaceted, razor sharp in detail.
    It's lighter and more crystalline than the '72. Black tertiary fruit - evanescent blackcurrant. There's the characteristic savory tamari-blackberry in extremis. The flavors are light but etched in stone. Thrilling.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 5 - Sherries (2 Notes)

I'd tasted the Toro Albala before, but the 100+ year old Conde de Aldama was a rare treat. The intensity and sweet-savoriness are what I remember the most.

Flight 6 - Royal Tokaji Company 2007 Single Vineyards (3 Notes)

All of these were superb, but I don't think I could tell them apart blind with any reliability. They struck me as incredibly similar.
According to the Royal Tokaji Company website, here are the expected differences between the single-vineyards (and some factoids):

Betsek
- Black volcanic topsoil contributes to a mineral, black-pepper character

Mezes Maly
- Name means "honey pot" and the character is likewise sweet and long.
- One of 2 first growths in the 1700 Rakoczi Classification.
- Loess soil, south-facing.
- Jointly owned by Royal Tokaji Company and... Hugh Johnson!

Szt Tamas
- Voluptuous apricot and plum jam with tobacco and chocolate (not sure where the chocolate is supposed to come from).
- One of the core vineyards of the Mád commune.

×
×