Community Tasting Note
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forceberry wrote: 94 points
October 25, 2019 - A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsaut, one third of each. The vintage 2010 in Beqaa was very dry to boot with very little snow or rain during January and February. Very promising spring was followed by a 3-week heat wave starting in mid-July, reaching peak temperatures of 48,5°C, causing the vines to shut and drying the grapes on the vine. Carignan and Cinsaut survived the heat wave quite well, but Cabernet Sauvignon was badly affected, making the harvest very small in part of very limited quantities of high-quality Cabernet grapes. Fermented spontaneously in concrete, aged in oak barrels for a year. Blended together in 2012, left to marry for a year and bottled in 2013. 2010 Musar was made in very limited quantity due to the small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon available. 13,5% alcohol, 2 g/l residual sugar and 6,3 g/l acidity. Decanted for a few hours before tasting the wine.
Deep, concentrated and somewhat opaque black cherry color. Savory, dusty and somewhat restrained nose with dark-toned aromas of wizened forest fruits and some dried figs, a little bit of crunchy chokeberry, light lifted notes of balsamic VA, a herbaceous hint of leafy greenness and a touch of sweet exotic spices. The nose seemed to slowly open in the glass, but overall this wine feels like it really needs air to open up properly. The wine is dry, medium-bodied and quite tightly-knit on the palate with flavors of ripe black raspberries, fresh red plums, some leathery funk, a little bit of wild strawberry, light autumnal notes of earth and leaves, a sanguine hint of iron and a lifted touch of nail polish VA. The wine is impressively structured - even for a Musar - with its high acidity and quite assertive, grippy tannins. The finish is firm, juicy and lengthy with long flavors of sunny dark fruits, sour cherry bitterness, some wizened forest fruits, a little bit of blood, light brambly notes of raspberries, a hint of leather and a touch of dried figs.
A very beautiful, attractive and noticeably tightly-knit vintage of Musar that shows those slightly lifted and funky undertones typical of the winery, but also remarkably fresh, savory and structure-driven character for such a hot vintage. Although Musar is supposed to be released from the winery only when the wine is deemed "ready" and this 2010 was a late release (released after the softer 2011 vintage) this is still a remarkably backward effort that feels less accessible than the surrounding vintages. This vintage is definitely for cellar, not for immediate consumption. Some people might find the fruitier and more approachable vintages more enjoyable, but for me this is hands down one of the greatest recent vintages of Musar. Definitely a wine for the long haul. Absolutely terrific value at 41,95€.8 people found this helpful 4,810 views
5 Comments
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thesternowl commented:
1/22/20, 8:10 AM - I absolutely agree with your assessment. As always, your notes are a treat.
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Genghis88 commented:
1/22/20, 3:47 PM - Thank you for your comprehensive notes. Saluti...
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forceberry commented:
2/3/20, 6:43 AM - Very glad to hear that, thank you!
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Chris@77 commented:
5/17/20, 2:53 PM - I resonate with your input, even while being incapable of offering all the contribution. Thanks. I have many bottles, have been monitoring. I love them now and it is hard not to drink them, next one next Fall, one of 11 left.
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forceberry commented:
5/18/20, 12:59 AM - If you have such a stash of the 2010, I'd start drinking the surrounding vintages first while trying to save these babies for as long as possible!