A slightly paler colour than the 2003 tasted at the same time. Perfect cork - but I use the 2-pronged ‘butler’s friend’ corkpull for all old bottles of wine (See notes on Musar website for the device - widely available). [Decanted slowly through a fine filter to remove the solid sediment. I always keep the inevitable fine powdery sediment late in the decant separate. I filter the last few ml (including any fine sediment) into a separate glass for an early taste.] Good from the off but much better, as usual, after 5+ hours in the decanter. It is still amazingly youthful and showed all the attractive sweet dark cherry and dark plum fruit and spice as in my previous note of 8 years ago. It continued to evolve in the glass over time. It has aged beautifully. Excellent structure, balance, and length. No VA. Earlier notes are worth a look. Seeing the happy expressions on the faces of my wife and sons at dinner, we stopped trying to describe the subtleties and complexity of this wine and simply enjoyed it. No rush to drink your stocks!
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A heady, classic nose of cassis, blueberries, cherries and blackberries. A bit of sandalwood, cinnamon and cloves. Very light VA, but much less than previous bottles. On the palate quite smooth and polished with generous fruit, medium structure and body and lots of detail. Medium+ lenght. This bottle is drinking surprisingly young.
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Dry and crumbly cork that doesn’t hold upto the corkscrew. Mid garnet with some vestiges of ruby at the core. Spicy notes beneath the VA, that mix of spice, some red fruit and acetone. Lovely texture, fully evolved with a spot of glycerin enhancing the texture, quite long, and a touch of heat on the finish. Good, but let’s see how it holds up overnight. Similar the next evening in terms of flavour and texture, but now minus the obvious volatility on the nose. Last glass all but wiped out by very fine, hazy sediment. ****
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Mamnoon: Provencale herbs. Touch of VA. Warm and bright with cherry, earthy on the back end. This softens and gets warmer with air, strawberry preserve, baking spice.
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I have enjoyed a couple each of the 1999 and 2000 over the last two months. The vintage is very typical in style for Musar. Well balanced with complexity, relatively subtle tannins, and a very long finish. I continue to enjoy the unique and quality taste of Musar, and the 1999 is no exception.
I found the wine evolved over the first two hours after opening, but enjoyable from the first pour.
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Developed ruby with a touch of bricking on the rim. Nose is developed with tart red fruit, lift from some VA, shit, leather, thyme, barnyard, madeira, meat. Palate is medium+ to full bodied, lingonberry, cranberry, some green pepper, savory herbs, crushed pepper/spices and star anise. Finishes long and somewhat complex with fully resolved tannins and very savory and silky mouthfeel. Likely at peak right now, and probably not long until the madeira notes take over, but for now, from this pristine bottle, damn nice wine.
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Balanced with fruity nose. on the sweet side compare to other vintages. Right time to drink this wine. The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle.
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This is truly wonderful. Lifted, exotic, ethereal, and spicy on the heady bouquet, with a layered, garrigue sweetness on the palate. The texture is silky and whatever structure it had in its youth is fully resolved, but it is otherwise just ascending to the peak of its powers. This is a clean, stable, flaw-free Musar, but with enough VA and complexity to still taste like the real McCoy. Easily the best Musar I’ve had, which covers the 97-05 vintages.
Decanted for an hour. Hmm, does this need more than an hour of decanting now? Not as amazing as the previous bottles, but still very good. Sour cherries, rust, VA on the nose. Red cherry, excellent acidity, mellowed tannins on the palate. Didn’t get the wow effect I was after, but very enjoyable with a roast of moose.
Pretty funky on opening - lots of VA, horse and dirt. Maybe a touch stewed too. Alice certainly not a fan at this point. As ever with Musar, time did it's work. Notably cleaning up up, after 30 mins. After an hour it was clean enough to enjoy. Last glass at 2 hours much the best: a super red-fruited core with baked earth, wild herbs, and a real tension on the palate giving this cracking energy enhanced by a slight spiciness in the long finish. More than reminiscent of a Chateauneuf but without the alcohol. Super, but really needs air after opening.
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Wow! I was surprised at how fresh this wine is. Drinking beautifully right now, as it is walking the line between fruit driven and tertiary flavors of aged Bordeaux, with some tension left to keep it focused.
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It's been a while since the previous dive into the Musar land, way too long actually. Surprisingly clean bouquet, tempting but raises concerns - is this Musar enough? The palate reveals that it is. Uniquely lovely and elegant, slightly sweet, lingonberry and cassis flavors, minerals, luxurious exotic spices and more. Clean and pure but hints of funk, nail polish, wet dog and pea pod - all necessary Musar elements. Fresh acidity and mouthwatering longish finish. Super-good bottle and an excellent vintage. Damn the torpedoes, I am moving to Bekaa Valley and live happily ever after.
While Musar produces freak great wines in "difficult" years (ie 1984) this is a classic archetypical vintage Musar that will age for a good time yet. Wonderful. Managed to acquire another case direct from Musar in 2018 and looking forward to breaking into it over the decade. Now-2029 (at least).
Lebanese night, Chateau Musar tasting (Vilnius, Lithuania): Chateau Musar tasting, flight 3/4, wine 8/12. Made from a blend of equal proportions of CS, Cinsault and Carignan, aged for 12 months in FR oak barrels. Deep ruby red, brick rim. Intense aroma of smoky cassis, leather, dry earth, brett, roasted walnuts, cedar. Medium+ body, earthy, bit smoky and fruitless with some licorice hints, fine medium tannins. Feels tired and bit dull with some life left in it, probably was stored improperly, as tried over two days and sadly there was no improvement.
Our second bottle of this vintage. Based on our prior experience, and many other TNs, we decanted this bottle for just shy of 7 hours to our first glass. Over that time the wine went through (what appears to be) its usual metamorphosis from its thin, light, acidic, youthful form to its darker, heavier, more expressive adult form. The medium bodied palate showed lots of spice, bright red, dark red, and a touch of black fruits, some earth and hints of cedar. The acidity was zesty and there was only a touch of tannin on the finish. The last glass - about 8 hours after decanting - was only slightly more present. This wine may(?!) still be evolving and will continue to delight for many more years.
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The last bottle had me worried a bit as it was a bit too advanced - but this one was outstanding and in great shape. A potpourri of spices on the nose, mint - just a lovely, show-stopping nose. Tannins are light at this point but plenty of acidity to give the wine perfect balance. Impressive!
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Second time with this vintage for me. Decanted for about 8 hours. Nose changes constantly over the evening from nutty to extremely floral to tar and shoe polish and blood, and back again. Ridiculous complexity. The palate has insane concentration of sweet red fruits, dried fruits, honey and spices. It's structured with quality tannins and fresh acidity, showing very young, so young that I think this still needs more time to full blossom. Extraordinary in every way. Even for Musar standards this 1999 is truly special. 20/20
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A near perfect bottle. Just a hint of Musar funk (Bret) but it adds interest and complexity here. Dark red fruit is center stage with a melange of spices playing a strong supporting role. Such a great vintage for Musar and many years left in the tank.
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From split- 30 min decant was all that was necessary for this to exceed all of my expectations. Medium bodied with nearly fully integrated tannins. Nice balance and finish. This is in its prime with at least a decade of solid drinking but likely more.
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this bottle I opened on a whim after realizing I hadn't kept it in controlled temp storage and THEN seeing seepage THROUGH the capsule.
the capsule/cork looked like a disaster and I honestly wasn't in the mood for wine.
on pnp
oranges brick in the glass. slightly translucent. clean/not cloudy even though it was stored on the side
nose and mouth: wild strawberry, rose water, light bits of dried fig/PX sherry, poop direction funk, meaty direction funk, cherry, and orange tea. very high acid+ some VA/ vinegar on the nose, not nearly as oxidized as the color would suggest. super fresh, super energetic, super intriguing, super delicious.
it's been a very long time since I've truly enjoyed a glass of wine--let alone been moved. they've all struck me as unimpressive or predictable. even wines I've felt should leave an impression enough to write a note... 2000 Chasse-Spleen, nice grower champagne, newly released Beaujolais, etc.
Bravo
(Drinking window =Fully soft tannin, but has the acidity to last. I would drink soon versus risking natty-wine volatility. Plenty developed and complex already)
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From half bottle, clean as a whistle, and with surprisingly minimal sediment, this is in great form. A deep and complex nose of Christmas cake, balsamic, leather, pine tar and sweet red fruits. Balanced and long on the palate, the acidity keeps you coming back for more and the fruit has rounded and softened with age, with notes of leather and ash. In a great spot for current drinking but with plenty in reserve where bottles have been stored well.
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Bouteille soigneusement décantée pour en retirer le dépot. Remis en bouteille laissé ouverte pendant un bon 6 hrs et servi avec mon super Osso Bucco, accord réussi. Assez souple et à point je dirais. Sur les fruits rouges, la terre et aussi les épices. Les tannins sont fondus et la finale est assez longue sur des relents de menthol. Super bien équilibré et sans accroc. Excellent.
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14,15% alcohol, 5,97 g/l acidity, 0,95 g/l VA, pH 3,79. Decanted for four hours before tasting the wine.
Deep, quite dark and somewhat translucent brick-red color with an evolved maroon hue. The nose feels fragrant, quite dry and slightly oxidative yet not too old with layered aromas of sweet balsamic VA and strawberry jam, some Tawny Port-like caramel tones, a little bit of leathery brett, light juicy notes of ripe raspberries, a hint of dried figs and a touch of garrigue. The wine feels ripe, harmonious and subtly sweet-toned on the palate with a moderately full body and rather intense flavors of strawberry jam and very ripe raspberries, some bretty notes of leathery funk, a little bit of balsamic VA, light pruney tones, a syrupy, Tawny Port-like hint of sotolon and a touch of gamey meat. Despite its age, the wine retains an impressive, sinewy structure with its high acidity and still relatively grippy tannins. The finish is rich, complex and juicy with a firm tannic grip and a lengthy aftertaste of balsamic VA and wizened sour cherries, some strawberry tones, a little bit of dried dates, light oxidative notes of soy sauce, a sweet hint of soft black cherries and a touch of caramel.
A beautiful, complex and still impressively structured vintage of Musar that is consistently one of the best vintages in every Musar vertical it appears in. It feels like the wine has evolved to a point where it is aromatically more or less at its plateau of maturity, but its structure is still impressively firm and relatively tightly-knit. Regarding any further aging, I suspect the wine won't evolve much from the flavor perspective, but it might resolve into a slightly more open-knit texture over the following handful of years. However, based any further improvement is going to be quite limited, so any further aging is not really necessary. This is drinking beautifully right now, but most likely it will keep just fine for a decade or even longer. Truly a magical wine and among my favorite vintages of Musar from the past 20 years. At 30,59€ this has been a steal.
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I opened and separately decanted two bottles, one a 750 and one a 375ml for about 3 hours in the afternoon then rebottled and carried to a wine dinner event (M. Taylor Bdx pre-event) that night. Paired with the pea risotto and the suckling pig courses. This was nicely mature with off-the-hook aromatics. Cardoman, allspice, other exotic spices, black plums, black tea, violets, shoe leather... Just tons going on and evolving in glass, all reflected beautifully on the palate carried with a wash of flavor on a silky body. The 750 was a touch better showing. 95-96
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Red/brown. A Sherry aroma when opened, but clearly not oxidised after two hours of decanter time. Aroma of tobacco, leather, hot earth and blackberry jam. Very dry. Flavours of oak, red berries, roast meat, blackberry again. Complex, but also austere. Not a crowd-pleaser. Very good with slow-cooked lamb, middle-Eastern style.
Classic Musar on the nose. Great in the mouth, layers of mature fruit, pipe tobacco, cigar box and hallmark acetone notes. Nice symmetry, and a long, complex finish. All you can ask for from a mature Musar! 96+
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Decanted off 1 oz of well settled sediment. Blend of Cab Sauv, Cinsault, Carignan. Decanted 1 hour and tasted. Medium ruby color, age-appropriate bricking; aromatic, red fruited with cherry and strawberry, spices like cinnamon, a bit of clove; palate is medium bodied, medium-plus vibrant acidity throughout, balanced 13.5-14% alcohol (13.5% on label, 14% on website), red fruited which fades just a touch through the midpalate; medium length finish. Currently what stands out is its impeccable balance, not much funk or oxidation/soy for Musar and seems youthful, not yet post-inflection though it's near that point and may develop that way with more air. 92++ with potential for much more with another decade... wait on my other bottle for 5-10 years. 90 min: Ah, this is starting to open up now. Really fascinating cranberry and also starting to develop a little bit of the soy/tamari character. This is going to morph and evolve for hours. 7 hours: definitely developed a little bit of tertiary character, but this has some aging in bottle left to finish… 5-10 years for my last bottle.
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Not decanted. Immeadetely after opening an elegant and intense perfume: truffle, vanilla, Mocca, cedarwood. Very ripe and intense on the palate, exotic spices like piment, cinnamon, dried fruit and a wonderful sweetness. Wonderful long lasting finish of which you can’t get enough. In a great place right now but enough power left for many more years: wow. Equally good on second day.
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Initially the cork made me nervous... seemed almost petrified. At pop and pour is tasted a bit dusty... but over the course of an hour it opened up beautifully... and continued to improve over the course of the evening until the last drop. My wife was quite impressed!
Popped and poured - the idea being to have a glass from the bottle and have the rest with tomorrow's sausage and mash. On the nose - hint of brett, some decay, and a core of red fruit. On the palate - tannins fully resolved, that kind of glyceroly non-tannic / non-acidic Musar structure - I think that there's just enough brett to keep this interesting but it doesn't overpower. If this were another wine I'd advise drinking up your stocks now but for Musar - this is just another interesting facet. Interested to see how it shows the next day...
Blind. Opened and poured straight away. Really bright and vibrant mid ruby. Different on the nose (cf the old Rioja). Slightly sweeter, more lifted with a herby edge and a touch of VA providing lift and complexity without being overdone. First thought is a Garnacha based on the texture, but then a couple more sniffs take me to 98 Musar. Oh well! This 99 is in a lovely spot in bottle format if this one is representative. Fully resolved, complex, very drinkable and good to go from the off. Bright long finish with some acidity and glycerin in perfect harmony. **** with upside potential.
A touch of va but it settled down after a 3-4 hour decant. Lots of sous bois, hints of cassis. Gamy fruit. Nice but worth 15 years in the cellar? I’m not sure.
After a long flirt with brunellos and summer-induced Chardonnays, back to this.
Seeping cork. Hi to mid shoulder. So, IMHO, a preview for 5-7 years ahead. 9 hr decant (!). Damned powerful juice. Chewy and dense, but ephemeral at the same time. Very special. Still racy acidity and loads of fruit. Not for everybody, but I LOVE IT!
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Briefly, another perfect bottle - stood upright for a few days, then decanted (removing a moderate amount of quite fine sediment) about 8 hours prior to drinking. This was classic, perfect Musar. One of the best wines in the world (at a sensible price like the ~US$35 that I paid for these, anyway).
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Last one. Last bottle tasted at a charity wine tasting hosted by me.
Lightish red, with tawny amber colour at the edge. Usual volatile 'blow off' when decanted, though not quite the heady bouquet of some previous bottles, perhaps because it was drunk outside. Notes of oak and furniture polish in a good way on the nose initially, then quite savoury, earthy. Still hints of tannin, but initial impression was of it being quite dilute on the palate, but it did have length and the sweet and savoury notes I associate with old Musar came through in the end. It was the favourite wine of 2 and least favourite of 2 others. Some things never change. Overall, not in the same league as the 2003 just now, but still very good.
Half. Opened and splash decanted immediately prior to drinking. Bright mid garnet. Usual Musar lifted nose with some VA, furniture polish and spicy red fruit. Mellow and smooth with decent mid palate complexity and finish. ****
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Coravin fun - Randoms (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Baked earth, volatility, blood, a little wood glue, leather, peppery spice, red currant, touches of rocky minerality, cream. Juicy, fleshy, plenty of chalky textured tannins, alcohol warmth, baked fruit, a little garrigue, long...compelling
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FROM A 375ml. Opened, decanted for sediment, then poured into a Grassl Liberté. A ruby core with bricking to a watery meniscus. Scents of dried red fruits, potpourri, decaying floral notes and weathered railroad ties. The palate leads with dried red fruits, kumquats, kiwi, and clove, the length is medium, there's a level of complexity that seems to come in waves. Given that this is from a half bottle, I would expect that there is another 10-20+ years for a 750ml with good storage. The wine is light-medium in body, framed by the acidity that starts of the edges of the tongue and seems to pull the mid-palate in together for a long finish. G-damn this has been so nice to get to check in on this wine over the years. This wine has been tasted at least 10 times over the last 12 years from 375ml, 750ml, & 1.5L.
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Mostly white Burgundies: When Musar is on, it is such a singular wine. Luckily, the wine gods smiled on us as this was a spectacular bottle. The VA was restrained to give it such an elegant nose that was peppered with some earthiness. Everything in balance on the palate, glorious red fruit with very high acidity. I didn't think it was a Musar because it didn't evolve in the glass much, but stayed at a consistently high plateau throughout. Great stuff.
Four years and a half since I visited Lebanon, good time to review some bottles brought at Gaston's cellars. Bottle taking a two hours breath before lunch. Bland cork as usual. Crystal ruby colour. Aromas of marzipan, gooseberries, aniseed, meaty, mineral, lactic and herby. Nice complexity. A bit one-way Musar anyway. On the palate showed a watery texture, sharp acidity (as a young rioja-like) and a warm, astringent finish produced by high alcohol. Damned bottle variation. Where is that traditional softness? Where those oriental spices? My view is easy to explain: this is not an outstanding Musar. Have to age more in order to settle a little. As simple as that. If not traded, next bottle in eight years or so. Not the best mature wine to celebrate Spanish Fool's day.
Cuatro años y medio desde que visité Líbano, buen momento para revisar algunas botellas traídas de las bodegas de Gaston. La botella estuvo tomando un respiro de dos horas antes del almuerzo. Corcho blando como de costumbre. Cristalino color rubí. Aromas a mazapán, grosellas, anís, carnoso, mineral, láctico y herbáceo. Agradable complejidad. Un Musar un poco unidireccional de todos modos. En boca presenta una textura acuosa, acidez punzante (al modo de un Rioja joven) y un final cálido y astringente producido por un alto grado alcohólico. Maldita variación entre botellas. ¿Dónde está esa suavidad tradicional? ¿Dónde esas especias orientales? Desde mi punto de vista es fácil de explicar: este no es un Musar excepcional. Hay que esperar bastante más tiempo. Tan simple como eso. Si no lo vendo, la siguiente en unos ocho años. Necesita asentarse un poco. No es el vino maduro más adecuado para celebrar el Día de los Santos Inocentes.
The best Musar I’ve had so far. The cork was dry and very fragile. They really have bad corks. But the wine was excellent. Gone was the masculine powerful wine, instead it was very elegant with a slight strawberry flavor and a beautiful bouquet of spices and tobacco. No airing before and after a few hours the wine begun to deteriorate. So a bit amazed about the long airing hours some have for this 22 year old wine. But I guess it can depend on the cork on that specific bottle. It paired very well with a bookmaker toast.
This time 30 hrs after opening the bottle and decanting. Amazing concentration, never ending finish, and the nose to die for. Years of life ahead of it. As usual the corkage is poor. Ah-so opener works well, though.
Here a mixture of great burgundy and highest grade brunello for my taste.
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Christmas Dinner (Our House): Based on many other TNs (thank you) we knew this wine needed air! The bottle was decanted (with a small amount of sediment) a bit after Noon for dinner. The fill was mid-neck, and (luckily) the cork came out unbroken, but was "squishy" and wet to about 20% of the way up. As the wine sat in the decanter it got darker and took on weight. It took to the 3 1/2-hour mark to reach the point where the fruit finally exceeded the wood as the primary flavor, and the acidity began to wane. At the 5 1/2-hour mark we began to drink the wine with dinner. The color was a medium to deep violet with a faded rim. The nose was mostly earth and spice, with some red fruit. The medium bodied palate showed lots of spice, some red fruit (strawberry & cherry) and earth, and juicy acidity. This was our first experience with any of the Musar reds, after having one bottle each of the white and the rosé, and it was unique. Not certain how long this vintage can hold but have one more 1999 and one 2005 that we'll probably enjoy within the next couple of years.
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Lazy Sunday Lunch (La Trompette): Served from magnum. One of the best, if not the best 99 I’ve tasted. Clean - certainly at the “civilian-friendly” end, but still fun, even exciting. In some ways it was just like a 20 year younger sibling of the 79 it was served alongside. Not sure if it will go on to age in the same way…but worth leaving some to find out.
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Always been a fan of the 1999 and never seems to let up. Huge volatile currant, berry flavours. Not at all subtle but good balance and impressive length. Still in prime. As an aside I am still surprised, as someone who has been drinking Musar for 35 years, that so many people give a very long decanting time. The 1999 was typical in that it had an explosion of flavour from opening and not sure what long periods of air could add.
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A bit more advanced than I would have liked - hopefully just an off bottle. Slightly oxidized with Some dead leaves on the nose when first poured (after opening a few hours earlier) - after another hour or so the fruit firmed up and the oxidized notes blew off - so was still enjoyable to drink.
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LE at ungrafted. Out of the 375ml: oxidation, Brett, perfumed VA hit - familiar and classic. With a ribbon of deep blackberry and cassis balsamic. I’m excited for this one. It’s been a couple years.
It developed some nice tertiary depth over the next hour - it's starting to inflect and is pretty open now, that said this was a 375 so I wonder if the 750's are still a bit closed.
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The bottle was high shoulder fill; the cork was soft and soaked most of the way through (but came out cleanly with a pseudo-durand).
Decanted about 6 hours in advance, put back in the bottle and decanted again at the restaurant about 90 minutes in advance of drinking. A taste of the dregs on opening had the classic Musar nose, and a slightly acidic palate.
By the time we came to drink with dinner this was a superb bottle. Classic Musar, beautifully balanced spicy, complex, lingering in the mouth. Described by two people (regular wine drinkers, but perhaps not connoisseurs) as "the best red wine they had ever tasted".
I got this bottle at ~US$35 and I have 3 more, but I'm sorely tempted to stock up more while it's still available, albeit that now the best I can find is ~US$58. It's still a stunningly good wine even at the current price.
Musar Vertical: What a heavenly nose full of sweet fresh strawberry fruit, fresh herbs, some volatile acidity, but just extremely well balanced and graceful. Absolutely mesmerizing, something to dream about. The palate is a true stunner as well, it‘s elegant, aristocratic even, very polished not only for Musar standards, with a perfect balance between heavenly sweet, melting fruit, freshness and spice. Also infinitely long. Close to perfection for my palate, also the favorite of the groupe. 20/20
Tasted after 8 hours of decanting. A hint of red fruits, raspberries. Dominant tertiary flavours of forest floor, damp wood, oak. Medium bodied with mellow tannins. Good finish.
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The 1999 Musar (from half) is ready as soon as it hits the glass and it’s nose and palate are interesting in the sense that, for a Bordeaux drinker, it is as similar as it is foreign. A Franco-Lebanese Minotaur, offering classically left bank cool, dark fruit and leather - yet with a warm, spicy character, full of clove and cardamom. Fully resolved and slightly volatile. Enjoyable, if not climbing into the pantheon of the world’s great Cabernet blends.
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Decanted 4 hours ahead. Tawny port colour at first. Not much sediment. Had a sip then, all VA and furniture polish in a not unpleasant way.
Quite raisined sweet fruit and some oak, like a very mature Rioja. You need to like mature wine with tertiary flavours to enjoy this.
Colour seemed to deepen with time, and some fruit emerged. Probably at its best about 8-9 hours after opening (it was finished then!) and may have become better the next day if it had got a chance. Difficult to tell whether this is going to keep going or is on the way down now. Certainly needs a longish decant.
Great with roast lamb.
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Had over three evenings. More reticent and brooding than the ‘98. In time the nose shows black tea, iron, a little meat, pepper, and mature red fruit. The palate mirrors it for the most part—but the savory notes emerge more clearly on the second and third days, as the fruit recedes.
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Decanted a couple hours prior to consumption. Much less sediment than expected. Fully mature and completely integrated. Drinking in a lovely balanced way. A lot of wines were out so I didn't tarry about with notes. Memories are all positive.
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Open 24 hrs. Decanted 3 hrs. Absolute heaven. Have lots of different vintages of this. Right now 98, 99 and 01 are ready, but with proper airation. See above.
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From magnum. Loved it, though less of the usual VA or brett. Super fresh, long long life ahead. Massive amount of red and black fruits. Silky tannins. Long finish.
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This was better after 2 hours open. Sappy red fruits, bakers spice and bay leaf. This was direct from winery and from a 375ml, I was hoping for it to be a bit bigger, this is a bit after peak and I love older wines. I hope the bottle is just off a bit, but because of 375ml may be aging faster. Overall nice wine but not as good as many Musar's I have had, but totally worth the price point
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Drank this at Tunglok Xihe, Orchard Central, with a group of newly-found wine mates for the Chateau Musar vertical dinner.
2nd wine of the 2nd flight. This is really brilliant with the vanilla and cream notes shiny through. Some dark red fruits in the mid-palate with good energy and intensity.
One of the contenders for the Wine of the Night.
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Ah-so pushed cork directly into the bottle (doh!). Wine was good/drinkable but this bottle was clearly a bit off. A touch oxidized and didn’t exhibit the freshness of the last bottle. Even a bit off, would score 92
Opaque and browning at the edge. The barnyard is strong in this one - immediately evident when the cork was popped. Rich and sweet. Quite a bit of blood/iron all throughout. Prune and leather. Dried berries. Pretty soft, good length. In a very good place, and about perfect now.
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got some raspberry over leathery earth. Spicy herbs (brown spice - anise, cumin?) a lift of cherry acetone and musk + cola, red but softened with the age and some coffee caramel oak. Tea tannin. Like this.
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Best bottle so far of this. Soft and sweet, fully resolved but still retaining lots of fruit over a full on sous bois with mushrooms, decaying leaf, wet earth and moss. Earthy minerality, medium acidity, long finish. Bravo!
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Leather; clove; liquorice; orange; Christmas spices; burnt rubber; mouldy cellar Palate: racing acidity; tannins softened; fruit still lively. Lots of strawberry. Finish is the clear slow fade of a prayer bell.
Pulled out of my wine fridge's top shelf which is the "special occasion wines" shelf (I was told it was not on that shelf...) and popped and poured hard into a glass a couple times as a random Tuesday night wine. That glass, in fact all of the glasses but the last half a glass, were not drunk by me and were naturally filled with sediment. I had a sniff and a taste about 2 hours after opening. Tight as nails but at the same time mature. Clearly would be great about 6 hours in. I set the bottle upright on the kitchen counter and tried a sip about 4 hours later and it was blossoming and the sediment all over the first glasses that I didn't have had settled down. 24 hours later after spray argon on top at room temp and it was even better.
I only wish that this had been noticed before it was opened and it had been saved for another time. It would have been beautiful with so many foods and was drinking great, but about 90 percent of the bottle was slugged down and found to be "not really that great" by the person who opened it. I wouldn't have liked a bunch of sediment and a tight wine in my glass, either. The few sips I had after it was opened for hours spoke volumes for this wine which is very, very good.
As you might expect, this was my only bottle of this and I can't just go down the street to buy a replacement.
This continues to gain weight and is becoming deeper and the fruit is becoming more available and intense. Bright red fruit, cherry and then damson and stewed plum. Medium body, long finish. At and optimum time for drinking but it will grow and change with time. At the moment this is a great early plateau Musar. The later plateau Musar is almost a different wine and just as interesting. So glad that I loaded up on this year.
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I have been drinking the 96 (excellent) 97 (pretty good) 98 (very unpredictable) and this was my first 99. Very good all the best characteristics of Musar even after a 1/10 cork! 30 minute wait in the glass and it was great. Saved some for the next day and it died. Won't do that again.
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Vollgesaugter und bröselig-brüchiger Kork, ließ sich nicht ziehen. Wein dann sehr gut: anfangs noch verschlossener mit merklicher Säure, dann immer besser. Nächstes mal früher öffnen und dekantieren.
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Top shoulder. Some seepage. Still reddish garnet colour, translucent towards the rim, some fine sediment. Red fruit, iodine, meaty and gamy notes, herbal notes, some cedar, some leather, some tobacco and balsamic notes, with great, lively acidity, perfectly integrated tannin and exceptional length. Ethereal. Elevated VA. Paired with a rib-eye steak it develops complex spice notes. Medium-bodied and very balanced. Great tension and intensity! The finish lasts for minutes. Captivating!
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After my first bottle from Chateau Musar oxidized in 1999 and the consumption was rather modest, here is the evaluation of my second bottle:
The cork of this bottle was completely soaked, and despite the greatest care, the cork broke off when it was opened. After fine handwork, the rest of the cork could then be easily removed. Immediately after decanting the wine smelled very pungent, already thought that the second bottle would also be undrinkable. After 5 hours in the decanter, the surprise came:
Very good aroma, great bouquet, the color between red and orange (slightly rust-colored), fine tannins and a very long, pleasant finish. This wine enjoyment was fun.
On the negative side: The quality of the corks could be improved. Already had about 20 years old wines from the Greek winemaker Papaioannou and the corks were way better.
Bordeaux blend's double blind: Double blind. Cloudy and evolved color in the glass. Slightly oxidative nose. Fairly complex but not exactly pleasant on the palate, with some remaining dry fruit mixing with oxidative notes and some stewed vegetables. I thought a poorly stored bottle of a 70s or early 80s Bordeaux off vintage. Then somebody said Musar, and it made sense. I recall seeing this recently offered by Cru, and was wondering if I should take a case back then. Very glad I did not. NR Group's # 7, My #7
Followed Tim Heaton’s decanting advice: 30 min in a wide bottom decanter, then back into the bottle, no cork for 2 hours before the first glass. In a perfect place, sublime.
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Medium cherry red w just a hint of orange, pretty youthful looking for 21! Nose is... the inimitable Musar... I don't know how to describe it - tart cherry and red berry but with that overlay of funk, that Musar complexity that defies fruit metaphor. On the palate, perfection. Red wine as red wine was meant to taste, vinous, complex, does not yield to a flavour-wheel dissection. Just pure red wine bliss. Smooth, balanced, complete, complex. Moreish in a big way. Never disappoints. Great QPR.
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First time I've re-visited the '99 vintage since I originally had it 4 years ago, and it is everything I remembered! PnP, there is a whiff of VA that blows off quickly. While this bottle is accessible immediately, a decant is recommended to remove considerable sediment and because the wine does evolve and improve with air. Upon opening, both nose and palate exhibit a cooked, maderized sweetness: stewed cherries, strawberries and cranberries and a hint of caramel. The nose is quite tertiary and unapologetically animalistic with meaty, gamey, smokey aromas with a backdrop of wet leaves and forest floor, all of which is juxtaposed by a bouquet of violets and rose petals. After 30 minutes to stretch its legs, the fruit becomes more lively with its stewed character giving way to more youthful, tangy red fruit flavors with real zip and a spiciness that nicely accents Musar's gamey character. The finish is long, fruity, spicy with lingering tannin that is grippy but not at all offensive. What a delight, and 4 more bottles to go
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Medium light body, some bricking into the wine. A touch of volatility which gives a nice lift, but otherwise not too wild, dried roses, cinnamon and clove with some mature red fruits. Balanced and so easy to drink, great with a pumpkin tagine
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Medium ruby/garnet color with some bricking towards the rim. Pretty animalic notes with some leather, horsesaddle, but also tobacco leaf, some graphite, with some more air there is also that super pure red fruit (red cherries and strawberries) showing up, some smoke, also some balsamic notes, too. Overall very complex aromatics. It‘s medium+ bodied, but with excellent mid-palate persistence, it has pretty high acidity, still medium+ tannin that is very good quality and silky and excellent length. Plenty of complexity on the finish. A fascinating wine and very unique. Really fascinating as it combines Bordeaux-ish animalic notes with some Southern Rhône texture and almost Burgundian red fruit.
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Some years ago the people at the chateau told me that they believe that old wines definitely should be decanted and aired for many hours. (They told the analogy about leaving your house for a week, a year or many years and how long do you open the windows then) I was alway a bit cautious but nevertheless took some 4/6 hours with a bottle. This one I followed their advice and gave it a 24! hours decant. So this 9.5 is for all the people that made this wine! You have silk and silk! A nice acid kick even at the end. Fruit and cinnamon! This is Musar next level.
Initial notes on opening: Fully transparent cherry red colour on opening. Initial nose of new wellington boots and high- toned kirsch. Initial palate is tart and tannic red cherries and fresh cranberries. Quite a volatile eau de vie immediate resonance and reverberance inside the head in the mouth and on the swallow... very long indeed.
Decanted for 7 hours and then served blind but knowing it was my wine. Almost transparent except for the core. Has retained its cherry red colour. Nose is very well behaved and clean and reticent, almost disappointingly so...loganberry in the background. Palate has really benefited from the long decant - it is a BAM! of classic Musar Eastern spice market, black tapenade, deep red spiced Turkish delight, good medium acidic freshness. Then it suddenly grabs you by the back of the skull on the back palate and takes you down Alice's rabbit hole. Intellectual but also hedonistic. The power is phenomenal and very long indeed. Close to silence creating but too reticent on the nose to score accordingly higher. This is my favourite vintage of younger Ch. Musar and the first time I have opened a magnum. In most people's top two wines tonight. 93-94.
Back on form, after a disappointingly flat (oxidated?) bottle last time.
Brick red, quite vibrant colour, spice on the nose, with a little hint of farm yard, some sweet baked fruit too. Quite sweet on the palate at first, but also some fine tannins but pretty unobtrusive and still some acidity. Quite a long finish. Complete, mature and integrated wine now, reminiscent of an old Southern Rhone in some ways.
Had at Thanksgiving. N red raspberries, cherries, tobacco, pine tar, little cinnamon P red cherry, raspberry, plums, barnyard, tobacco, little baking chocolate, spice F long in length, great mouthfeel Overall a fantastic bottle of wine, always one of my favs.
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Right after decanting: sweet cooked plums and cherries, attractive matured. Plum and spicy on the palate. But allthe complexity vanished after 1h as if the wine is too old, similar to the last bottle, both from 2019th release of the 1999th vintage. Somehow below expectations. Do not decant and drink up (at least the 2019th release)
Wine Night #2 Commanderie @ GWC!: 1998 and 1999 served together. Red cherries, spices, slight tinge of sweetness. Similar to the 1998, enjoyed this a lot! 92/93
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During a blind tasting dinner. Served double blind, the 1998 and 1999 side by side as a pair. Farmyard on the nose, a touch bretty but not overbearing. Lots of red cherry and also spices. Light and crisp on the palate. As so often with Musar, teh nose points towards Bordeaux, the palate has a Southern Rohne twist with Cincsault and Carmenere being lighter, sweeter and more red fruited than a normal Cab/Merlot blend. Both wine showed well and were similar with the 1999 may be being just a touch too bretty, costing it a point.
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Amazingly unseeped (or whatever the word is) cork. Double decanted then left open for 10 hours before pouring. Still plenty of life in this bottle, smells and tastes of plum, pepper, and other spices (maybe clove). A bit of barnyard but not as much as I was expecting, actually pretty clean. Fresh acidity and smooth tannins, worked well with the food (mushroom, spinach, chestnut, pine nut and Stilton wellington). At the risk of talking nonsense, I’d describe it as elegant.
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Somewhat Bordeaux in feel, but with more of a resinous nose. I might have guessed South African Pinotage...Then with time in bottle and glass, more Bordeaux with more earth showing through. I have drank this wine several times now, and have a few bottle to go. I will not crave this for a long time so lets see what another few years does to this...If you own this its best with a 60 minute exhale.
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Exceptional. Complex nose of pine resin, dark fruit, paint, leaf compost/forest floor. Velvety mouthfeel with most of the tannin structure gone, yet holding together very nicely. Balanced and mature. VERY good length.
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Decant yielded significant amount of sediment. The brick color of a fully aged Bordeaux. Eucalyptus, tobacco and dyred dark on the nose. Tannins fully integrated. Hint of port or Madeira on the palette. More dark dried fruit and cedar. This has almost perfect written all over it The cork broke in half and at 21, my horse has more life in him.
Decanted for an hour and drank over 2.5 hours. Funk and barnyard on the nose for the first 15 minutes. This significantly reduced after 15 min, leaving a lovely bouquet of black fruits and cassis. So distinct and so memorable. When a Musar is on song - it is a Madonna.
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Wonderful bottles from an stand-out vintage. Been years since returning to this case — not since Serge Hochar tragically passed. Musar has a tendency to open and close as it matures and the bottles sampled are right in the sweet spot at present. Lovely subtle tannins which provide just the right amount of structure for a 21 year old wine. All sorts of beautifully integrated flavours including smoky cigar box, leather and concentrated berries for a start. Superb long finish. What a rare treat.
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Sublime. Très belle bouteille. Un vin qui a évolué sur toute la soirée. Passant de la rose, à des notes animales, sanguines. Encore du fruits, de la fraise. Un vin en grande forme d'une complexité étonnante et très long.
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Like sitting in a room where people smoked expensive cigars for decades, and eating fresh Sacher Torte with some bitter orange/ ginger Marmelade.
So glad I have plenty of these - it is an acquired taste and I did acquire it with a vengeance. I am buying any vintages of this I can find for reasonable price and drinking them at least 15 years after the vintage. SLO ox. Cork is through, but the wine is fine. As usual:)
Expressive and open on the nose - notes of exotic spices, cedar, sweet dark fruit, leather, tobacco. Really lovely. On the palate a little less complex. Quite soft and mellow but not flabby, very good acidity, generous fruit, spicy, smoky. Not overly intense but persistent and delicious. Drink or keep. 91-93
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A bit of a riper vintage of Musar, tasted very Shiraz-like. Fully developed on the noes, won't move forward from here. Medium-bodied, quite smooth and balanced with a acidity that's still kicking, but at its peak. Long finish marked with tons of spice and dried fruit.
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BYO with friends (Wee Family Coffeeshop): Medium garnet core, with significant browning and fading edges. A very complex dark floral nose, with hints of tar and black cherry. Ripe cherry fruit flavours, with crushed dried flowers, and even a rich leathery, cigar smoky feel towards the back. Very long cigarbox finish. Great!
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Another wonderful bottle of this, probably the best one yet. This really seems at peak as is with lots of primary fruit combined with nuances and complexities of age, but I am sure it will stay at this level for a long time to come... This was filled with fruit and character, full bodied almost but never heavy, always interesting. Either my tolerance of VA has gone up, or I've had a string of Musars of late that have had low VA, as I didn't get any torpedo juice on this bottle at all. Showed really well with food, and has the profile to fit with a number of cuisines. Just delicious.
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Decanted for sediment at 12.00 (a fair amount of very fine sediment, actually). The wine aerated in decanter for 30 minutes before it was returned to bottle where it remained, without a cork, for the next 5 hours. I think this really helped as everyone at the table, myself included, found the wine to be in an ideal place/serving condition (including 63F temp). Packed with nuance, intrigue, and flavors, this gracefully danced on the palate, and stayed fresh, and bright for the 2-3 hours it was open during dinner. More than one glass was raised in honor of Serge's greatness. I'll drink my remaining bottles over the next 2-5 years as I really like this combination of freshness, and maturity. highly recommended
Tasted a few Musar side by side against some Pauillacs. WE loved the Musars for their aromatic complexity, many of them did not have too much funk (aka Brett) as I observed in bottles before but a nice nose of musk, underbrush, sweet spices and more red than dark berries. There is a good portion of Carrignan and Cinsault next to CabSav in these wines. This makes the wine a bit lighter than a Bordeaux and also higher pitched in the aromatics. So after having tasted the 1989 (93, the lightest of all of them), 1999/2004 (94, aromatic, good mid mouth presence), 2001 (NR, light cork) we concluded that these wines are better to be compared against a South of France Blend than a Bordeaux blend.
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This showed a bit better than last bottle 5 years ago. Faded plum, with other red fruit elements, old leather, spice, hints of brett and smoke. Improved as bottle went on so plenty of time in hand ***1/2+
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Another good bottle of this. Ripe, soft and silky. Less of the dirty funk and clearly into tertiary territory, more evolved than the norm here, but then the bottle variation is part of the fun with Musar.
Somehow when Musar hits the 20 year mark, it get more interesting and seems to put on a little weight. Definitely the case with this 1999. It is drinking beautifully and will do so for a good while. The stewed plum, and blueberry and very fine tannins also make this easy to drink. Medium in the mouth and medium finish. Unique, so you keep going back to taste.
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Stable and some brett in the nose. On the palate completely different. Mushrooms, wet moss and leather paired with ripe cherries - not much brett here. Very interesting with these tertiary notes. There’s still a little acidity in the background which pushes the berry notes in the end. Medium and precise bodied and a medium long finish. I really enjoyed this one. Great PQR - as usual with Musar.
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Opens and improves over 2 hours. Gun powder and bright berries on the nose. It has medium body with sweet red fruits, great complexity and some good balance. Tannin and acid are well integrated. Drinking well and likely to last another 5-10 years.
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Definitely one of the more funky Musars I’ve had. Strong VA on the nose, and not short of the old stables. Not one for the Musar newbie. Lots else here though: fabulous fruit, strawberries and baking spices. Palate is very fruity, full and rich. Still a little tannin. Finish is spicy, cinnamon and all spice. Drunk with roast shoulder of lamb and tasted great. Very very Musar. In a good way.
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Slightly pale at the rim, garnet colour. Very expressive smell, sweet red fruit, clove, a touch of tar perhaps. Unusual in the mouth, rich and concentrated, but weightless. Cranberry and sour cherry. Very long fresh finish. This is lovely. Mature but the tannins are still present. Many years ahead of it in my opinion.
** I preferred this to my memory of the last bottle, the only difference is a much shorter decant **
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Looks far younger than 21 years old. Lots of sediment. Barnyard, earthy, smells like a stable. Red fruit on the nose - cherry, raspberry. Palate, ripe red fruit again - cherry and raspberry, a little wood but by no means oaky. The barnyard/earthy notes still there, and quite strong. Love it! Earthy cocoa powder. Soft tannins. Probably peak now. Some iron on the back end. Medium length. A fair amount of acidity on the finish - like sour candy - but not really distracting. Excellent. I'm a little surprised at how fast I drank it, must have really enjoyed!
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This has finally started entering into the stage of life where I fine these wines show the best. The tannic frame is still present, but has mellowed out and the palate seems a bit rounder, but the acidity seems to pull it all back in together. I have no clue when I'll want to open my last bottle. However, as good as this was...it could be sooner rather than later. I think with good provenance & storage there's probably no reason that this wine couldn't go another 20+ years. However, it's in such a lovely spot now, I'm going to have a hard time not drinking and enjoying what I have remaining in the cellar.
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Half. A pale shadow of a glorious bottle last month. Lifted VA nose. Served a little warm and felt a touch hot with the volatility. Sweet fruit, a touch of garrigue, but the VA dominates. Will revisit in a few days before scoring. **1/2
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This bottle was over the hill. Cork didn't feel quite right coming out the bottle, and the wine was tired, a bit oxidated and didn't come to life the way that previous bottles of this have done. Not actively unpleasant, just past it, and quite different from other bottles. Hoping it was the exception as still three more of these.
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This bottle was the first of six - as far as I can see it was in excellent condition. Nose slightly reticent but like a classic Bordeaux with extra warmth/ripeness. Good attack and concentration then persistent finish. Well developed aromatically with slight minty/tobacco notes. Definitely mature but still with time to run. All components in proportion though very ripe (unsurprisingly).
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A wine of nice extract and good balance that combines its Bordeaux composition--a mixture of St Estephe smoke and St Julien structure-- with a racy, slighlty gamey and wonderful earthy reminder of special soil and Mediterranean sun. The medium red to dark red crimson hue yields a waft of smoky clay-like scents along with cabernet cherry notes. The wine needs an hour in the decanter still-less evolved than a couple of later vintages in fact-- but it unfolds in a classy manner with plenty of that Musar tone. Not the best Musar i have had, for it still needs more complexity and roundness but it might do well with more time.
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Relatively clean Musar. Sweet fruit note, not as sickly as some of the more funky bottles can taste. Nicely aged profile, tertiary notes. Interesting. Consistent with other 99's I've tasted.
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A better version than the last bottle, even though the cork was soaked and wine was seeping from the top. Iron and leather on the nose with a hint of animal and earth in the background. Good acidity and enough structure on the palate, tannins more or less resolved, drinking well. Great QPR. This was decanted and drunk more or less immediately; the previous bottle wasn't. I'll be decanting the rest of my bottles.
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Hawksmoor steak (Hawksmoor, Air Street): Mid ruby to full garnet. Very Musar on the nose with that slightly lifted, not quite VA, sweetness of fruit cut through with a hint of garrigue and something smoky. Very smooth on the palate. Sweet-fruited but fresh and long, nothing cloying. Quite restrained by Musar standards, a lovely clean bottle. Really lovely. ****
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Crumbly cork. Quite evolved in terms of colour. Very expressive on the nose - exotic spices, cedar, red and dark fruit, old leather, mint. Great acidity on the palate, good fruit. Mellow and smooth, lovely sweet fruit. Spicy finish, good length. No rush drinking up. 91-93
Complex nose of earth and leather, tannins pretty much fully resolved and fruit already in the background. Acidity also becoming difficult to detect. At times interesting, at other times feeling like it was a little past its prime and starting to fall apart.
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After a long day of pruning grape vines i wanted something distinctive. Tannins have completely resolved and this comes across mellow, almost unctuous. I think i prefer this at 15 years. Still a pleasure.....very elegant. Recommend drinking with lighter meals.
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A private tasting (Amsterdam, NL): Tasted blind. A civilised rendition of the Musar theme, forest floor, deep spices, Pinot Noir like, crushed red berries, also a hint of truffle like a good Pomerol, gently resolved tannins, very good length.
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Tasted over 2 hrs -med dark red minimal bricking -expressive dried red fruit spice red apple peel maturity and faintly perceptible TCA -med acidity, med+ weight is authoritative but not heavy or cloying, faded but rich ripe dark fruit dollop of licorice gum ball, med/med- tannins and excellent length -this is really quite good even though very slightly corked, on its prime drinking plateau now and this bottle suggests another 5-10 good years
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The cork troubled us a bit , brittle and stuck to the neck. Decanted for a good 30 minutes. Evolved and soft, feels like an decent vintage Bordeaux with 15yrs of age, earthy, spice, leather. A very nice wine albeit Musar bottle variation always worries us. Very happy with this. A touch sharp on the finish . 90-91
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From a 375. The 1999 Ch Musar features a reddish brown color that fades to clear rim. The nose is significantly advanced with menthol, mint, herbs, forest floor, and little dark berry still left. However, on the palate, the bramble fruit is remarkably fresh and alive. The significant tannins from its youth are still there, but much smoother and more polished. This is one of my favorite Musar yet.
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Another fantastic 1999 tonight (the other being Soldera); Always a joy to drink aged Musar (even if 1999 might be considered a bit young). It's an animal, ever evolving in the glass, funky, spicy, then sophisticated and complex, not a monster but balanced and changing it's clothes like an actor in a musical. Same performer but different character. Heritage Wine Blind Tasting Finals after-party at Jean-George Las Vegas. 92-93
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Late Night Drinks at Kelvin's (Kelvin and Joyce's Place, Bishan): 9 years since the last bottle, this was showing even better. It had a lovely nose, tumbling out of the glass with layers of mint and menthol and peppery spice drifting over a bed of savoury meat, funk and a core of deep dark fruit. The palate was delicious too, with sweet tannins and juicy acidity chasing a mouthful of dark berries and cassis fruit, all this seasoned with a burst of spice, brambly herb, and savoury meat. Finish was mid-lengthened rather than truly long, but there was a nice little linger of mint and menthol to round things off. Really enjoyable and, as always, full of character. Drinking nicely now.
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Opened up over a few hours. Lighter in color and at the edges....Beautiful fresh nose of red fruits, a complex palate and a long finish. Should last...
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Chateau Musar 1999-2004 vertical blind tasting: The big disappointment of the night. I got to sample the 1999 eight years ago, and then it was a robust red, even if it wasn’t my favorite. Now it’s noticeably over the hill, even if it’s not dead yet. The color is a little lighter and more orange than the others, but still quite dark, and not transparent at the rim. Meanwhile, the nose is more mineral, with wet stone and cassis. Brett is dominant at first, but eventually yields to fading, faintly overripe fruit. Was this bottle flawed? It’s hard to tell. The cork was fine. One taster still rated the 1999 first among the six vintages, while another gave it second place, but most (like me) gave it 5th place. Drink up.
1999 Château Musar was complex, stylish and mature. The Lebanon wine was clear medium ruby in colour with noticable amber rim and fine sediments. The nose was complex and evolving. Freshly out of the bottle, it displayed ripe red cherries, liqourice, thyme and rosemary herbs and subtle leather and earthy funk. With an hour in glass, the funk dissipated, and more red fruits aromas like raspberries, cranberries and sour red cherries developed. The palate was lively and balanced. It was medium-bodied, well-complemented with medium level of acidity and medium level of supple melting tannin. The attack was ripe red fruit dominant and liqourice-tinged, and the flavours evolved into complex herbs and fine ceder wood in a long finish.
According to the winery official website, the blend composed of roughly equal proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carignan. The wine was fermented in cement cats with four-week long maceration, followed by one-year aging in French oak.
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Light garnet. This has lightened in colour since last one. Still a lovely wine. Very smooth tannins. A huge array of tastes, from dried cranberries through Xmas cake to smoky bacon and spices. Long too. A very good Musar, still living long.
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Generally consistent with previous note, but this bottle did not show as well. Perhaps was not given the time it needed to open up. Still highly recommended
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Best bottle of Musar I've had. Musar can be uneven. Had a bunch of clunkers. Not this one. Double decanted 2 hours before service. Beautiful clarity of crushed red fruit, spice, and distinct Lebanese notes of zaatar and olive wood smoke. Terrific. Love this vintage. One to look out for.
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Pale red, some age visible. Wonderful red fruit smell, redcurrant, iron and wood spice. Medium bodied, lovely weight in the mouth, not particularly tannic but plenty of acid, lively. Long refreshing finish. Excellent. Ready but will last a few years yet.
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Pale pinkish ruby, with slight fading edges. Upfront developed aromas of coffee grounds, green leaf, moss, twigs, barnyard, cloves, and a slight hint of still fresh red cherry. Good strength in the oak flavours of mocha, cloves, cherry, plum, truffles, and becomes somewhat tea-like, and a blackish tar towards the back. Tannins well rounded, and some fresh acids. A long, warm finish. Great wine!
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Prism w/ Sashi (Prism, Berlin): @prism Berlin. Showed hints of blackberry and black currant and tertiary depth, but still in a reticent phase. Still...phenomenal.
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Decades of Decadence - "The 9's" (Buellton, CA): Paprika spices, lavender, cherries, exotic spices and tea leaf aromas. Leathery fruit and spices on the palate, with seamless floral depth. Full rich mid-palate, elegant and finely structured. Great depth and length. Drinking beautifully
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X-Mas Tasting (Freiheit Vinothek, Ulm, Germany): Glass: Gabriel Gold Tasted blind. Decanted. Nose with some barn, VA, candied fruit, orange peel. Deep and complex. Grenache? On the palate a bit hot, dense, very good balance, fine spices, red, warm fruit, good acidity. Certainly, from a warm location, but not broad or simple. Beautiful length. 92-93
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Definitely a very enjoyable glass of wine. Complex and light on the pallet with just a hint of astringency. Still holding together well after 20+ years. Such an amazing winery and spectacular story. A great holiday treat!
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Decades of Decadence -- the '9' Edition (Our Favorite Spot in Buellton, CA): An elegant wine showing impressive nuance and complexity, with polished red fruit, some crushed vitamins, lanolin, pastille and spice. If served blind, I might have called Sardegna. In hindsight, this might have been better placed in our Southern Rhone flight.
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A prestine bottle with great provenance. Scents of varnish, intermingled with earth, dried cherries, prune and exotic spices. The wine was mature, yet it felt like it was having a hard time maintaining its balances from giving up and falling apart. I think next time I will need a 90 minute decant. drink
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Some Musar funk on the nose that quickly blew off and gave way to notes of sweet red fruits, figs, smoke and mushrooms. Very elegant on the palate, with lively acidity and good structure. This Musar had the body and ripeness of a warmer vintage but still great freshness. It kept evolving over the course of the evening, changing from a Southern Rhone-profile to a more Bordeaux-like personality. Long on the finish. Outstanding vintage for Musar that is drinking very well now and will keep for another decade.
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Excellent - popped and poured, didn't think it needed a decant. Nose of stewed red fruit, mushrooms, dried herbs and leather / tobacco. Great elegant structure with acidity, fruit and tannin in balance. Not your typical BDX blend given the varietals, but altogether a unique wine that thoroughly deserves praise. And ... amazing QPR, especially for a bottle with this age.
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A powerful, original experience. Myriad flavours: sous-bois, black truffle, mushroom, but also pates de fruits (cassis, framboise), pipe tobacco (an English blend from GLP or Dunhill), the whole is supple, subtle and evolves in the glass very quickly. Strong flavours yet a delicate wine at this stage. No need to decant, just stand it up for a few hours before opening. Great with lamb and white beans. QPR of the century. WOTY for this lad. (Getting the 2001 and 2006 to try as well). So much more nuanced and complex than most Cali wines I own, it makes me want to wail ;) Chapeau bas to the brilliant folks who make this wine. This is what it is all about.
14,15% alcohol, 5,97 g/l acidity, 0,95 g/l VA, pH 3,79. Decanted for a few hours before tasting the wine.
Quite dark yet somewhat translucent black cherry color with a little bit of developed bricking. Dusty, dry yet quite ripe nose with aromas of ripe cranberries, some bretty barnyard tones and nuances of animal funk, a little bit of gamey meat, light lingonberry tones, a hint of wizened sour cherry and a touch of ripe red plummy fruit. The wine is full-bodied, silky and quite intense on the palate with complex and moderately developed flavors of exotic spices, ripe cherries and cranberries, some savory gamey tones, a little bit of beef jerky, light raspberry tones, a hint of raisiny fruit and a touch of tangy salinity. The taste feels less funky than the nose. Overall the wine is enjoyably structured with its moderately high acidity and firm, medium-plus tannins. The alcohol lends some warth to the palate. The finish is long, savory and gently grippy with layered flavors of meaty umami, some ripe cranberry tones, a little bit of wild strawberries, light wizened black cherry tones, a hint of earthy spice and a saline touch of soy sauce.
A lovely, wonderfully developed vintage of Musar that is starting exhibit some savory developed flavors, yet retains quite a bit of ripe vibrant fruit. The nose might show quite a bit of that classic Musar funk, but on the palate the wine feels cleaner and more polished in style. Overall it feels like the wine is slowly reaching its plateau of maturity, meaning that the room for further improvement might be rather marginal here, but most likely the wine will continue to keep wonderfully for another decade or so. A fine effort and a very lovely vintage of Musar. Terrific value at 30,59€.
Garnet with tawny rims. Little sediment. Black fruits. Medium sweetness. Low tannin. Balanced. The nicest musar I have had so far as I don't usually like this producer.
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Ch. Musar Dinner with Marc Hochar (The Bunker, Crown Wine Cellars, Shouson Hill, Hong Kong): Pre-decanted for around 8 hours by Marc Hochar. Dark and semi-transparent ruby colour. Nose is surprisingly reticent and unyeilding compared to previous occasions. Palate is is very dark, deep, linear but very fruit-driven.....an extremely young bottle despite the very long decant. Quite "young Port" with extended time in the glass. I think this has maybe gone into a closed period because it underperformed against most of my previous experiences, where i have marked it out as a future star vintage of Musar.
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Crumbled cork, but not flawed. Brownish red. Light barnyard (integrates well for a Musar), smokey meat, opening into sweet black fruit. Sweet dark fruit on palate, moderate acidity, well-integrated tannins. Missing some of the more interesting tertiary notes from the half bottles (e.g. mushroom), but very nicely balanced and enjoyable. Medium length. 91-92.
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A slighter nose again than the 2002 and 2002. Some red fruit. Feels rather closed and dumb. Oaky black fruit and olive on the palate. A bit slight overall.
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Garnet color with moderate bricking - unfiltered Medium plus aromas of dark fruit/ cherry and dominant Brett / old cellar funk which did not appear to blow off with time in the glass Palate absolutely beautiful - full red and black fruit / currants and roses with a little Asian spices and oak for good measure Medium plus very well integrated tannins and amazing length What a paradoxical experience - typical Musar
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Single blind tasting. Burgundy brown color, unfiltered Medium + aromatics of cherry, rose and earth. No oak. Over time Brett apparent but not overwhelming Medium palate of mild tannins and medium acid. Primary palate is red currants, but texturally beautiful. Medium long finish The palate is the star of this wine. Truly a tasting experience as the nose a little off over time
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Cette fois-ci, je savais à quoi m'attendre. J'étais prêt à décanter pendant plusieurs heures. J'avais des craintes lorsque j'ai remarqué que le niveau de la bouteille était bas et que le bouchon avait des fuites. Or, au nez c'était beaucoup mieux à l'ouverture que le premier. Après quelques heures, un excellent vin sur les notes de cuir, de cigare et de dates séchées.
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Restaurant wine, decanted at table. Not much on the nose except old musty cellar. Better on the palete, but still lacking. Some dried red fruits and licorice notes but still mostly stale and musty. MEH.
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Cork bled through. Initially murky nose of old cellar. With air it clears up and is quite enjoyable, but not as good as last bottle. Classic band-aid, old leather, muck and stable. Some silky strawberries as well, but toned down. Medium+ lenght.
Note that this was a sub-optimal bottle due to the leaking cork, but not corked (ie TCA) and still quite enjoyable, wich is why I decided to score it.
Really unique. All leather and chocolate on the nose. And then a beautiful cherry shows up on the palate. Hint of mint and acidity to keep things fresh. Savory, with nicely integrated tannins. In a great place.
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(750) long decant. Compared to the 375 which wasn't decanted, this was much more mature, bigger, less balanced and restrained, with an almost chateauneuf du Pape ripeness and intensity. I preferred the more restrained stage. This is almost overripe.
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Very similar to my previous note, but the wine was even creamier and a bit more mellow. Strangely the classic bretty wet-dog note was subdued and the fruit just a tad less pinging in the acid department. Really classy, slick, almost polished for a Musar. This currently in a plateau and feels a bit like pensioner in expensive pyjamas, not quite ready for bed for some time. It's not anywhere close to being over the top. The evening gets interesting and surprising from here.
palate: Smooth as silk, layered, long. really very nice, This bottle is really very nice. Flavors indicate peak drinking for me. Lots of secondary notes. no hard edges, long silky finish.
Would buy again.
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(from 375) Open for business and surprisingly mature from the first moment. Wow, there's a lot of structure a complexity here. I agree strongly with Richard Hemming who calls it a cross between a mature medoc and a souther rhone wine: there's structure, lovely acidity and balance, ripe tannins -- but also garrigue spice, olives, tree branches, olive leaves. And of course, that constant resiny sweetness that always gives Musar away in blind tastings. Of the 8-10 Musar vintages I've tasted, this is hands down the best.
Less evolved than my last bottle of this, last year, which was a 375ml - this one has denser, darker fruit still holding on to some of its youthful sweetness and flesh along with a bit of tannic grit. There is some Musar barnyard funk on the nose but it's presented deftly in the usual Musar way that makes you scratch your head wondering how it's possible to be subtly, delicately, poopy - but there you have it.
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I'm slowly drinking my way through a Musar vertical, and of the ones I've drunk thus far (97/98/99/01/03/05/07/09), this is the standout and also by far the most "approachable" Musar for the uninitiated.
On the nose, lower but still distinct VA levels and a far milder initial brett character. Powerful blue and red fruits and the usual spices and leather, but nowhere near as overpoweringly tertiary as some of the other older vintages. Great tannin, just enough to keep things in check but barely noticeable otherwise. One of the most elegant and balanced wines I've tried at a great QPR, this is close to peak and can be freely enjoyed.
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What a beauty! Smooth and full of fruit, tasted like a blend of Cab and Merlot. I got plums and chocolate with a long finish. Some browning that did not affect the taste.
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Medium garnet in color. This Musar was extremely aromatic and pronounced. Smoky notes with darker red fruit. This wine had the body and ripeness of a warmer vintage but still great freshness. Outstanding wine that I would drink now but probably has the stuffing to go the distance.
I preferred this over the 1998.
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Dirty, almost pungent nose, but detailed, intresting and despite the hints of sewer and rot very good. On the palate also quite intense. Mature, with leather, dried plum, adhesive and warm herbs. Long. Good stuff, now mature but holding up well.
Elegant, but fading - fascinating to see what was once a powerful wine now in its twilight. It was like holding vigil with an old grandfather, whispering stories about old battles and loves. 2-3 hours of decanting did not fall apart, but certainly past peak.
Fresh but also round, sweet but also savoury, jammy without being cloying. This bottle showed better than a recent 1998, without the port-like notes and having more complexity.
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First time I've had a concern about oxidation with Coravin. Wine wasn't a patch on the previous tastings from this bottle. Quite a bit of fine deposit in suspension too, probably to be expected for the last glass of a wine this age. However, that doesn't explain the oxidation.....
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Pale ruby with signs of age. Classic Musar nose with red fruits, cherries, leather, meatiness and oak. Medium bodied, smooth tannins with substantial acidity on the finish.
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Very Musar! Barnyard at first but subdued after a good decant. Leather, animal, meat, red fruits on the nose. Very balanced and relatively long on the finish.
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Winenerds at large (Restaurant 100/200 Hamburg Port Area): This one is for me and my choice, strong fragrance, perfumed, sweet delicious black fruit, chewy but not in a new world overloaded style, always on the very elegant side of finishing, mineralic and spicy, the pure harmony, long+ finish, for me on top now, but no need to drink this one up, ****(+), 91- 93(+?)
Uplifting and balanced with a bouquet of ripe cherry and prune. The volatile mark is not of nuisance but rather elegant with flowery touch. I would say this is classic Musar that has some hay and barnyard elements. Tannins are well tuned after 20 years.
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The combination of subtle, slightly sweet fruit with the spices of an Arabian bazaar and round, fine-grained tannins and a harmonious acid make over and over again these delicious, juicy and quite unique wines of Musar. Still years to go.
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After opened, it was quite like plum juice and relatively quite acidic. After breathing 6 hours, the spice character came out. Overall a pleasant drink
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Decanted in the morning, 8hrs before. Out of the bottle, it seems mid-weight, with some dried and stewed red and black fruit, and of course pronounced balsamic, light spiced brett, moderate oxidation and light VA/perfumed volatile notes. There’s also a hint of a burnt-wood note like the ‘72 - possible slight reduction. On the palate, it tastes great, but missing a core of fruit - the acid is aggressively high (and is reinforced by a prickly balsamic note on the palate), the tannins are soft medium - melted. Alcohol seems medium plus - around 13.5%. Overall it tastes great but I know it can sing more - the core of fruit and expressiveness are missing. Decision: double-decant and leave open in the refrigerator. --- At dinner:
Feels a bit warm - 14%. Brett and savory. Has some dark fruit but still reticent. Acid has integrated somewhat. Super funky and long. Slight toast - like peat.
It's nice, but a bit disjointed and quite bretty. The fruit isn't really singing.
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Nose of mint leaves, funk, cherry, plus tertiarty notes of leather.
On palate, wine is sound. Tertiary flavors really come through, especially the leather. Very rounded mouthfeel. Low-medium acid, softened aged tannins, medium alcohol, long finish. Definitely funkier than an aged Bordeaux but not unpleasantly so. Over time some raw cigar tobacco came out.
I respect this wine but I don’t love it. The funkiness is, based on my reading on Musar, a typical stylistic feature of the wine but it’s not my preferred approach. I won’t be buying cases and cases of this but I will give full props to those who do.
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CNY at UE Straits. Pop and poured. Appearance fine sediments, pale intensity, garnet colour. Legs. Nose is not clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of funky barnyard earth, leather, spices, sweet tea leaves, dark red cherries, plums. Developed. On the palate, dry, bright high acidity, medium+ alcohol (14%), integrated smooth medium+ tannins, medium+ body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of spice, leather, earth, dark red cherries, red plums, sweet tea leaves, melted rose petals, red licorice. Long finish. Very good quality. Layers of complexity and elegance, and don't mind the funkiness. Every bottle of Musar brings a new expression and variable amount of wine faults.
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Brick red in color and a clear watery rim with some fine sedimentation suspended in the wine and some settling on the bottom of the glass. The nose is absolutely sensuous with an over arching degree of wet fur funk nicely interwoven with an ample degree of red fruits, flowery herbs, worn leather, tobacco and a hint of oxidation. The palate is medium-bodied, extremely smooth, round and balanced with lots of delicious red fruits at its core but endowed with an amazing array of secondary and tertiary flavors one comes to expect from an aged iconic wine such as this. Characteristics of both fresh and aged juicy red fruits can be said to serve as this wine's foundation and overall external frame. While impressions of spicy red stargazer flowers, subtle grassy herbs, diluted vanilla cream, boiled meat, hints of fresh animal fur, fresh tobacco leaves, and a fleeting flash of minerality especially towards the backend serves as its beautiful finishings and nuanced styling in its interior. This is truly a special and memorable wine and an experience that did not disappoint.
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Annual Coravin blitz - day one (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Leather, warm earth, gamey, blood, red fruit a little herbaceousness, baked spices, a little oxidised as well with a porty underpin. The palate is fruit sweet, long, slightly oxidative, warm, tannins are soft. Nice.
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"A taste of Libanon"-Tasting, Flight 5, Wine 2 (non-blind): The wine offered red and dark fruit and complex spice aromas on the nose, complemented by gingerbread, chocolate and black tea as well as gamy notes and some brett. On the palate, the wine showed complex spice fla-vours, some brett and gamy notes, with a touch of residual CO2, good acidity, medium-fine tannin and good length. For Chateau Musar, this 1999 was unusually aggressive on the palate, and it lacked the typical smoothness and fine tannin I associate with most 20-year-old Chateau Musars (and I bet the wine suffered from the tasting setting and had developed beautifully with extended aeration). Consequently, it seemed less complete than e.g., the 2002 and the 2000 today. But I will not be fooled, all components are there, and the wine had most definitely shown better in a more appropriate setting.
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Very different from the 2007 Musar that I had before. This is what I had envisaged Musar to be. Absolutely brutal to begin with - heavy tobacco, herbs and funk. Over time it turned into something soft, mellow with vanilla notes. Almost like Dr Jekyll turning into Mr Hyde.
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Absolutely gorgeous and full of Musar typicity. Classic 'wet dog' halo around the whole thing, the fruit is nicely mature, dried almost, with incredibly subtle layers of tertiary complexity. What's brilliant is how they all meld into something uniquely singular - soft and creamy, but full of something vivacious and unstoppable. The structure is here to keep things going for sometime, but I'm not sure significant improvement is in store.
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Developed and complex bouquet with animal fur, nutmegs, caramel, flowers and red berries. The wine combines opposites; it is sweet and tart, generous and slender, silky and fresh, rustic and elegant, old and young. Quite unique.
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Nose is opulent to say the least; prune, plum, tamarind, molasses, soy, tobacco, dried coffee, tar. Definitely some Brett and wet, mulched, earth. On the palate; great acidity and fruit, beef jerky, dried strawberry, cherry, anise. The finish has a little bit of tapanade and lasts for over 2 minutes.
Well worth the wait. This could go for another decade easy.
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Un seul mot pour ce vin: Carafe. J'ai goûté le vin à l'ouverture et j'étais extrêmement perplexe. J'avais l'impression d'être en présence d'une bouteille de varsol. Je l'ai oublié en carafe quelques heures pour le laisser réfléchir. Au retour, complètementbun nouveau vin. Un excellent vin. Bizarre cette experience, c'était la première fois qu'il y avait une telle différence avant et après le passage en carafe.
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My first Cabernet from the Lebanon area, such a beautiful expression, a very distinct flavor I could now pick out anywhere. A new form of Barnyard at first and that lends to cherry sweetness, not tart. Sedated tannins- a place of pure enjoyment. Fennel seeds, short finish but ever connected to the brain, ruby red, a pure delight.
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Had a dozen of these this week in two batches and one bottle had a wet protruding cork and was weeping slightly. No problems with fill Level in any of the bottles and the rest are fine. I phoned the merchant (Robersons in the UK) and they were excellent, crediting my account immediately and saying that they did not want the bottle returning.
So....... nothing to lose folks! Out came the corkscrew with the sink in close proximity in case I got that wet cardboard, wet dog, mouldy potatoes experience. What a lovely surprise! Loads of fruit, tons going on and half the bottle left in the decanter to see what develops after 24 hours.
There is no doubt that the bottle would not have kept with the cork in that condition but on the other hand, I was not expecting to enjoy a 19 year old Musar this evening. Let’s see what the other 11 bottles do over the next few years.
This is really singing with secondary aromas and flavors. Rose petals and black fruits emerge after only moments and tannins have rounded out to reveal sweet dried cherries and herbs. I wish I had more bottles.
Unusually ready right out of the gates- clean, light cherry fruit, tea leaves, and just a little bit of funkiness. A very different bottle than the one I opened in April which had more savory funk...this was more feminine and delicate. Absolutely delicious.
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Really enjoyed part of this bottle last night. Popped and poured, this was ready right out of the gate. This bottle had a very Rhonish-profile, unlike some which can harken more to Rioja or Burgundy or even Barbaresco... Clean for Musar, shows sweet cherries, rosemary mint, pine needles, with only a touch of smoky incense and lacquer really giving the full Musar here. Suave, sweet and smooth on the palate, light and deft body with Italian-styled acids, ends with a juicy and terrifically tangy finish that lingers impressively. Not a hair out of place really. Better depth and refinement than is the norm here-- impressive, if not as wild and exotic as other years. Early maturity, it will doubtless get more complex with time, but drinking fantastic today. 93+ pts.
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half bottle, purchased off restaurant list. Light ruby color with translucence. Nose prominent nail polish. Palate light cedar, pine; Herbal, light cinnamon. Earthy, yet great acidity. Really interesting, not for everyone but I really enjoyed it, and think it still has quite a bit of life left yet. 93 pts
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Très bon Musar. Le meilleur millésime que j'ai bu jusqu'à maintenant. J'ai laissé respirer la bouteille plusieurs heures avant de la boire. Un vin encore vivant et une finale agréable. Couleur un peu orangée avec des notes de truffes et encore un peu de fruits
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Très beau après pas mal d'aération. Beau bouquet sur les fleurs et les épices avec des fruits rouges. En bouche, souple et bien équilibré, des cerises de la canneberge et une pointe mentholée vers la fin. Belle finale fraiche, pas mal à point je dirais.
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Lovely and complete nose when decanting. An hour later and over the following hours the wine moves back and forth between orient and fresh and clean. It’s lovely and complex overall. But there’s a volatile aspect.
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yeah, this is pretty special. brettier than expected on open, it actually blew off a bit and a beautiful, delicate, ethereal drink emerged. remarkably poised and balanced, this is one to contemplate.
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Classic Musar I guess, this needs some serious decanting, 2-3 hours IMO. Full bodied, elegant, with rich red fruits, fine acidity, integrated tannin, also loads of secondary notes lika leather, licorice, herbs. Long and very food-friendly.
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Much as my recent notes, the ripeness and depth of this vintage is becoming more striking with every bottle. Drinking beautifully, but should comfortably see out the next decade if you want to hold.
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The overall elegant nose is very similar to the 2000 vintage, but this has more depth of fruit and licorice. Very fine balanced palate, everything is in harmony, silky smooth mid-palate with savoury grilled meat and old leather, sour cherries and hints of sweetness towards the finish. Again here the acid formed the backbone to the rounded structure. Finish is smooth and deep. This is a better vintage than 2000.
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Loved the funky nose which thankfully was nothing like durian fruit (referencing earlier CT comments). This was a delight to everyone at our table, wine geeks and the uninterested alike. Fantastic rich fruits with a hint of citrus. Drank after a 25 min decant but woukd have been interesting with more time. At Basil’s in ATL
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This time the cork was completely soaked and wine was seeping through. The bottle lost some fill, so was a bit worried it has gone bad... Not at all! In fact I may have had a taste of this 5-7 years down the road because of the corkage problem. Wonderful wine giving me more than 3d-4th growth bordeauxs 3-4 times the price. I bought several cases of this over last the year and look forward to enjoying these over the next 10-20 years (God willing ...)
Dinner with Brian and Monica. From memory. Decanted for 2h prior to bringing it to restaurant and started drinking about 1 h into dinner and everything came together at the 2 hr mark. Just fantastic. Bright red and blackberry fruit, baking spices, flowers, hints of leather, earth with mild tannins on the end. Elegant and silky. Complex but with a bit of wild, alive edge. WOTN for me.
This was my first bottle of the 1999, having being a little disappointed by some 1997 previously. But this is the real deal! Yes, it has the funky nose on opening and decanting, but the colour is good; after an hour the funkiness fades and the fruit starts to develop, but still with a bit of acidity/edge.
However, after 3.5 hours in the decanter this is perfect Musar - a beautiful balance of fruit, tannins, spice and a slighty funky edge. Curiously, in Hong Kong it is significantly cheaper (at the equivalent of US$35 in a recent deal) than the 1997, which seems to be over the hill to me - I wonder if the handover date drives that price or something?
[EDIT - subsequently I realised that the 1997 in question was slightly flawed; subsequent bottles have been better, as see my 1997 Tasting Note for details.]
Anyway, I shall be topping up on the 1999 for drinking this year.
Drank next to the 1995 and 2004. The acidity here of the 1999 reminds me of the 1995, but different from the 1995 and like the 2004, this 1999 shows some indications to me of brett. In addition, inside of the wine I find something volatile, perhaps elevated alcohol--whatever it was, it stuck out for me as a negative. Between the more savory aspect of this, and the barnyard/leather aspects, I placed it last of the three wines.
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My first Musar ever and it did live up to the hype especially when you consider the price tag, or lack thereof.
I am a big fan of durians and it was interesting to see parallel described below though i wouldnt use it as an analogy lest some might turn away. But fully agreed - the nose is definitely beguiling. Tropical fruit, sweet spice, cinnamon all came to mind.
Nicely balanced with resolved tannins. Berry fruits, spice and herbaceous notes all combine well and is strung together with nice precision.
My gut tells me one can get even more out of this wine with a bit more bottle age. Will be back for more.
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Anthony Burgess described eating durian fruit as like eating blancmange in the toilet. There is something of this in Musar - like an andouiette, the taste is far more rewarding than the nose. That said, there are mint, lavender and vanilla whiffs to be had beyond the plum and cowpat trombone note. But the enjoyment - and it is enjoyment - is in the lovely carnival of surprises on the palate. Vanilla, walnut, orange peel. There is tannin there but only as a magical silky frame for the soft flavours of raspberry and herb to fence with the more robust glints of chocolate orange, port, and hedgerow. This is what the Musar fuss is about.
Classic bonkers nose of brett and leather and cloves and this enduring sweaty funk... Fabulous acidity and precision. A touch of smoke as well, and cinnamon and general insanity. Not as "out" or angular or as memorable as the 95 - more rounded and balanced. Very good Musar, still going strong, perhaps on the early stages of the decline.
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Tasted blind at Bacchus. Dark ruby core with a brick edge which gave the wines age away. The nose is funky with earth, barnyard, spice, blackcurrant and menthol. To taste, all I could first write was Wow! Fabulous flavours of blackberry, raspberry, spice, earth, savoury notes. liquorice, menthol, cough medicine with a lovely balance and long finish. I love Musar's wines.
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This was really funky and had some odd aromas early on- mate and tea and that unique Musar earthiness. It’s not dirty diaper-level brett but something else and it works with the wine. After a three hour slow ox the wine was more integrated and better for it. Dark cherries, crushed grape seeds, VA, moderate tannins, just the right amount of funk...a classic Musar in middle age.
What used to be an awesome young Musar is now an awesome mature Musar. Scented with old style funk and saddle leather. Essentially fruitless, but still rich in body with a glossy, leathery sheen, tannins totally resolved. Exceptionally suave and polished. While it's a relaxing sit-back-in-your-easy-chair style of wine, it also has an energetic element to it, a twist of citrus, tangerine-like juicy flavors in a mix that's otherwise much deeper in tone and earthy rather than fruity.
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Musar tasting at Roberson Wine. Much as my earlier notes but with more concentration and an almost caramel element to the fruit on the nose. Lots of trade mark gun-flint. Very fine and much less advanced than the 2001. Should easily make 30yrs from vintage. Bought another case.
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Une fois de plus...quel délice ! Je suis un grand amateur du Château Musar...jamais déçu ! Nez de cassis, cerise, légumes cuits, olive noir...bien intégré...soyeux en bouche avec de beaux fruits rouges et d'épices : sel de céleri...longue finale ! N'attendez pas...délicieux !! 95+
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got some raspberry over leathery earth. Spicy herbs (brown spice - anise, cumin) a lift of cherry acetone and musk + cola, red but softened with the age and some coffee caramel oak. Tea tannin. Like this.
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Wednesday night at ES BK. Drank from bottle over 1 hour+. Appearance is clear, pale intensity, ruby colour. Legs. Nose medium intensity, with aromas of caramel, nail polish VA, red fruits, earth. Developing. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (14%), high tannins, medium+ body. Medium flavour intensity, with flavours of red plums, wild red berries, sour red cherries, red licorice, caramel, herbal tea leaves. Long finish. Good quality. Somehow not as showy or enjoyable as previous bottles of Musar I have had before. Maybe not enough airtime? Will try this again tonight. Day 2: Incense, earth, leather. Much more savoury. Meaty palate and additional sweet spices. Lively red plums. Yes it is lovely now. The wonders of oxygen. Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, and Carignan.
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Eldest daughter's birthday dinner. 3 bottles all with the same profile decanted for 2hrs. As per my recent notes, still packed with wild berry fruit, earth, gunflint minerality etc. Merest hint of truffle the only indication of age. Excellent. Should hold up for at least 30 years from vintage.
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was worried that it would be corked or oxidized but as soon as I opened it all that musar magic was there. Nose on flowers and fruits with some Brett that went away after a decant. Allot of sediments in the bottom. on the palate the tannins are practically gone leaving still much fruit and secondary and tertiary flavors such as copper earth and flint. all in all another winner. still have another 1999 but won't wait l9ng to open.
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1hr decant, sweet perfumed nose, blackcurrant, cedar, leather, herb and garrigue, soft and engaging palate, seamless and layered, memories of exotic middle eastern spice, fresh and transparent, just a touch of alcohol on the lengthy finish
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Really on song. As good as any of this vintage I'd had. Double decanted 4 hours prior to drinking - it honestly could have been popped and poured. Delicious and just starting to get into that lovely late stage Musar deliciousness.
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Très beau nez typiquement Musar, mais moins "funky" que la dernière. Du beau fruit rouge et du cuir. En bouche il y a beaucoup plus de fruit qu'on aurait pu s'y attendre malgré son age, c'est vraiment très bon. J'adore Musar et cette bouteille ne déçoit pas!
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Good Musar vintage. Drinking nicely. Bordeaux like, full bodied wine with concentrated rich aromas: ripe red fruits, leather, licorice, sweet spice, and herbal scents. Nice smooth tannins and sweet finish
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Musar has that classic "musar" flavor, not unlike a good aged Bordeaux. Opened a litre bottle at a high end tasting and this held it's own against much more expensive wines. I have had Musar several times and have consistently loved the wine, great value IMO.
Main family seasonal dinner (only day to get all together including our two 2017 vintage grandsons - our first grandchildren). Three bottles with our rib of beef and cheese. Confirmed my November note. Wild red berries/strawberry and juicy steely blackcurrant. Earth, smoke and gunflint minerality. Racy. Excellent even by Musar's high standards. No rush and possibly room for further development. Till 2029 at least.
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This was the 2nd bottle I had from this wine and it was an outstanding experience. The wine showed so much fresh, very deep and almost sweet fruit, it was surprising, the taste was way from aged. The wine was so intense, it lasted very long this evening... A bottle like this is a bargain at current prices, this one was a 94, the 93 is for the average of the two bottles. We had it after dinner but a nice Teriyaki would certainly match. It has power enough.
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Rust coloured, with a nice fruity nose. Medium to light body, mellowed cherries and leather flavours and a nice lingering length. I very much enjoyed this wine on it's own. Decanted and left for 2hrs, drank over 3hrs and continued to mellow throughout. This wine may last a few more years, but felt on the nail for me.
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Servi à l'aveugle (mon offrande) : Visuellement, le vin est grenat avec un teint tuilé et les convives disent 2000. Au nez, pour ma seconde expérience sur trois avec Musar, je le trouve bretté en tabarouette! Le premier arôme qui me vient est le diachylon ("band-aid") alors qu'un des convive détecte le fromage. C'était intense! On ne pouvait pas vraiment percevoir de fruit mais il y avait des arômes d'épices ainsi que des petites notes fumées. En bouche, assez fidèle à ce qui était perçu au nez. Un peu de pruneau confit ?
J'ai pourtant mis la bouteille à la verticale pendant 36 heures, puis décanter pendant trois heures. J'ai oublié de filtrer comme Pedro, mais bon.... Dans le verre, après une heure, le vin s'est amélioré mais pas significativement pour le rendre suffisamment agréable. La magie Musar n'y était pas... décevant puisque c'était la première expérience pour la majorité des invités. Le lendemain matin, c'était mince et il a fini dans l'évier (le tier restant...).
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Keowee Wine Mixer; 12/2/2017-12/3/2017 (Seneca, SC): Tasted Blind. First impression was actually pinot noir from my first sip - something others mirrored. However, I couldn't identify any bright cherry so I knew this had to be the Musar. It was the oldest wine of the flight, so it had definitely developed a rust color which also made it easy to identify. It was tied with the 13 Vosne Romanee for the lightest wines of the tasting. I thought it was a bit one dimensional, although it was very mellow and about as good as it will be - perhaps even a touch past its peak. Drink up!
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A super bottle. Still plenty of sweet red fruit, a wonderful array of gentle spices, and a very long finish. Wish you could guarantee them all to be like this one!
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SLDS November 2017: Spice, cherry, herb, some meatiness and light VA lift. Sweet and bright on the palate, very fresh but also has plenty of grip. Youthful fruit and tannins for now, the complexity should definitely come with time. The wine was served blind to others and nobody thought this was anywhere close to 1999. Will save my other bottle for 10+ years if I can!
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Picked up case recently for a song - great buy! Classic focussed ripe blackberry and wild strawberry fruit with smokey nuances, spice, touches of earthiness and the gunflint core minerality that screams Musar. Drinking beautifully now but with the structure to evolve (?improve) for at least 30 years from vintage. 92?+
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Fortfarande vitalt vin med pigg syra och bra fruktighet. Silkiga tanniner. Tydliga och angenäma mognadstoner. Mycket bra matchning till älgfilé, svart vitlökssås och hasselbackspotatis.
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Wines of Lebanon (SF): Slightly dark aromas - this bottle seems a little reductive. Beautiful nose - starting to present as tertiary. Dark raspberry, blackberry, strong floral Brett, perfumed VA with faint dark aged balsamic notes. Dried roses. Powerful palate - but seamless. Light and intense. Phenomenal. Dark and brooding while being agile and tense. About to explode. Fierce.
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So much for all those "Musar baby killer" nags. This library bottle was not as lively as that from a few years ago. Plenty of lifted plum on the nose and stewed dark stone fruit on the palate. Just seems a tad tired and mature as compared to the first time.
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This is our second bottle and we now can definitely say, that the first one was spoiled. This time cork in very good shape. Smell after opening was completely different, a pleasant thick and rich bouquet of various berries, cherries, spices and more. Rather surprising and rare. This time decanted for around 5 hours in the opened bottle. A wonderful experience we must say - loved the sweet dark fruit, it went very well to our vegetable side-dish which we had trimmed to the sour side. Probably also saved the day as the meat was rather too well done and a bit chewy :)
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Le bouchon avait coulé, mais le contenu était toujours très beau, du solide ce vin. Pas de notes, beau nez, mais avec un peu trop d'écurie(fumier) que les autre Musar(1991, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 et 2009) de la verticale n'avaient pas(seulement ce 1999), mais pour le reste, beau fruits, tanins competement fondu, Belle equilibre, long, Superbe vin.
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Tasted at the Whitewater Valley Wine Society, Hampshire, UK. Chateau Musar tasting. Final bottle in four bottle vertical tasting. Opened and double decanted 3 hours before tasting. This wine showed rich Mediterranean flavours with figs and raisins on the palate. A good experience to taste a Musar at 18 years after the vintage.
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The first time I feel as if the 99 Musar is really starting to show what it has to offer. Double decanted 4 hours before service. Kept at about 68 degrees while drinking. Cork was showing some signs of saturation, but the wine was singing. A soft but clear ruby color, lovely garrique and spice notes on the nose, very sweet fruit with no noticeable signs of oak. Beautiful mid-weight structure - a wine that was not ponderous or heavy. Years to go, but showing very well now.
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Negociants Australia Portfolio Tasting 2017: Earth and smoke, raspberry, cherry, violets and meaty elements. Complex but also youthful - very savoury/smoky profile. Excellent!
Cork extremely porous and it took about 15 minutes to get it out without any residue/crumps in the bottle. In the glas - extremely brick, nontransparent colour and cherries in the nose - no hint of being corked but really not much more there anymore. In the mouth immediately extremely sweet and dry with a medium finish. Definitely long over the top - aged too fast (porous cork...).
Decanted. Always a pleasure - very fine nose: meaty cherries, strawberries both ripe and in preserve, spice, a whiff of cellar, and a tantalising balsamic note, reminiscent of aromatic wood. Drinking very well at the moment: the palate is extremely composed and well put together. Disciplined, taut, and energetic. Plenty of ripe strawberry and raspberry, menthol, and rich damsons - long, measured finish. Good with food. A traditionally made wine, with an extraordinary longevity and finesse. Good value for money.
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Second tasting note here 2.5 years on from the first. Not a lot has happened, although the colour is notably more garnet. There's plenty going on, and a fantastic core of sweet dark fruit, but it's still not quite singing that unique and exhilarating funktastic Musar-tune yet that the older vintages (1991 and 1995 in particular) are. So, more patience required here I think. Plenty of grip left so this wine won't fade for an age.
Late Jul 2017: crimson color; intense oriental spices and herbs aromas/flavors, cedar wood, plus some plum and a hint of strawberry; sweet on the palate; medium body; some tannins; slightly angular texture; medium finish.
Each time when tasting a Musar I scent oriental spices and cedar. Is this real or an autosuggestion? Some doubts are still there but think I'm right.
If you are looking for a wine with a special touch, Musar can be a good choice.
This bottle of 1999 Musar was mature and the wine showed all the typical attributes. Musars are known to become "best agers", so there is no need to hurry to drink.
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Moins éclatant que le 2004, tout de même le vin est encore bien vivant, avec une belle acidité, presque pas de tannins et un fruit croquant. Il y a peu d'arômes secondaires, mais tranquilement il va tirer vers des arômes de carignan. À mon goût, je préfère Musar légèrement plus jeune, mais c'est un vin de course de fond, pas de sprint, donc le 1999 pourrait être oublié en cave quelques années encore.
3,5/5
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My first Musar. Light red colour. Dominant, simple sweet plum juice nose and aroma. Nowhere close to mistaking for a Bordeaux or Burgundy wine either. This did not change on day 2 and 3.
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My first Musar, I did not know what to expect. Decanted for 3hrs. It is much more like Burgundy than Bordeaux, which surprises me. Nose not very intense, but pleasant and complex, of cherries and liquorice. Mouth very rich, no tannins left, but lots of acidity, some fruit, mostly plum and cherries. Very long finish. I am looking forward to 2003 and 2008, which I have in cellar.
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Lovely garnet colour; classic Musar, woodsmoke & hickory, intertwined soft red & black fruits constantly evolving, tell-tale whiff of VA; savoury, harmonious, fresh feel, warm near sensuous fruit; finishes with a certain spiky twist & funk. Vigorous, extended finish. At its peak, should hold for a further decade.
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High toned, bright and expressive. Shows good freshness and bold flavors that are different than the classics, as it should be. Stood out in a large tasting with plenty of mature GC Burgundy and Bordeaux.
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Chateau Musar Tasting: Musty basement like Rioja again. I think that by this point we're starting to see what happens to mature Musar: Complexity is ramping up significantly: sweet fragrant cherry, olive, licorice, basement must, earth. A wine of considerable elegance.
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Le 1999 était à mon avis très évolué et tertiaire, sans oxydation toutefois. Une robe claire, des notes de pruneaux et de fleurs séchées avec du cuir, un nez légèrement fermier et une finale chaude.
Le 2004 a été le préféré de tous. On a aimé son équilibre, avec plus de fruits et d'épices que le 1999 mais plus ouvert que le 2009. Les tannins sont présents mais agréables. Celui qui soutenait le mieux le repas également.
Le 2009 démontre une robe plus foncée et légèrement turbide. Il s'ouvre légèrement en cours de dégustation mais demeure malgré tout secret. Ça nécessite sans aucun doute quelques années en cave.
Les vins ont été ouverts une heure à l'avance, puis décantés et remis en bouteille tout-de-suite, puis servis immédiatement.
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On form. Fruitcake, spice, sweet in middle, had the floatiness of very mature bottles. High alcohol, of course, but fresh and not porty like some past bottles.
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Vraiment un top avec près de 20 ans sous la cravate . Des notes de sucre d'orge, caramel et cassonade. Une belle rondeur et droit comme un Béliveau ! 17.5/20
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Laisser debout 2 jours avant l`ouverture. Passage en carafe soigneusement pour laisser le dépot en bouteille. Le vin est rester en carafe un bon 4 heures avant de le servir. La robe est rouge grenat assez soutenue et uniforme et SURTOUT assez limpide, aucune trace de trouble! Le nez ne montre pas de signe de Brett contrairement à d`autres qui ont bu ce vin trop rapidement après l`avoir reçu de la SAQ...l`avoir laissez debout et le passage en carafe on fait TOUTE la différence! On note surtout des odeurs de torréfaction, de prunes et de cerises avec une touhe de cannelle. En bouche, vraiment très beau. Presque pas de tertiaire, un peu de cuir mais surtout des serises sures, Il y a aussi des épices et les tanins bien fondus et fins. La finale très longue et savoureuse. Un très bon vin souple et assez aromatique. Pas aussi bon que le 1998 ou le 2000 bu à plusieurs reprises mais très bons!
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Beaucoup de volatile à l'ouverture, chimique et varsol...Un bonne heure de carafe et tout disparait Puis la magie opère, nez magnifique, funky et imaginatif sur le cassis, les cerises, la boite à cigare, épices asiatiques, bois de sental, cuir, fumé, terreux... tout me passe en tête... chaque bouffée je trouve un nouvel arome En bouche la texture est soyeuse au début mais beaucoup de dépot les derniers verres, un nettoyage pour les prochaines! tannins facile mais présents. Belle attaque, un vin dense et beaucoup de matière. Finale persistante sur la prune, le tabac, et le cuir. L'alcool se fait sentir qu'un coup dans l'estomac, une sensation de chaleur comme un porto... je dois être une petite nature Pour moi le vin est a son peak, un style chaud et structuré fidèle a mes attentes. Sans contredit l'un des beaux vins "plaisir" que j'ai bu
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Broadbent Selections (Musar, +++) (Western Reserve Wines): I brought this along and as the evening neared the end, it was brought out and popped, decanted and consumed by those of us who stayed. On decanting, i was worried as the VA was noticeable. That blew off quickly. There was some bottle stink, but that also blew off quickly. This bottle was everything one would want in a mature(ish) Musar. deep ruby in color. The nose is gorgeous with cassis, cherries, cigar box, slight merde and funk and earthiness. On the palate, the tannins are slight but present, the fruit is fresh with just a bit of dried notes. There are layers of depth and complexity. Great acidity. Wonderful texture. Nice finish. Very Bordeaux like as well. It's awlays great to hit a wine at peak and although this will probably have years left, it sure seems damn close to peak. At 18 years from vintage, I don't see it getting better.
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Still not fully mature, but drinking very well now. Double decanted. Complex fresh fruit with a touch warmth, but without heat on the long finish. Spices, but fairly subtle. Integrated and harmonious, with only a touch of v.a. adding complexity rather than marring the wine.
Spectacular! Such a nice experience. Opulent, juicy fruits and sooo smooth. Like velvet on the tongue. If any small gripes, right out of the bottle the nose was a bit too strong on the barnyard. An hour minimum of decanting recommended, but after that everything just in place. On its own the smoothness had a hint of sweetness, but with food everything balanced out perfectly. Grip still present, despite the amazing smoothness. Just love the wine, but unfortunately no more bottles in the cellar. 93 w/o food, 94 with.
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Decanted for an hour. Fantastic as expected. This showed beautiful red cherries, with an excellent barnyardy/leathery component on the nose, some lilac, eminently sniffable! The palate followed, good red berries, tannins integrated, a nice sweetness. Was perfect with a deer roast, just an excellent wine!
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Misc Tasting - Terkel Style (Birkerød): Sewer and coffee mixed with fresh raspberries. Very solid wine that really impresses. Very charming wine that is difficult not to love.
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One of the best I had ever. Had Ausone 95 last week in a 2 star restaurant and I wish I had the two side by side. My feeling this one is better. For 20x price...
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A stunning wine. Gorgeous color of smoked/hue and reminding gorgeous petal of roses. On the nose... well... to describe it would be silly as it has so many layers of fruits, leather, wet earth, spices, slight smoky lavande and etc and etc... Profound, powerful and yet elegant and volatile. A super long back end which reverberates for a long long time. A superb bottle entering its peak, I would say. Cheers,
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Dinner at Mandu w/ the old crew: Impressive amount of fruit for Musar on the nose - juicy raspberries and cherries and red plums, along with pepper, smoke and mat. Lots of grip but fresh acidity, framed nicely, full of tart and juicy red fruit. Laced with sage, pickle, baking spices, tar. The brett and volatile acidity are kept in check quite well, offering the classic Musar signature but not overpowering the other elements.
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Checking in with a wine I last tried in 2010, this time a 750 rather than 375. Signs were not good when the cork disintegrated on contact with my trusty waiter's friend. I was not hopeful, but after a quick decant the wine smelled great, of a little musty. None of the acetone I noted last time, but more of a light red/brown colour now. Nose had fruit and that mature cab aroma redolent of good Bdx. Left it in the decanter for 90 mins and then went to taste - really very good. Dark, concentrated and surprisingly rich. The acidity is still there though, tidying up behind the mid-palate and leaving you ready for another sip. Long finish and great balance. A terrific food wine and delicious now with or without - more to come though so I'll check in again in a couple of years.
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10 vintages of Chateau Musar (@Private location): *** Please see the general tasting story notes for more details *** Glass: Riedel BDX Sommelier Popped and poured. Clear, medium, ruby-garnet color. Clean, medium intense, developing nose. Very nice! Dry, medium acidity, medium+ fine tannin. Lots of extract sweetness. Medium+ body, medium+ intense, wonderful complex flavors of tobacco, red fruit, leather and a bit barn. Reminds me of a good Rhone wine. 14% abv. Elegant, cool, complex, multi layered with a medium+ finish. Close to the 98 vintage. I would say it is start reaching its peak, but it will continue to improve. Has everything to evolve for 10+ years. Fantastic PQR!
My 40th Birthday Weekend; 2/17/2017-2/20/2017: Even with a few hours decant this was not ready. Another bottle a few months ago seemed better out of the gate. Classic Musar notes of Rioja-like red fruit and tobacco with some brett and VA.
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Medium crimson with garnet at the rim. Initially a bit metallic and quite Bretty on the finish. After an hour a deep tertiary blackcurrant and juicy black cherry emerged along with savory oxidized tamati Brett. It has a lot of tertiary character but still some ripe primary fruit.
Medium bodied, lots of flavor intensity and quite melted tannins. Elegant acidity and just a touch elevated alcohol. Beautiful and starting to get in a good place, though still early in its inflection.
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Fading cherry, vanilla, meaty, like a very old rioja but just slightly too volatile and with a hint of nail varnish. Not as good as my last bottle, but still an interesting Musar experience.
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Really beautiful. This should be the template for describing "baking spices" in wine. Cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, star anise, but with a tart cherry backbone and a underlying meatiness - enough that it wasn't at all cloying. My first Musar - and I will be eager to try more.
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Wow drinking very well. Cork was in very good condition. Aerial texture, fabulous. Tertiary flavours; savoury and moreish. Everyone loved this one, including neophytes.
Drink or hold to 2022, drinking well now. 14% abv
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Medium ruby, pronounced nose, perfume, meaty, sweet cranberries. On the palate, pronounced intensity, medium(+) body, medium ripe tannin, medium(+) alcohol, medium acidity, medium(+) finish. Developing.
At Sampler. 8
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Very wellbalanced dark red wine with taste of dark red berries blood herbs and forest. Do not think it has 10 years more to go as some suggest. Perfect now. Very good
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My bottle of the year so far. A bottle opened in 2011 was wonderful but this one was even better. Colour was deeper than in some vintages and body fuller but that did not detract from elegance and harmony. It was classically shaped showing complex aromas of red fruit, blood, varnish, leather and oriental spices, all in perfect balance, together with mouth-watering acidity and gentle tannic support for the long finish. However the extra 5 years have brought even better integration of flavours and a more velvety texture. Top Médoc elegance and class here combined with Mediterranean sensuality. Musar is reputed to live for decades and I see no reason why this should be different but it is hard to see how it could improve. Outstanding.
In a beautiful place now and drinking well, resolved tannins and good balance, nice depth and power, dark berries, earthy tones, forest floor. Highly recommended.
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Grown up musar. Nose of blueberry, cherries and gunsmoke. It seems to me that this is as far as it will go and the slightly oxidised nose fell apart with some airing. Good acid backbone on the palate and it paired well with fatty charred ribeye and other food. Some tannin grip left but drinking well and ready to go. In light of the nose I would drink up.
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Half bottle ordered from a restaurant list without a great deal of conviction based on my one previous tasting experience in 2009, and neither being a Cabernet aficionado nor someone who has had uniformly great experience with this producer. How wrong I was. Tawny center, light rim. Where is the Musar funk and volatile acidity? Not here. Rather, just a hint of green and increasing perfume with balsam wood that rather reminded me of Rioja. Middle weight, lovely supple texture, low acidity and tannin, spicy blue fruit with some citrus at the end, a dash of soil. I adored this little bottle. It was one of the cleanest and least enigmatic Musars that has crossed my lips. I can also confidently say that if I had tasted it blind, I would have mistakenly identified it as a New World something, and that "something" would not have been Cabernet. Beautiful now from this format.
Ch. Musar Dinner with Marc Hochar (Crown Wine Cellars, 18 Deep Water Bay Drive, Shouson Hill, Hong Kong): Perfectly transparent jeweled ruby in colour. Nose is nail varnish remover and lots of pleasant VA, quite penetrating and hiding a lot of complexity in the background. Palate is sweet, dry, still surprisingly tannic, sophisticated but not yet even half-unfurled. Great......and lots of upside potential over the next 10 years.
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Exotic nose of marzipan, creamy sweet red fruits. Big on the palate with marzipan, very sweet and rich, good balancing acid, hard to mistake. Creamy fruit on the finish. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 4.5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 15.5/20.
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Wine, Steak, and Olympics (Home (Noe st)): Quite oxidative out of the bottle, then 20 minutes later, a bit bretty. Then the fruit started to emerge. Blueberry, blackberry, cassis. Mid-development. Has a sweet melange of dark glossy black fruit, dried cherry, tamari soy, faint blackened sugar. The oak is integrating nicely but the tertiary notes aren't strong yet. It's just starting to emerge. This bottle still has an intense black cherry. 91
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Complex, mature nose with tobacco and leather, baked and dried fruits, sweet liquorice and dried spice/herbs, and rusty/earthy mineral sensations. The volatility is moderate and does not stand out. On the palate fairly full-bodied, with good amounts of sweet baked and dried fruits, well integrated alcohol, smooth tannins and decent medium acidity. The balance is highly functional and enjoyable with assorted hard cheeses. Has the stuffing to keep for several years more.
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The 1999 Chateau Musar is delicious. Having just entered its maturity plateau this typical Musar blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carignan boasts a bright crimson core and an intense aromatic bouquet of crushed dried cranberries, orange mocha and subtle hints of herbes de Provence. Medium to full bodied it pleases the palate with delicately intertwined layers of wild cherries, caramel and sun dried tomatoes, and a very decent silky finish. It appears set for at least another decade of graceful evolution.
An excellent bottle. The aromatics show less of the spicy fireworks than past bottles - here it is more of the suave, leathery, composed and gentlemanly aspect of a fine claret. After about an hour open the wine is perfectly round and harmonious, and balanced by good acidity too - stays vibrant and fresh, and the earthiness lingers on the finish. Excellent wine, a real pleasure.
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This was rather ripe and showed some alcohol. I had the same wine back in 2013 and it was quite different. On this night, it had nice cherry liqueur flavor but not a lot of nuance or freshness. Very tasty but not outstanding.
Bouchonné mais buvable. Il est juste mort en bouche et au nez il y a pas grand chose. Genre de vin que j'aurais pu boire quand même avec de la bouffe mais à côté des autres, cela ne fonctionne pas vraiment Non noté.
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Cinsault, Carignane and Cabernet Sauvignon, 1 year in French oak. Some barnyard to the aromas. Smoke, licorice and red cherry aromas. Vitamin-style grassiness. Palate still shows mid-life CdR.
Moderately translucent cherry color with some mature maroon character and quite pale rim. Generous and expressive nose with heady aromas of sweet volatility, dusty earth, kirsch, floral perfume, some mature cherry, hints of both nail polish and nail polish remover, and a whiff of mushroomy sous-bois. Ripe and rich palate with smooth, moderately full body. Quite sweet flavors of ripe dark plums, almost overripe, soft fig, kirsch, some clove and a hint of bitter Morello cherry. Moderate acidity and initially ripe and friendly tannins that eventually turn out to be quite grippy and powerful. Long, complex and a bit sweet finish with layered flavors of ripe dark cherry, plummy fruit, some sunny dark fruit, a little balsamico VA and a hint of leather.
A lovely, classic and elegant Musar with incredible depth and complexity. Shows some VA nuances, but is overall surprisingly polished and fruit-forward. Despite its obviously sunny, slightly wizened fruit, the wine shows good structure and remarkable balance. Drinking beautifully now, but will easily keep at least a decade, maybe even several.
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Pale garnet, not clear. Early notes of leather, tobacco and prune mingling with barnyard. Silken texture with integrated yet firm tannins and bright acidity. Lively, mature and at its peak offering earthy undertones as well as dust and a lovely floral touch.
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A first for me. Everyone talks about the funky notes but what a surprise this was.
Bought this in Dubai airport and have requested for a well stored bottle from inside the store instead of a display one. Makes big differences indeed. Notes of savoury meat, wet leather, dusty dark fruits. On the palette, red fruits, prunes and slight tinge of integrated tannins. Medium bodied with medium long finish on the end. One would have presumed it to be a mere 5 years old. Astounded by the presence of acidity and freshness for its 17 years of age. Lebanese friend remarked that only Christians are allowed to make this wine.
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On the nose tobacco, spice box, leather, dark fruit. Soft, resolved tannins, good fruit, fresh, very long. Elegant and balanced, drinking beautifully. 91-93
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Significantly better than the bottle I tried just a few weeks back. Definitely some bottle variation going on here. This one had a very cloudy appearance (unlike last bottle) but held together much better. Great balance between fruit and acidity, with beautiful mature notes.
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Some sludge in the bottom of the bottle. Filtered it all away before serving.
Instant perfyme nose, heady with marker pen, melted chocolate, sour cherries, seawater, pineapple and forest floor.
On the palate the wine is indeed heady with apple pie, grape fruit, dark chocolate, ginger, rosemary, bay leaf and coca cola. Texture is fatty but I do think that alcohol takes overhand over the fruit. My first real mature Musar. With some time in the glas the alcohol settled down a bit.
It seems that Musar can deliver in any shape, any age. Impressive!
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Showing more cabernet notes here with light tobacco, bell pepper notes, cherry skins, musty-dusty nose with dark spices and iron-granite dust; good power, body, intensity, fuller tannins, rounder than 2000 and long finish. Marc Hochar tasting at Terroni. Really nice.
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Complex on the nose with sweet red and dark fruit. However, quite short on the palate. Seemed a bit tired, and lacks the fruit to balance the acidity. Fell apart even more over the next few hours. Perhaps some bottle variation. Will try another bottle soon.
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Chateau Musar Dinner (Pera, San Francisco): Aromatic, slight funk, slight stems?, plenty of red fruit, slight cinnamon; palate is medium bodied, medium to medium-plus acid, fruit isn't quite as dense as the 05 but still present in good concentration; medium finish. Very nice, just starting to get secondary character. 90-91
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This is starting to transform from primary and youthful dark fruit to the tertiary fruit of developed Musar. Right now it has a bit of both, but not much of either. Still muscular and dark-fruited, with more overt Brett than the ’05, hints of cassis, sweet tomato, beef broth (phở bò), moist earth, and mossy stones.
Score: 9-9.5
Tasted the next morning, it had developed more of the intense tertiary fruit, like the ’95 (but less complex).
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A wonderful combination of a core of thick attractive fruit, developed flavours and and all the unusual interesting aromas of Musar without the "nail polish" being dominant or agressive as can some times happen in younger examples.
I have five left and look forward to following their evolution.
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Moderately translucent dark cherry color with slight bricking. The wine has obviously taken some hits along the way judging by the oxidative nose with aromas of saline Fino acetaldehyde, some dried figs, a little raisin, a hint of nutty Madeira and a whiff of syrupy tawny port. The palate is medium-bodied and slightly tannic with obvious salty acetaldehyde tang and some oxidation. Flavors of dried fig, some sweet nutty notes, a little prune and a hint of raisin. As the flavors are rather one-dimensional and subdued, the acidity becomes more pronounced. Sweet, raisiny finish with flavors of sweet, sunny dark fruit, some salty tang, a little prunes and a hint of nutty tawny port character. A light touch of tannic grip.
A bottle that was not represantive of this lovely vintage. Despite its surmaturé character, the wine was still delightful and completely drinkable, if not as interesting as a Musar of pristine quality would have been. Even in its poor condition the wine fared a lot better than many of the mediocre wines I've had in my life; however, as this wine was obviously defective, no score is given.
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Opened 6h prior and double decanted. Deep colour. Typical Musar character - 'sweet' fruit with complex, spicy, 'fruitcake' notes. An interesting comparison with the 2000 - different but both are lovely. A well- respected vintage with real potential for long ageing. Tasted at Grand Union Wine Society with Jane Sowter of Chateau Musar (UK)
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Lighish red colour. Not an entirely clean nose with some VA present. On the palate it's also quite clean, typically Musar. There's a sweetness that in the past has made me fear it is brett but on this occasion I think it's sweet fruit. The sweetness on the finish makes this slightly less enjoyable for me but thankfully a relatively clean Musar.
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at Oleana in Cambridge MA, for a reasonable $125. Singing, almost from the moment it was opened. Beautifully balanced, reasonably complex, and wonderful acidity. A perfect match for our food
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A fine showing for this wine out of magnum with plenty of unique red-spiced fruit along with notes of smoke and garrique. Quite smooth and elegant and very Bordeaux-like in it's texture and flavor profile. Finishes complex with hints of tobacco leaf and mid-eastern spices. Sort of in middle age and should get more complex and tertiary over the next 10 years. A very open and giving vintage for this unique wine. 92+.
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First timer on Musar, decanted for 3 hours. Overall impression was only ok. Bright, clear color, no sign of age. Aroma is consistent with other CT notes, with that funky smell that was less prominent over time. Taste was light weight, fruit driven (plummy?), little tannin, and little finish. A little disappoint given the ratings and notes. But being 1st time, i'll reserve judgement and have another go with 1 more bottle
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Awesome, delicious mellow drinking. Not really funky, just a touch of sweetness and everything working in harmony. In a great place now..... Will it improve?
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opened 3 hrs beforehand. nice and easy to drink and paired well with the steak platter served along. the wine opened up well in glass and decanting seems to be optional. this is the first musar i had in about ten years time and it somehow tasted different from my memory, now feel more approachable like a bordeaux blend. interesting.
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delicious. My first Musar. I was thinking this was going to be an intellectual drinking experience based on what others had told me about Musar...but it was actually easy drinking and had more in common with a CA cab than I would have expected.
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Le nez s'est refermé tout de suite après l'ouverture de la bouteille, la bouche est complète, tanins biens serrés; Grand potentiel. Prochaine bouteille à ouvrir dans au moins 3 ans.
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Cork soaked to 1/4. No seepage trace. No decanting. Popped and poured. V: translucent garnet, orange rim. Sediment visible. N: initially trace of VA. some barnyard/brett stink, some nutmeg, orange peel, balsamic (VA again). P: Some brett extending to palate, not unpleasant. Rustic texture and finish. Developing secondary flavours, grippy tannins still not resolved. Has some weightlessness, but less than similar vintages such as 2002.
Drink or hold, perhaps needs to evolve a bit more. 14.5% abv
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Showed plenty of aged character, but both the nose and palate were more muted than I expected. Everything was there and delicious (and did justice to rib steak) but wish it had been turned up a notch.
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Not at its best tonight, but for sure Musar in every detail. Plenty young this was much fruitier than I am used to from this wine. Good depth, excellent balance and oak integration. Wait another 3-5 years.
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At nose it comes with amazingly fresh fruits accompanied by oak and spice. Alcohol level is high which makes this wine a bit backward, but this improves through decanting. Tannin is very subtle. Acidity is quite high and it's a bit bitter on palate
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Terroni with Marc Hochar: Plum skin, shrooms, slight sour cherry notes--a bit more monolithic than the others, sweet & sour bite in the end with soft tannins. 14.15% Not my favorite--this also may need time.
Some of the vineyards are 3 hours away by unrefrigerated truck (Cabernet?), most are organic, very hands off approach, used oak (with 15% new every year). All red wines ferment in cement vats, spend 1 year in used Nevers oak.
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Drank with my dad over Levantine food in Tenafly, NJ
Dried cherries/currants, cinnamon, cream, curry spice and pepper. Rounded with an firm mouthfeel. Still tannic. Minute long finish is very nice. This feels younger than 16 years old and surely will get even better.
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Prince Saturday Tasting - Chateau Musar (Prince Sydney, 40 Hansard Street): touch of VA initially on the nose, a little dirty in fact with red cherry and currant. Baked earth. Spice and cream. The slight VA note translates to the palate as well with red fruit, spice, talc textured tannins, quite dense and broad and long with the fruit carrying on the finish. Still relatively fresh and carrying a certain youthful impetuosity. Very nice indeed.
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Who poured Primitivo di Manduria in my Cabernet? That's what this wine tastes like - serious carafage does it a lot of good, don't be fooled by the oxidative chestnut aromas on the nose, there is a lot of red cherry and a fair bit of cassis and christmas spices underneath. On the palate it is dense and sweet (!) again there is cherries and cassis with cardamom and black pepper aromas intertwined, very rounded and long. A wine to like, although I guess it will evolve into something more serious over the next decade.
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Double decanted for 2-3 hours and taken to lunch. Medium red with an orange tint. The nose was very harmonious - dark red fruit with flecks of rasberry, touch of stable, leather, cigar box and cinnamon. The palate is quite lightweight and the cinnamon hint shows through the fruit nicely. Only criticism is a lack of mid palate concentration and ultimately length. It changed a bit in the glass but not for better or worse really. Probably no need to decant for more than 30 mins or so next time. ***(1/2)
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99 Musar at Nopa with BFU, WC, SC (Nopa SF): I felt happy to be re-acquainted with this wine, and to share it with some of my good friends. My impression this time, aside from the characteristic Musar tamari, animal notes from Brettanomyces and bruised apple/fig from oxidization, was one of a very large grapey blackberry, looming over secondary details of chamomile, earth, tobacco. I’ve thought this before with young Musar - I wish the fruit would get out of the way just a little so the secondaries could shine through.
It seemed awkward, young, the flavors a bit separate and disjointed (compared to how Musar can be at its best). Will it change more? I’m not a fan of the current fruit character. Will it change or go away? Is my palate changing with this wine? Maybe I’m becoming more attuned with secondary aging flavors, and this wine is just behind the curve.
Referring to my notes, I tasted this in 2010 (at 11 years), and thought it was beautiful, emphasizing fruit. I enjoyed the fruit character, calling it “real, true fruit.” I noted how it didn’t quite have the emotional impact of the ’95, which had had a profound impact on me not that long before.
I tasted it again in London at the end of 2012 (at 13 years) and noted a grapey fruit core that I didn’t particularly enjoy, though the secondaries and Musar character still made for a great wine.
Most recently, I tasted it 2 months ago (at 16 years) at the tail end of a formidable lineup: the ’91, ’94, ’96, and ’98. I noted it was somewhat closed (it hadn’t been decanted), and the fruit was “plummy.”
Extrapolating, I’d say that for me, the fruit character of the ’99 isn’t up to par with the ’95. Maybe it will get out of the way and turn into a fantastic secondary and tertiary wine. Maybe I’ll never like it as much as the ’95, my one fantastic bottle of the ’94, or that great bottle of the ’96 in Orono. Or maybe it will surprise me in young-adulthood.
Sensory Notes:
Visual: Mostly clear, just bright. Dark garnet, moderate to moderate-minus concentration. Some sediment.
Nose: Brett and Acetaldehyde were high initially, as was a dark grapey blackberry note. Over time the nose became much more refined, more complex, but still chubby and not fully-integrated. Primary aromas of blackberry, dark plummy fruit. Secondaries of tamari, dried cherry, dried tomato, and chamomile tea. Complex, and still developing.
Palate: Moderate in body. A slight impression of elevated alcohol that works very well in context of the flavors and acidity. The balance is such that it stands on its own, yet also works with food. Midpalate flavors of tamari, blackberry, dried cherry, tobacco, some dusty, woody oak peeking through on the palate (not excessive, presenting as a bit of clove and nutmeg and freshly-sanded wood). [Aged for 1 year in Nevers oak - age of barrels unspecified]. It finished with just moderate to moderate plus in length, with very little impression of tannins and a bit of tart malic sourness, which I associate with acetaldehyde.
Overall: That I wasn’t completely taken with how this bottle was showing did not distract from the facts of the evening. We had several other wines to contrast, but only this seemed to rise up and have a conversation. It paired phenomenally with the roasted squab, dusted lightly with Indian spices.
Earth, cherries, and leather. None of the trademark funk or VA that I have had is other vintages. In comparison this one is much more tame and lighter on the palate. Overall this wine would be incredibly hard to pick out blind and it would be a great wine to bring to a wine tasting. Very unique and silky.
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Wine tasting at Paul B's place (Cambridge, UK): Tasted double blind. I should have spotted this, but I didn't! Very elegant and refined, excellent cherry, feels and looks very young. No VA or barnyard in this bottle, I was thinking a young Barolo.
Very consistent notes. This is a lighter Musar, but aging well and delish. Musar is one of my very favorite wines, so distinctive and different from anything else. I had this on the occasion of Serge Hochar's death. He's certainly brought me a lot of pleasure. Hopefully he's drinking the celestial stuff.
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Clearly better than the 2000 Musar, this needed 30 mins in the glass/decanter to soften, then was a clear and perfect expression of what you expect in a Musar. Reminds me of a Tertre Rotebeouf, with less density and less beef blood. That funky sweet and leather/mushroom taste. Wonderful with some wagyu tenderloin. The best value Musar on the market and good for a long-time (should easily make 2030, ignore the silly window on CT)
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Poured blind by my wife. I guessed Musar after the first whiff:) Great nose with leather, stables, spices and dark red fruit. Very complex! A bit bretty, but in a very good way. Quite dry on the palate, but also complex and long. Relatively high acidity. Not so much fruit, but lots of spices and leather. This will keep for ages, but i am not sure it will improve anymore. Very, very good!
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Gor. Geous. Showing so beautifully right now. Opened at 6 to drink at 8 and was going to decant but didn't seem like it needed it based on the open aromatics and flavors. Not even a sign of volatility, nor brett. A little bit horsey, but that's part of the game here. Rich, layered, highly expressive and complex on the nose and palate. Such a great bottle.
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Ordered off the list at Les Nomades and decanted for 30-45 minutes before our first sip; Nose is quite compelling, with a melange of berry fruit, leather and tobacco and no overt brettiness that can sometimes accompany Musar; Palate has plenty of fruit, with lots of fleshy red fruits, complemented by some herbal and spice undertones; Wild and exotic, and really excellent
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19 Vintages of Musar Rouge; 1/25/2015-1/26/2015 (Clark Point House in Southwest Harbor, Maine): Color: Ruby core with a clear meniscus. Smell: Warm notes of ripe red fruits, brown sugar, clove, cement and a strong not of crimini mushroom. Taste: Red fruits vie for the spotlight as notes of "Black & bleu" steak with serious char leads into clove. Overall: Returning to the bolder yet restrained side of Musar; this is a wine built for the long-haul. Med-full body, high acidity, med+ tannin. This is a wine that will reward those that hold off from opening this until it's at least 20 years old. It's still amazing now...but in the context of tasting the vertical...this is really young. In honor of Bart Broadbent who made tasting the '84 Rouge possible I'll use the five * system. (***/**)
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The marmite wine. I'm in the "love it" category. I've got about 30 bottles of this vintage and I'm trying not to open them too quickly. If you want a wine (1) with a bit of age and bags of character (2) which everyone will have a view on and (3) which is still very modestly priced in a world of still crazy fine wine prices then look no further than this one. If you are a gambling man then you will also enjoy the usual Musar Russian Roulette (about 1 in 12 corked on average in my experience for older Musar wines, and another 1 in 12 oddly 'dull'). But if you get a good one, it is pretty unforgettable and head-turning stuff (and always my 'wild card' at any blind tasting I host, and always the one everyone wants to talk about). This one is stuffed full of barnyard and cherry but (I think and hope) will continue to improve (i.e. become even more funky and delicious). Not as good as the 1991 or 1995 (my two favourite years, for different reasons) but better than the 2001 and 2004. Can't wait to continue to see how this one develops over the next 10 years (but I'll have to).
Wine Education Service - Château Musar (LSE): Orange rim, translucent. Fairly closed nose but patience reveals some fruit and honey. Fruity, high acidity, but this wine has a reserved character, maybe going through a dormant phase. It was lovely after an hour suggesting that decanting will pay dividends.
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Decanted 4 hours. Fantastic and ever evolving as the evening went on. Cherry, red currant with a hint of the musty barnyard. Very well balanced with a long but smooth finish. This wine is elegant. It took a little while for the classic Hochar cinsault to fully evolve but smell and taste were worth the wait. Do not skimp on the decanting time. Serge Hochar RIP. A true gentleman.
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My first chateau Musar. A bit of varnish on the nose, nice dark brambly fruit and some leather/ coffee. Similar to a bordeaux yet very unique. Warmer jammier with spice. Was very pleased with this on a cold winters night
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A replacement for a tasteless burgundy, chosen because it was bound to have a lot of flavour. And indeed, it did, broad, spicy, sweet in the middle, mature and lovely, and didn't seem as heavy as some recent bottles.
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Red vines, five spice powder, cherries, cocoa powder, a punch of acetone, a little oxidation even. Sweet/savory, leather, silky and fairly mature. Uniquely Musar while being very much on the cusp of intolerably flawed in several ways. Fun to drink all the same.
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drinking very nicely. i like the familiarity of the baseline Bordeaux with the surprise of the interesting flavors of the unique grapes Cinsault, Carignan used in Musar. Cheers to Serge Hochar. May he rest in eternal peace as his family continues creating beauty.
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opened in memory of Serge Hochar. Opened, decanted through an old style aerator, and then started drinking it after about 45 minutes. I was reticent to open the bottle because I wanted to hold it for a few more years, but the passing of Mr. Hochar compelled me to open it, and I was not disappointed.
The Cedars of Lebanon were evident. Actually there or mind over matter I cannot say, but I noticed cedar on the nose from the first whiff of the cork when it was pulled. There was initially some sulphur funk on the nose in the decanter, but it disappeared after five minutes. The nose then morphed to soft cedar and the palate was the beginnings of tertiary sweet red fruit and cedar with no tight astringent tanins. The flavors got better in the glass over the course of 30 minutes, with more fruit emerging. Extremely, and surprisingly, smooth. A bit of spiciness. Outstanding, but still on the upswing. Hold the next bottle for 3-5 years.
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A superb bottle. Redcurrant, strawberry, hint of volatility on the nose, otherwise this might be mature burgundy, or perhaps Rioja? Definitely one to try blind with some friends!
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Musar Mini-vertical at Jules' place (Hoboken, NJ.): Not a great showing for this wine. The nose first shows a chemical (Matt N says 'varnish') smell, some horse, some dark fruit, marzipan. The palate is bright but the chemical aspect returns. Some fruit, meat, horse. Nose - 4/6, Palate - 4/6, Finish - 4/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 0.5/2 = 12.5/20.
I ended up buying a lot more of this wine. The QPR for a 15 year old wine of this quality is just too good. This is a lighter Musar. However it is all of the complexity, nose and barnyard of any other Musar. This is drinking beautifully now, but still has a long way to go, and I'm looking forward to how the complexities emerge. As always it so cool to have a wine that is so different from all other wines. It is so hard to achieve that.
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Obviously aged appearance of pale, translucent pomegranate color leaning heavily on brick orange. Initial aromas of pronounced bretty character with other funky farmyard notes and hints of crushed red berries. Quickly the bouquet settles down, revealing notes of red cherry, new leather jacket, sun-baked earth with hints of sous-bois, some garrigue, a little sour cherry, a hint of bretty funk and a touch of sweet VA. The wine is quite rich and full-bodied in the mouth, yet the palate does not come across as big or heavy, but instead surprisingly low-key with lovely air of sophistication. Compared to the nose, the palate is surprisingly clean with complex flavors of ripe cherry, pronounced leather character, some dark-toned blackcurrant notes, a little sun-dried herbal character and a touch of mushroomy forest floor. Both the tannins and acidity are quite modest, giving the wine nice balance, but not standing in the way of the silky mouthfeel. The overall taste feels like a contradictory combination of really dry flavors and very sweet, ripe and juicy fruit. The finish is remarkably long and exceedingly tasty with complex, layered flavors of leather, roasted exotic spices, ripe cherries, sunny dark fruit and hints of volatility intermingle with the lightly astringent bitterness from the ripe tannins that become more apparent in the finish. Especially the leather character seems to just grow in the aftertaste before fading away.
A wonderful vintage of Musar, showing really funky, more animal characteristics in the nose than in the palate, which, in turn, seems really elegant, delicate and even quite polished by Musar standards. Stunning depth and complexity with lovely, leathery character. This is like a blend of classic claret and warm-vintage Rhône red, vinified naturally, resulting in this unique, magical wine. Requires prolonged decanting: in the 3 hours during which this wine was consumed, the wine just seemed to get only better, minute after minute, until the bottle was empty. One of the greatest Musars of the past 20 vintages. Stupendous value at 30,59€.
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As the winemaker stated during in a recent #VivinoTasteParty, Musar is Musar. There is a compelling quality to these wines that make them special, Musar has a unique thumbprint. Incredible complexity on the nose, it unfurls slowly revealing layers of ripe plums, figs, cigar box, dried rose petal, spice and marvelous top notes of mint and dark chocolate powder. Medium-bodied, fine, velvety tannins lead into notes of red currant, leather, and rust. It crescendos with a finish of peppercorn, spice and tobacco.
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Phenomenal. Huge nose, super complex. Berries, spices, smoke, just layer after layer. Surprisingly light looking but perfectly balanced with front end dark fruity sweetness, peppery mid-palate, long, smooth meaty finish. Decanted 45 mins.
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medium garnet color starting to get some brick coloration. Tart dark fruit, some leather and barnyard. Drinking beautifully now and I expect more complex flavors to continue to develop. Can't believe how complex and delicious this is for the price.
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First experience with musar. First thing that strikes is how light it is. Nose was tight at first then opened up with some of the barnyard scents that is apparently typical.
Boy the light color gives not hint to the intense flavors here. A meatiness dominates for me, some light veggie notes, and plenty of fruit to wrap around it all. Soft, velvety finish.
Very tasty, and will make me seek out more.
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Red fruit, leather, tobacco, foresty elements and some typical funk on the nose. Spicy sweet fruit on the palate, balanced by the good acidity. Velvety tannins and a long leathery finish. Matured but still somehow youthful, it still has many years ahead.
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Classic funky volatile Musar aromas. There's a lovely tobacco note in there too. Feels light on it's feet and really fresh. There's tarry red fruits, old leather and some spice to the tannins. Nice mouthfeel and excellent balance. Maybe a touch short on the finish.
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After opening the wine the bouquet was the noted Musar barnyard. The palate was somewhat harsh. After decanting for over two hours, the flavors came out very nicely. Round, smooth and balanced. Earth and plum. No tannins. Fantastic wine. The 1999 was ready to drink but can also age a few more years. Wonderful pairing with grilled steak, roasted potatoes and roasted cauliflower. I have several more 1999s waiting in the cellar.
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I always enjoy the musar wines. Dark purple in color. Clean nose of cassis and spice. Dry, med acidity, med body, cassis, leather, dark chocolate, and spice on palate. Wish I had more.
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Even better than previous bottle. Best bottle of this wine to date. Big earthy bouquet with sweet pure fruit and impeccable balance on the palate. Completely round and delicious. A wine with soul.
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Miniinferno #1 in Umeå (Hemmavid, Umeå): Mature, delicious, powerful and rustic. One of the great tasters at the table spontaneously said: "...this is like a Musar...". I had intended it as a ringer, but made a face-plant. Would have been much better in a C9dP tasting.
It displayed no brett, has a slightly sweet core and is delightfully mature, as in playful early maturity. Still plenty of life ahead. This is rewarding and complex, but lacking the structure that previous btls displayed.
...or was it the company of super structured fantastic '95 Bordeaux that dismantled this wine? Hmm, good question, but I don't think so. It was a different animal from its ordinary self already upon popping it.
Happy to have 3 btls in London.
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There's always an extra bit of suspense when opening a bottle of Musar, not knowing what wild flavors (or flaws) are in store, but it's especially nice to crack open a clean-as-a-whistle example like this one. It took a good hour for the aromatics to come to life, but when they did, they were brilliant. Like a red-fruited Bordeaux profile (leather, cedar, graphite, etc.) but with a whole exotic, spice market component woven into it. Typically sweetish fruit on the palate but with Burgundian elegance, acidity, and proportion. Stunningly good, with many years to go, and hands-down the best Musar I've ever had.
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Big mint and cooling eucalyptus, warm mulling spices, citrusy cherry syrup, sweet and long, with intense tangy acids and an overlay of paint thinner/petroleum spirit. No barnyard. Bigger/deeper than the other Musars I've had (the 98, 01 and 02). There are flavors and smells almost foreign to wine. The intensity and torpedo juice grew with air. Peculiar and ravishing. 93-94 pts.
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WES - Château Musar Vertical (LSE Holborn): Medium to high intensity - quite dark. Orange rim and very clear and bright. Very sweet on the nose - sherbet, treacle. Smooth velvety richness, good acidity and length.
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Wine Education Service - Château Musar (LSE): Translucent, showing some age but not as much as expected. Figgy fruit and treacle aromas. Sweet and fruity attack, tannins are pretty evident but otherwise the balance is good, long.
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Lovely showing, with tart red fruit dominating, and bordeaux-like notes in the background. This was opened at The Playground for a large group, and it was well-received.
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Drank with patatas bravas. I was lucky enough to get an exceptional bottle of Musar, far better than my last '99. Light cherry colour. Extremely aromatic and complex nose. I could smell this just pouring into the decanter! Sweet berrys, apple cider, leather and general 'forest' aromas. Quite Burgundian. In the mouth the attack is also quite sweet and rich extending to a beautiful and almost piercing acidity on the mid-palette but never off-balance. The finish is warming, very, very long and mouth-filling. Tannins are there but resolving nicely. Stunning and unique wine. Best way to drink this? Slowly from initial pour. I drank this with a friend over 6 hours and it was insane. Worth a gamble I'd say.
On the nose: Barny, yes. Nail varnish, yes. Always interesting on the nose that never gives any clues as to how it will taste. Mid length finish, sweet, touch of fruit cake and spice. It's a very interesting wine, never disappoints (when it isn't corked). Oh goodness, I like this wine for what it costs. Ps never have Ch. Musar after having Californian wines or a powerful Bordeaux on a tasting night. Start with Musar, it's just so different and not comparable to these. Enjoy it for what it is. Love the Hochar family for this.
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Very aromatic, cedary bouquet as in some left bank Bordeaux, but also a lot of spice. Very Burgundian mouthfeel, not a lot of impact, but really long, mouth-cleaning and acid-driven taste of spice and dried fruit. Really fine and also a nice match with Maroccan lamb with prunes made in a tagine.
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First bottle in 6 months. Decanted 1 hour before drinking. Usual funky/bretty nose. Agree with previous comments regarding fruitiness. Tannins seem to have subsided. Bottle variation means it's always a bit potluck. All part of the attraction and mystique of Musar.
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Very light colour... Is it a bird, a plane, Pinot Noir or Nebbiolo. Too sweet and not enough tannin or acidity for either, this turns out to be sophisticated, smooth and easy to drink. A tiny bit of funk in there reminds you of its origins. Lovely. No rush to drink.
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My first bottle in 5 years and the wine is showing no signs of slowing down. Earthy bouquet and a harmonious balance with a lengthy finish. Fantastic juice for the price.
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The 1999 Musar has been one of my favorite wines of all time and continues to be so. But, by the same token, no 2 bottles of this have been the same.
This one had that beautiful black cherry fruit/ simple syrup texture that so many of the musar's have but with dark fruit and a healthy dose of barnyard funk, and at the same time a hint of cranberry/ acid that reminds me of what you get in a high-end burgundy or a refined style of chateauneuf, like clos des papes. While I've had musar's that remind me more strongly of bordeaux, burgundy or the rhone, this one is rhone all the way.
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Another vertical tasting 18 months from the last one.
1999 - we thought this was at its peak last year. It is still going strong. As night went on, it became sweet and honeyed. There is plenty of punch. Apparently that is supposed to be the characteristic of Musars. Instead of peaking and then declining, they stay at that peak for years. Score 93 2000 - Rich nose. Slightly lighter on the palate. More wood. Score 91 2001 - favourite for 2 of the guests. Lovely fruit. Still lots of body for a 12yr old wine. Score 92 2002 - again that spritz and bite. Phenolic - even on the cork. What is it with the '02. Least favourite of the lot 2003 - Lots of blackcurrants but lighter compared with the others. Score 91 2004 - Wow. Medicinal lozenges. Think Vicks vapour rub. This will age very well. Score 92 2005 - noticeably more purple at the edges. Still has youth. Again medicinal but good clean fruit. Yummy. This has certainly matured in the last 18 months and drinking well now. Interesting how it has changed in that time. Score 91
We had beef in ale as the main course and then Gruyere de Compte (another vertical of 18, 21 ans 24 months) for the cheese course. The Musars went perfectly. All bottles opened 9 hours before starting the meal.
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This was a tribute wine for my dog Carly who passed away a month ago after 14 years, and was born in 1999. Great cigar box nose, spice and wonderful balanced fruit. Good acidity and this wine has at least 10-15 years to go..a symbol I know but what a great wine!
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This was my first from a case of the '99 Musar and it trumped the '01 which I'm also a big fan of. Cherries on the nose. Simply delicious and I suspect it will age well. Outstanding price to quality ratio
Jeremy's bottle - tasted double blind. I was behind, so when I got to it, the group was discussing what it was. Some said 'right-bank' while Faryan went with 'Italy-Spain'. I immediately sided with Faryan. There was something warm about this - hot stones or the sap you get with Tempranillo - citrusy sweet fruit. It was too sweet for BDX. But that wasn't right either - there was something pretty acidic about it - Nebbiolo? I realized it was something else - there was something exotic ... like Unico ... what the hell is this. Then I put the pieces together: Musar. I've only had it once, a few months back, and it was a bad bottle - but it all made sense. Even I was surprised with the reveal. :)
Murky with stones and sun, plums and blood. Like BDX but more ripe with an exotic oak and spice component. Hosin with a touch of funk. Plummy with spice on the palate, exotic and rich (a la Unico), meaty, good acid, dark and rich. Tart finish. Light tannins. Runner up for WOTN for me. Nose - 5-5.5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1.5/2 = 16.5-17/20.
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Color is dark, tawny, and a touch cloudy. The nose has sour cherry for days, a hint of VA, mushroom, spice, and even some medicinal qualities. And then you take a sip - and the fruit is EXPLOSIVE, yet caressing the palate with a silky texture and all kinds of sweet fruits.
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Decanted for around 1.5 hours. Dark ruby color, slightly cloudy. Great nose of medicinal herbs, tart cherry and red fruit, a bit of mushroom and some metallic and mineral driven notes. Really pretty. The palate was possibly even better with some of the purest cherry and cranberry coming through and just coating your palate in silky red fruit. Medium+ acid and medium tannins. Great balance and a long finish. This was the best Musar I have had to date and crushes me that I only had 1 bottle of this in the cellar!
Surprisingly little drama from this bottle. No funk, etc. just straightforward bordeaux style red. Very good, smooth and balanced, with good spice and cherry fruit.
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Lighter orangey red, mainly translucent; animal nose but in great balance to the rich red fruit and vegetal components; radish, carrot, cherry, yellow plum, cranberry, and lots of licorice, silky mouthfeel; delicious, balanced, and sweet finish; knew right away exactly what this was, reminds me of clean Quintarelli. WOTN
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Very strong barnyard note on first taste. It did go away for the most part after some time in time in the glass. Rich and sweet. Fig paste and plum. Earth and cocoa. Quite soft and approachable. Very nice. Slightly jarring metallic note on the finish, though.
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The wine looks Light brown colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like Strawberry, and Cherry. It tastes like and Cherry. The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Smooth texture. The wine finishes Long. (Thanks to the cellartracker tasting note assistant)
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Medium ruby, vibrant, narrow legs at 14 % abv. Medium developed aromas of red cherries, caramel, coffee, a farm emerges vaguely, butterscotch and spice. Dry, medium acidity, medium(-) super soft tannin, medium body and medium(+) alcohol. Medium(+) flavors of ripe cherries, berries, chocolate, white pepper. Very well balance between fruits-tannin-alcohol. Light juicy pleasant mouth feel, elegant and structured. Great length, no lack of focus, this wine has youthful presence. Very elegant and enjoyable, quite unexpected. A really good wine, funky and one of the best Musar so far. Released by the winery in 2012, this sets an example! Many other top estates should take notice.
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Orangey red; sweet, perfumed, leather, gaminess, radish, red fruit, richness, aged, obviously some Brett but it is symbiotic to the profile of the wine; overall very delicious. I was on Quintarelli.
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Hmmm, this is really like nothing I have tasted before, as they say, either you love it or............, I guess I liked this. Ha ha. Now I am a new Musar fan.
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Half bottle recently purchased and direct from CMUK. Cork a little dry and crumby at the exposed end, but wet and fine at the business end. Full smoky garnet. Lovely Musar nose of warm spice, sandlewood and winter fireside. Sweet fruit, round, mid weight, good line from positive attack through mid-palate to persistent and moderate length finish. Smooth and harmonious. Proper Musar blend of cosseting and comforting with something slightly wild and exciting. No VA etc. The best early adolescent Musar I can remember having. In half this is just at the start of it window proper. ****1/2
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Rating pending. Nose was astonishing. Rich, velvety, leathery. Lots of Earth and spicy fruit and a touch of tobacco/tar. Unfortunately the tasting this was drunk at was a disaster and I couldn't get any decent further notes. I have another bottle which I'll use to embellish this note with in time...
Given the high points on Cellar Tracker, I'm surprised this wine showed so poorly. A possible off bottle? Sharp VA, and a hint of wet cardboard. Would like to try this again coz I'm not convinced this was a representative bottle.
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Red-fruited, spiced, buried in earth, the nose reaches up from the glass, grabbing you. What a way to start a drink of wine! The spice, which I suppose is brett, returns on the palate, providing a cozy warmth. Ripe red fruit melds perfectly with soft yet ample tannins and refined but robust acidity. The finish is long and pleasing, the fruit lingers like memory.
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Whoa. My first Musar and me likey. Lollypop cherry red color, quite transparent. Big Bordeaux-like nose but with an unique exotic element to it. Lots of ripe red fruits combine with earthy elements and an amazingly smooth, almost chocolatey texture make the palate. It gracefully and slowly recedes from your palate in a long, clean finish. Fantastic.
With the Family at New Years. Med ruby in the glass. Slowly unfolding nose with a pure core of integrated tamari and cassis, but still a bit of grapeyness and disjointedness around it. Secondary flavors like brett are sort of swirling around, as if searching for a place to settle.
In the mouth it is med-light bodied, with some grapeyness and an unremarkable finish.
Improved a bit after a while out of the decanter, but this needs age. No Rating - YOUNG!
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An excellent accompaniment to the Christmas tenderloin. No mistaking the heavy presence of brett on the nose, but the kind I don't mind (cloves, smoke). And as usual with Musar, the flaws somehow became virtues, with spice aromas blending beautifully with the high-toned red-fruited scents.Tannins were fine-grained and well integrated on the palate, with a nice kick of spice on the long finish.
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Initially served blind. I initially thought mid90s left bank bordeaux based on the graphite. Not a bad guess but I was obviously off. Very nice redcurrant and cassis fruit, the aforementioned graphite, and some spice. There's upfront sweetness to the fruit on the attack but it's well-balanced through the midpalate and the texture is the real selling point here, silky and suave, what the Brits would call "classy, with good breed". Drinking very well and wide open now.
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NY/NJ WLTV Offline at SD26 on 12/12/12 (SD26, NYC): Aromatic profile is an interesting mix of cassis, tomato juice, pyrazine and earth. Medium to medium high acidity and tannin. Medium body and very well balanced.
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Non-blind. Decanted 3 hrs. Had at Le Manoir (Hiroo). Impression: Outstanding with great class. Musar continues to amaze. Light red with slight maturing nuance. Fantastic on the nose, displaying ushi-no-oshiri (behind of cow), sumi ink and a fruity palette of distinction. In the mouth this wine is elegant. Elegant and rich. Powerful thanks to miraculous concentration and M++ acids. Tannins are melting and there are many secondary aromas. Sumi ink, spicy character and Brett make this wine amazingly interesting. Not yet peaking but getting there in a few years' time. Blind, I'd probably had gone with a high quality Rioja... (Wife 89p - didn't make friends with the acids.) Final bottle in ~4 years' time. Wish we had more.
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A special treat to find on the restaurant wine list. Great nose, lush berries but not overwhelming, chocolate, velvet tannins. Only have the 2001 vintage as a reference point and it outshined by a wide margin.
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Outstanding in every way - just loved this wine and it went perfectly with a grilled leg of lamb. It has really settled down and is drinking well now - lovely, rich nose with a bit of mint. great structure and balance - almost no tannins but wine is perfectly balanced w/ acidity - and has a finish which goes on for ever.
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Two bottles opened to cater for numbers, both tasting similarly. I like Musar, though I don't drink it often. Opened and decanted two hours before tasting, it was rich and chocolatey. Received well by friends.
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Wild stuff. Layers of fresh currants and red fruits, high toned herbal and spicy notes and bretty and VA accents, incredibly compelling to smell and very polished texturally with fine grained tannins and bright acids that keep it very lively and precise.
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Transparent, yet deep violet red color. On the nose perfumes of flower, mineral, and small red berries sing along a beautiful and yet subtle song. On the palate a superb presence on a rather high pitch at first then getting deeper on the mid palate and to finish with a beautiful reverberation. That is exactly what I look into wine; a weightlessness, and yet beautifully singing 'tension' in the body, and a gorgeous harmony of flowers, berries, and mineral, making it a perfectly balanced chord and wishing yet for another sip. A stunner just starting it's peek... will have my last bottle in a couple of years.
2nd Night; A stunner, never had we experienced such perfume of Cherry, Cranberry, and Grape seed(yes literally!) exploding, colliding, and coming down in a rainbow like harmony. One could almost see colors through the scents. If it were tonight the score would be a 96+. I am now wondering how I could get more of this vintage, as I only have one left and is clearly hitting its peak plateau only now.
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Best bottle night, the Musar, from a magnum, was the wine of the night for me. Outstanding, smooth, great flavor profile, tasted like an excellent bordeau to me. A 2007 Lynmar Estate single vineyard Pinot was #2 and a Joseph phelps 2002 Insignia #3. I had never had Mausar before, what a treat. We enjoyed several other great bottles too.
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The Musar nose is always tremendous, giving you an inkling of what is to come. The wine feels like it is out of the glass, in the air and coating your nose. Leather, vanilla and stewed plums A lot of fresh fruit in the mouth, light to medium body, wonderful integration of tannins. This is a very distinctive wine with the most similarity to an older Rioja. Compared to other Musars, this is a lighter body, and more fruit. Absolutely beautiful wine
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Drank over dinner at Chez Patrick Restaurant with Angela, Jackie and Alex. Decanted 5 hours in advance. Dusky semi-transparent purple-red color. Nose is medium level temple smoke and spice market, still some oak. Palate is sweet red cherry, cherry boiled sweets, bright acidity, fresh and light, still quite tannic on the finish with a dry black Chinese medicine finale. Some resonance. Needs more time but adds to my conviction that this will one day be a superlative vintage of Musar.
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Vertical tasting – 7 years of Musar from 1999 to 2005
2005 – most tannic one. Noticeably younger. Very good year, smooth, but needs longer in bottle. Scores range 85-91 2004 – still has a little bite on the tip of the tongue. Tastes younger than its age. Fruit is nice and clean. Mustier. Nose is dull. Hot year. Punchy. Scores range 87-90 2003 – lovely and smooth from the word go. Silky but more lightweight compared to the others. Scores range 82-92 2002 – there was a sharp spritz on the bottle, still there hours after opening. Roughest of the lot and not nearly as good as my previous experience of this year. Maybe just a rogue bottle. 2001 – if tasted blind, you could be forgiven for thinking this was a grand vin claret. The Cabernet dominates this year. Another hot year. Almost sherry like. Not full or punchy though. A few more years to go. Well liked. Scores range 90-92 2000 – bubblegum sweet yet earthy. Distinct from the others. Nice, clear, young and fruity for a 12year old wine. The 2000 grew on us as the night went on. This has reached the point when it can be enjoyed. Scores range 90-92 1999 – this is at its peak now and showing its aristocracy. Drink up. Scores range 90-93
We tried the 2003, 2004 and 2005 with the starter (shredded duck) and then added the 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 for the main (Roman lamb). All bottles opened 6 hours prior to tasting. The cork for the 2000 was coloured all the way up but the wines were all at the same level in the necks.
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With dinner at The Farm Table in Bernardston, MA. I have never tasted Chateau Musar so I decided to give it a try. The Som did a great job of opening and decanting the bottle which had a fractured cork and a fairly heavy sediment.
As soon as he started to decant, I could sense the fabulous aromas. He gave us a short pour and recommended waiting until the entree to pour again. In the glass, it had a brilliant medium ruby color with just a hint of edge browning. The aromas and flavor profile were wonderfully exotic and exuberant (roses, lavender, violets, baked fruits, cinnamon, garrigue, old leather, pipe tobacco, and a hint of brett), but the totality was quite unlike anything I have experienced. If it was quieter, I might have heard the angels singing.
This wine is very well balanced, vibrant, smooth, and rounded in the mouth. It had fine silky tannins and a long clean finish that did not reveal the 14% ABV. It continued to open up throughout the meal gaining in both intensity and complexity to the last sip.
If I were tasting blind, I would suspect someone was trying to stump me with a blend of Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Northern Rhone. In frustration, I would probably have guessed it to be a LdH Rioja Gran Reserva Tondonia from the mid 90's. Is this the unique terroir or does Musar have some kind of secret sauce they dose this with?
This elegant wine is much to my liking and should improve for 4-5 years then hold well for another decade at the least. This is one to buy if you are in synch with its unique style.
6/10/2013 Update From 375 ml decanted and served with a selection of cheeses. This was the first of 6 half bottles purchased online a year ago. It was in excellent condition with no sign of poor storage. It was very similar to the full bottle a year ago but a bit toned down in comparison. It was still a delight to drink. 91 points for this bottle.
Five Decades of Chateau Musar....with Serge Hochar (Shanghai Room, Langham Place Hotel, Mongkok, Kowloon, Hong Kong): Darker than the 1997 but still a semi-transparent cherry-red. Nose is pronounced oak, vanilla pod, high-toned acetone. Palate is more advanced.....plummy fruit, bright acidity, some incense and nice wafts of a walk through an Eastern spice market. Already has a very heady resonance but still overly alcoholic. This is a great work in progress and I remain convinced that it will become a superlative vintage of Musar in 5-10 years' time. It's like catching up with a teenage niece or nephew you like and looking forward to see who they grow into.
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Classic musar. Is it a claret, is it a rhone, was that a hint of mature burgundy? Great when opening (quite farmyardy on the nose) but improved with a few hours in the decanter. Lovely rich warm spices, some strawberry, and a long complex finish.
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Fabulous. Drank after the 2004 and an absolute pleasure after that. Decanted for an hour, colour was muted ruby, and not completely translucent (maybe not enough of a wait after shipping?). Nose was rich, primarily dense red fruit with a bit of savoury funk mixed in, but with an amazing topnote that i kept trying to isolate and could never quite pin down all evening. In the mouth it was clean and fresh, red fruit continuing with cherries and some floral hints offset by a clean acidity and fine tannin structure. Finish maybe slightly shorter than expected. Think this will get better yet, but hard to leave alone in the meantime.
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actually quite gentle in a nice way, old damp wood, perhaps touch damp leather, even a touch of liqourice, some get earth, stewed red/black/puruple fruits - like gently spiced poached dark plums; smooth, round without flab, chalky tannins with some nice gentle grip, great acidity to savour (not "fresh"), very enjoyable, wood-aged cider finish, not much VA, no Brett, quite elegant actually, great balance. Very good - defo should get more
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Musarathon (Strictly Rhythm, London): My WOTN. Nose of red berries, primarily currants, and cinnamon. Full in the mouth, with great tangy acidity as a counterpoint to the sweet fruit. Rich but everything in balance. Power rather than finesse here, but it seems I prefer that in Musar. Remarkable QPR.
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I enjoyed this one - less brett and funkiness on the nose than other vintages. Actually relatively clean with strawberries, spice and licorice. Lovely in the mouth - quite full with good acidity and very nice tannins balancing the fruit.
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Decanted for about 40 mins. Lots of sediment. A fine ruby red, no signs of bricking. Fantastic red fruits, barnyard and a slight hint of VA, very Musar on the nose. Supergood on the palate as well, delicious red fruits, some tanins, still going strong. What a beauty.
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Back of the label says "Released in 2011 by the winery". Flavors of cotton candy, persimmon and strawberries. Or if you're less poetic: glycerin, old oak and residual fruit. Nice round mouthfeel. Warm finish. A very good Musar, but not a great one.
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Typical Musar style, with some VA, an impression of worn out leather, cedar, etc. Mouthfeel is nice and fresh, still fruity but with some age showing, very nice for those who like the style. Classic Musar!
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Mid brick color. Striking, bold nose of red berries, earth, and lifted resiny aromatics. The same strength of character on the palate, not heavy but pure intense flavors, bone dry but finishing with red fruit sweetness. Distinctive and unusual. Reminded me of the forthright flavors of Hermitage.
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Trademark low quality cork, at least it didn't crumble. Decanted in a jam jar for about 120 min. N: Opened on a blast of VA, then some brett, rasperries, damp soil. P: High acid, yet richly fruited attack. Finish is long and savory, with a bit of VA wafting back on the finish. The 99 left an interesting impression on my taste buds. Its lightness and aerial texture were amazing. I have little clue as to where this would be going with 10 further years of age. Wait and see. Had over terrible cold fries, hummus, cake, beer, rope, etc. yikes. Hold until 2017+. 14% abv.
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Color: Garnet with ruby bricking Smell: Dirt, dried red fruits, cloves. It's bold, "in your face" floral notes that just smells so good. (5+/5) Taste: vibrant acidity, bright fruits with a bunch of red fruits..."this is good" even with a fait note of paint thinner that's really interesting. (5/5) Overall: This is a wine I can't get enough of...it tickles my mouth, invogorates the sides or my palate and just makes me want to drink more...
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Nose: Similar in style to the '98, just much tighter on the nose. Had a 'baked' aspect to it and some interested notes of nori.
Taste: Rounder on the palate and slightly richer than the '98 yet with a slightly tingling on the top of my tongue as I was tasting it. Long finish. Similar savoury notes with sour cherries at the end. Nice stuff.
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Dark, full round, with a hint of brett that grows more obvious with time in glass. A Musar with the guts to go the long term, with a classic Musar funk that you either love or loath. Certainly not as clean as recent vintages.
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Wine Education Service - Château Musar (LSE): Plenty of age showing. Initially a leathery nose, then the delicate, intriguing perfume of fruit. Juicy and moreish, plenty of tannin, a certain subtle elegance, quite long.
This was a really lovely bottle. Wonderfully elegant and classically shaped showing the usual complex aromas of red fruit, blood, varnish, leather and oriental spices, all in perfect balance, together with mouth-watering acidity and gentle tannic support for the long finish. This wine would IMO be much diminished if it didn’t flirt with danger in the form of VA and brett but any such elements are perfectly under control, unlike a sample of 2001 where barnyard notes were very apparent. This doesn’t quite efface my memory of the 1988 but excellent; 17.5/20+++.
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Good but not excellent like the previous bottles. Some deposit in bottle made the glass slightly cloudy for this ruby red wine with a tinge of orange showing. Bret smell dissipated after abbut an hour to let violet and bruised mint scents emerge. The wine retains a red fruit with solid acid back. I remember more fruit and a richer tasting experience from the previous bottles. Still a good wine but if I had to guess between bottle variation and this wine simply having peaked, i would go for the peak theory. This was my last bottle, so i can't prove myself wrong!! How convenient!!! 88.
Garnet color – darker than the ’98. Nose gave the impression of a very young Musar: purple berries, some V/A; no leather/funk. Palate was tart with a hint of leather and oak; red berries; a bit rough right now – could benefit from time in the cellar; bit tight on the finish, which is of medium length and moderate intensity. Seems to be quite nicely structured; if I was buying any vintage tasted tonight with the intention of socking it away in the cellar for awhile, it would be this one. I reckon my score tonight may ultimately prove to be conservative. Continue to hold.
B: 50, 5, 12, 16, 8 = 91
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"Simple" Midweek Dinner (the Gang Goes Spanish) (Bilbao Restaurant, 111 Somerset): Very good indeed. It is quite bemusing how this wine is almost always unplaceable in a blind-tasting, and it was quite unguessable on the night once again. No one got closer than to place it as coming from a Mediterranean climate. It certainly had an intriguing nose, with a dusting of dark plums and cassis, sweet berries, a waft of dried flowers, and then some funky earth and barnyardy scents. There was a bit of glycerol in there, but hardly enough to throw off the overall attractiveness of that nose. The palate was really nice as well. Here too there was a bit oif alcohol at the edges, but I loved the flavours beyond that - sweet cassis, dark berries, nicely melting across the mouth into a slightly earthy, slightly herby, tobacco-touched finish. Nicely balanced with a nice sense of purity in spite of the generous fruit, this was such a puzzle of a wine. It was perhaps just a bit thinned out and metallic at the very end, but otherwise this was a good bottle at a pretty nice place now. On the upside, I can only see it getting better with time. Good stuff.
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Beautiful wine. Just getting into its second phase. Beautiful violet color starting to fade a bit, the nose of violet flowers, small red berries, wet stone, and leather. On the palate, a very intense, yet elegant. Its presence would puzzle anyone tasting it blind, as for me this is very Bordeaux minus the funk, cigar box, and chocolate/vanilla elements, but plus the Burgundy Cote de nuits' purity, mineral and reverberating finish. A beauty to seek for.
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Had this at Firestone's after Volt, which has a very nice wine list and the prices are much more friendly. The first bottle was off so they brought a second and it was excellent. The typical red fruit and funk nose with the same showing on the palate and the structure was excellent. This is gonna be one for the long run as it never really fully opened up due to how fast it was consumed. Good stuff.
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All I can say is..."wow". Once you do Lebanon, you'll never go back! This famous wine is a show-stopper. Touch and go these days given the age but when you get a good bottle, it is divine.
Pop and drank a bit, smell black fruit, but tanning still quite strong. Decanted for 1 hr, the smell of black fruit fade, plate become smooth. After 2 hours, slight flora smell come out. 3 hours later, smell of mineral and iron. Overall, the body of the wine is very light. Tried 1998 vintage before, 1998 one is far better.
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Color: Garnet with light bricking Smell: Cedar, cinnamon, menthol, rosemary, sweet red fruits, Taste: Plum, cherry, licorice, blueberry, and hints of tobacco, pine sap, and cement. Overall: Another wonderful bottle of Musar...it's stylistically unique and difficult to describe...but this will be a treasure with more time in the bottle.
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First experience with this wine. Dark, striking crimson/maroon. Decanted for an hour or so before tasting and it needs it. Extracted and bold, seemingly still on the young side, very aromatic mixture of cherry, plum, shoe leather, faint orange, and blackberry. Round and soft, but with plenty of structure. A wine that cries out for food and is quite interesting. If I had more, which I do not, I would set it aside for 2-3 years and see where this is going.
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Double decanted in the afternoon. Decanted about 2hrs before serving at room temperature. Nose dominated by cherries and plums with some strawberries as well. Sweet entry, with nice acidity and well developed tannins. Great length with violets and cherries that lasts for at least a minute. Showing better than a couple of weeks ago, so enough air and the right temperature are probably required. Love this wine... Managed to find 6 more bottles. Great quality at a modest price.
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My first Musar, a magnum bought a few years ago, and patiently waiting in the cellar. Musarites would say that this wine is far too young presently, and with the level of tannin showing last night, they are probably right. The wine was double decanted 2-3 hours before serving.
On opening a mixture of horse sweat, leather and sweet muted fruit, after 1/2 an hour the fruit opened up to reveal sweet plum, red cherries and strawberries, herbal notes, In the mouth the fruits are baked, there is definately a feeling of maturity in the wine, but with vibrant acidity and fine medium tannin you sense there is more to come. Spices come and go, cinnamon, cumin. Initially the Cabernet Sauvignon was the dominant grape, but as the night went on the cinsault came to the party.
A wine to enjoy and appreciate but will never astound, but I do not think it was made to do so. I am very pleased with my first Musar, but will not broach the other Mag for at least another 5 years.
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30th Birthday at Palena; 6/2/2011-6/5/2011 (Palena, Washington, DC): N. red raspberry, red cherry, leather, spice P. red cherry, pomegranite, worn leather, cinnamon F. was AA to long in length and the mouthfeel was excellent Overall the wine was great, but still needs time if not decanted as was the case tonight. 91-92
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Double decanted about 4hrs before serving. At start a little too cold @ 15 degr. Opened up nicely in the next hour. Translucent ruby red colour. Fabulous nose of strawberries and cherries. Smokiness with oak. Good acidity. Great length. Love this wine. Need to get more.
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Brett's Epic Birthday Tasting (Palena - Washington, DC): i believe this was my first experience with a red musar, and it was definitely a memorable one. nose of raspberry, cinnamon and braised pork. the palate is lush but powerful. the cherry skins and pomegranate flavors are backed up by white pepper, forest floor. long finish. showing very well and will continue to do so for a long time. i can't imagine what this was like upon release!
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Big, rich, varied fruit, luxurious mouth, with that slightly alcoholic undertaste of Musar. Lovely, very young, needs much more time to develop complexity.
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Popped and poured...drank two bottles over a Cuaba Salomon cigar on the balcony of the Hong Kong Country Club in 27 degree heat and 80% humididity. Not the respect that this wine deserves but it still delivered its essential quality. This is pretty indestructible in any circumstances. See my tasting note a month ago for a much more considered note when I scored it 93, which I think is a more accurate assessment. It is just so good.....
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1001 Wines You Must Taste Before You die. 25.23 pounds / bottle. 14%. Complex. Andrew Jefford, "an enticing, dangerous scent of violets, game and incense, with dense, full0throttle fruit flavours." 5/5
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This is just so yummy. We compared the 1999, 2002 and 2003 together again. The 1999 and 2003 are ready. The 2002 is not. The 1999 packs tons of flavour - think best chocolates, plums, and herbs. Smooth and rounded. Very classy. The 2002 is still sharp. These are the 3 best years in the last 15 and right now, the 1999 edges ahead.
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Ch. Musar Dinner with Serge Hochar (Foreign Correspondents' Club, Hong Kong): Deep almost opaque blood red colour. Nose is no brett, deep brooding dark red and black friuts, sweet molasses, red liquorice shoelaces candy, hints of Eastern spices like cinnamon stick and coriander powder...but quite reticent despite around 6 hours' decanting. Palate is round, velvety, tingling tannins and vibrant acidity with a back end finish of deep Turkish coffee grounds which rolls into a slowly mounting and endless finale that is totally resounding. This is still a very young wine by Ch. Musar standards but it is beginning to open up beautifully - especially the length and resonance - and it has put on a lot of weight since I first drank it with Serge Hochar in 2008. This could possibly become the best-ever Ch. Musar in 5+ years' time. Gorgeous.
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Chateau Musar Tasting (Daniel Boulud, Singapore): Good core of sweet fruits and a bold expression of sappiness. I would say this is entering drinking window but definitely need some decanting before serving.
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NOSE: nice moderately-aged Nose: interesting mix of leather, red berries, maple and cassis; hint of ashy mineral in the background; no perciptible oak or funk; after some time in the decanter an Indian spice note emerged as well. Complex.
BODY: hazy ruby color w/a mahogany wash; sediment present; medium bodied.
TASTE: very well-balanced: good acidity and still some tannic grip; leather; fresh - not heavy; came across as a Cabernet Sauvignon at first, but later presented itself more as a Cinsault; red and purple berries; green streak across the mid-palate; long persistent finish; garrigue note on finish; 14% alc. not noticeable. Very very impressive.
B: 50, 5, 14, 16, 8 = 93
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decanted for 1.5 hour; a little heat from its' 14% ALC; medium ruby red; expressive, long-lasting and balanced aroma; red fruits, cedar, meaty, peppery; velvety tannin; tight acidity and touch of wet leaves in finishing; excellent QPR
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Lifted nose of ripe strawberry and cherry fruit, herbs, manour, leather, spices, sour almond and mushrooms. Light to medium bodied palate with smooth grip and vivacious acidity. Notes of leather, figgy fruit, baking spice, tomato and sour almond. Good length. A classic Musar with good potential. Lovely.
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Oh you do have to decant this, or at least open it for a good few hours before you enjoy it. When you first taste it, it's light, a little sharp, but teasing. Then after the first glass, the bouquet really develops. Perhaps it's the warmth. Goes down so easily. Not as strong an aftertaste as the 2002. Absolutely fantastic wine. It is drinking well now.
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Good rim showing, fairly intense colour and a sweetish smell on the nose. Sweet raisiny fruit but gamey in style too. Balanced acidity on the length. This wine leaves a signature.
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Consumed a 375ml of this tonight and this did not disappoint! A wonderful wine that hits all the typical Musar notes on the nose and the palate. I would gladly buy more...
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This was a tasting of Chateau Musar red from 89, 99 and 01. 01 was still too young and should remain in the cellar for two more years. The 99 was perfect and the 89 already was a little bit old (and also lost part of its taste after staying open for some time. Also in the tasting was a bottle of Hochar red 2000 (the second wine from Musar). Compared to the Musar the taste was a little bit light (0 views)
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Decanted for about 15 minutes, lots of sediment. Fantastic notes of strawberries and barnyard. Went really well with grilled lamb marinated in a Morrocan sauce, delicious.
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Right away, the nose takes you to a musty old cellar of earth and mold. The slight orange color reinforced the impression of age. The fruit has weakened a bit but on the whole the wine was quite interesting and unique and especially suited with the mushrooms that covered the stake. This is not Musar's strongest vintage, but an exotic delight nonetheless.
Exotic nose of confit cherries lace with spices, hints of cedar, dried rose and lychee. In the mouth, the wine is opulent and fat, but remains balanced with no heaviness despite the maturity of the fruits (blackberry, cherry). Spices, chocolate, liquorice and tobacco flavours with earthy hints provide some freshness and a welcomed contrast to the richness of the fruits. NB : the wine was the last of a marathon tasting which included Remoissenet montrachet, Vega Sicilia, Cheval Blanc 89 etc...Our senses might have been a bit blurred at the end, since I ended up thinking it was a Rayas !
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Notes from day 2. Dark red color. Nose of cherry, red raspberry, barnyard, herb. Palate is amazing with pomegranate, cherry, red raspberry, cranberry, barnyard, red licorice, herb, spice, little chocolate tannin the long it is in the glass. The finish is long and there is good balance with acidity and tannin present. Just rocking on the palate tonight. Hold. 50+5+12+18+8 (92-93)
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A cork that shows signs of seepage...Yet despite this the wine still shows promise and offeres an interesting nose, vibrant acidity, and beautiful fruit. While still outstanding...it's not as promising as the last bottle I had.
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Vibrant red-black color with deep berry, leather and wood aromas. Bright silky fruit on top of an astringent middle then some delicious cherry flavors on the finish.
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wow...this is so rhonesque...such pure raspberry, strawberry, garrique, earth, minerals, black tea, and cherry with such a long and pure palate and finish....such complexity and depth. I was almost 97 pts.
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Another great wine from Musar. I've been drinking their 01 and 02's lately but had a chance to step back a few years. This wine is more evolved than the other two but had great density. Bordeaux ringer with some additional spicey notes, great balance and wonderful drinking. I drank half bottle before noticing that I had consumed that much. Not the best of deals at $50 but incredible deal at $25.
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Wow.....right out of the bottle this is so impressive Nose has cherry, raspberry, earth, wet leaf, and an almost garrigue like note Palate has such power yet is still so subtle. Earth, herbs, cherry, strawberry, raspberry, pepper, and cherry Finish is really long with spice, cherry, raspberry and strawberry in the fore with all of the great tertiary characteristics of the palate comeing back. Really great wine!
I don't remember the details of this, but it was beautiful. When you want it to, it can be the center of attention, a swirl of intriguing flavors, with structure so perfect you can't focus on it. Had it with a simple pasta salad with fresh mozzarella. Riveting, and delicious. Drop-dead gorgeous nose with typical Musar Brett and savory character, wrapped around a core of real, true fruit. Didn't quite stop my heart like the 95, but give it 10 years and it might.
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Cork. Half bottle. Decanted for 1 hr, tasted and then left for another 4 hrs. Wow this was closed on opening! After an hour in the decanter, the overwhelming bouquet was nail varnish and VERY sour cherry. A bit musty as well on the nose and borderline faulty. Of course this is Musar, so you wait a while and... it improves dramatically. Light red colour with a hint of purple at the edge. Slightly less sour cherry after 4 hrs and the varnish has gone as has (most) of the mustiness. Now you've got fresh fig, mocha and loads of acid, which gives the wine a sharp and long finish - very tasty but this is way behind the 97 and 98 in terms of development, so I think I'll leave the rest of these for a good 5 years. Interesting to try it early though and more evidence that this wine rewards patience over the short and long term!
Half bottle, decanted an hour. Typically musar nose, but this is very spirity and hot on the palate now. Just about drinkable but not much fun. Time to bury it for a decade I think, fingers crossed. *1/2(*)
Ordered at local restaurant. On the initial opening my spouse turned her nose up at the barnyard smell...it was intense. We let the glass sit and consumed the bottle over 2 hours. After 15 minutes the nose started to show leather, spices and dark fruit. Taste is wonderful with some nice acid and it is completely balanced. You feel the earthy soil, dark fruits, pomegranate swirling around your mouth. Seamless transition to the finish which could be a little longer. Best glass was the last glass which always leaves me wanting more. Extremely satisfying first foray into a wine from Lebanon.
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Just after opening a little volatile acidity, that faded quickly. This bottle showed Burgundian style, with high acidity and a light, ripe colour. Midtaste and aftertaste were balanced. Went really perfect with magret de canard fumé (with green tea, that added the perfect minerality to the wine and the wine did the same to the duck); very well chosen wine by my friend Harry.
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drank this a few days ago without taking notes... but... black cherry is very dominant on the palate. a very good wine. I would guess that it is entering its prime. very nicely balanced. Excellent. 92+
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2 hour decant. Chaged in the glass over the course of the meal. Very 'farmyardy' with some rustic secondary flavours coming through. A slight sweetness on the palate that you do not get on the nose. Still has time.
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It's been a couple of years since I last tried this very promising vintage, and it's finally starting to show some signs of maturity confirming that this is a good cellar investment. Blood red colour, characteristic Musar aromas that fits with my interpretation of 'volatile', 'Bordeaux gone wrong in a good way' sort of fashion. Figs, exotic spices and definitely some chocolate on the nose. Good backbone, smoother tannins than I am able to recall from previous tastings. Fruity enough to follow all the way through, but still young enough to give the impression that this will improve further. If you can't wait there is certainly nothing wrong in trying a bottle now. From here on out it all comes down to one's own preferences. I certainly enjoy this now, but there can't be any doubt that it will improve further during the next ten years or so.
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Wine Education Service - Château Musar Vertical (Imperial College): Rusty translucent ruby. An interesting nose, sweet cherry, a little animal, crème brulée. Delicious, fruity, soft tannins, a little rustic, drinking well, chocolate and liquorice in the mid palate, good length.
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WES - Château Musar Vertical (Imperial College London): Medium intense colour, thinning at the edge with a touch of terracotta. Bold nose leaping up to meet you. Black fruits followed by warm spices with a perfumed top note. Rich full and smooth. Good balance and acidity, a touch of turkish delight sweetness and dark chocolate.
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Celebration dinner for passing my level 2 sommeleir exam. 14 bottles for 16 people that evening. Opened after a Truchard Carneors 2005 then a Frank Family 2005, this fixed their ass. Loads of body and depth left. Funky and I love it. One of my favorite wineries I like collecting the stuff
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Notes from day 2. Dark red color. A really expressive nose of red cherry, cranberry, pomegranite, barnyard, some herbs. On the palate there is more red fruit, cranberry, pomegranite, still a little melted red licorice that was more prominate yesterday, herbs, spice and maybe a little white pepper on the tail with some good quality tannin. The finish is above average in length and the wine is nicely balanced. Drink or Hold. 50+5+13+16+8
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Nose of mushrooms and dust, looks a little bit closed now... in the month, good concentration and fruit, average langht and almost no tannins, fresh red fruit, less sweetness, still very young
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Didn't decant which I think was a mistake. Colour and consistency of prune juice - unfiltered. Rhone-like barnyard nose of stewed strawberries with cream with a little mint leaf. On the palate it feels as though it is in its secondary phase and has good acidity but the tannins are virtually non-existent and it seems quite thin. Over time in the glass it did develop richness and improved hence the comment re decanting. I wanted to like this a lot more than I did and I wonder if I had a bad bottle. I thought I would be drinking this relatively early but it felt like I had left it too late. It was reminiscent of 20yr old Cahors.
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Oh yes, just a wonderful bottle! Decanted for about half an hour, and then I followed the evolution of the wine over a couple of hours during dinner. No VA in this one, just beautiful pure red fruits and really good aromas of leather. The taste was just great, a kind of sweet aspect to it, without being sweet. I love this and I'm glad I still have 8 bottles of this vintage in the cellar.
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Bad bottle? Hard to say, since this wine is very exentric. This time the smell and taste of acetone was clearly detectable, thus taking away from the tasting experience.
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Overwhelming as always. Fruit, spices, horse manure, and whatever you can think of in monstrous quantities. Yet, a balanced product, which leaves you yearning for more. Not the elegant sophisticated Bordeaux, but rather a sensual and seductive wine that does not leave anyone cold. Superb!
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Like a blind date with a good personality. This wine was perfectly pleasant, but no knockout. A faint impression of quality bordeax but with a hollow mid-palate and a not completely wholesome finish.
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I've had this a half-dozen times over the past year. It's different from bottle to bottle and minute to minute. At it's core, on the palate, there's a mixture or cassis, pomegranate and cranberry. The nose comes on like an old dog, bathed in chateauneuf du pape, or like an aged left-bank bordeaux. There's nothing else quite like this. If you're curious about wine, you need to try this, just don't expect anything else to be quite like it. ...even the next bottle of the same.
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Opened on the spur of the moment after an evening's Spanish tasting, and drank in under 2 hours with friends, so the notes are not as they could have been. A quick decant and pour released some beautiful aromas including smoke and tobacco with a subtle hint of V.A. and barnyard. Sweet and savoury in the mouth and very, very smooth with fine-grain tannins this had a long finish. An excellent wine drinking beautifully, 92-93pts.
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Stop the presses! Not every bottle is going to be like this because the wine is naturally made and there will be variation. This is by far the best one I've tasted. But it was absolutely and absurdly great, with vibrant and fresh fruit, so sweet and refined. Beautifully balanced with great acidity. So nuanced with leathery soil and herbal undertones. Such an elegant mouth feel and such grace for such a deep and powerful wine. Just fantastic, without question the single best bottle of red wine that I've had in the past 3 months. Yes, it will continue to age gracefully based on the acids, but if every bottle were this balanced, fresh, and also nuanced with secondary aromas and flavors, then drink now. Why not - it's beautiful beautiful wine.
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Just a taste at a trade show...but showing a lovely rusted ruby with a very slight bricking in the glass. On the nose there are lovely cranberry notes among cement, lavender, spice cake, and a mélange of other red fruits. In the mouth it is soft but the body of this wine appears to gain weight as flavors of cranberries, pomegranate, herbs, spices, and strawberries all linger across a long 45+ second finish that seems to come crashing in like the waves of a rising tide.
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Deep cherry nose of left bank Bdx. On palate, lush red velvety fruit, with a big helping of cigar wrapper. Like Bdx with some CdP thrown in. With time, the cigar fades, leaving a gorgeous light bodied but quite intensely flavored fruit-driven wine. On the sweet side. Certainly the most lush, concentrated, decadent Musar I have had, though unmistakably Musar. Stunning.
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First bottle of Chateau Musar was corked. Great folks at WineLibrary in NJ shipped a new bottle all the way to Hawaii and paid for shipping of first bottle. Second bottle was drinkable, but I think the wine is just past the drinking window. Will have to try a newer vintage next time.
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Nose: Alluring scents of leather, tobacco leaf, earthy funk, baking spices, red currants and a hint of milk chocolate; a variety of interesting aromas emanated from the glass over the course of dinner. Taste: Flavors of red currant, leather, coffee, a hint of spice on the mid-palate and subtle milk chocolate surrounded an overall a sweet core. Despite all the complexity and layers, it was notably supple and elegant. As the night wore on, the wine put on some weight and became more fruit driven, but never lost its elegance and balance. Great texture and mouthfeel and fully integrated tannins were accompanied by wonderful acidity leading to a surprisingly long finish. Few wines I've ever tasted paired as well with food as this.
A ringer for left bank Bordeaux with quality to match, it would be very interesting to place this wine in a blind left bank Bordeaux tasting and observe the results. There is little doubt that it would compare favorably. In short, we were surprised and blown away. What a wine!
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Certainly a different but intriguing wine, hint of brett, leather, autumn leaves and red fruits. Tannins are integrated and there's plenty of acidity. Awesome food wine, great match with beef and pork tenderloins.
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Surprisingly light colour compared with another vintages I've had before. Lovely nose of old libraries with a piercing floral and violet aroma. VA noticeable but not off putting. The palate is multi-dimensional with Christmas Cake and cherry and a wonderful sweet fruit note as it slips down the throat. Really enjoyable - with Musar there always seems to be so much going on. I find it's best to just sit back and let it all do its stuff.
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Decanted for 1 hour before drinking. Fantastic wine! Lots of different spices mixed with dark fruits in perfect balance. Long and warm finish with great complexity. A real pleasure now, but will definitely improve over the next few years.
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Lighter colour again. Nose is very high toned. Fruit is totally suppressed. However fruit on palate is lovely. Very tasty and with a great savoury spice finish. Great length. Shame about the nose but this is great on the palate.
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14% The nose has meaty red and black fruit, accompanied by orange peel, sour cherry and a sweet lift from a hint of volatile acidity. On the palate, this is a lovely, fresh, young Musar. Very fresh and lifted, with flavours of red fruits, cherries, roses and a bit of white chocolate.
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This is a lighter ruby color and offers up a very interesting nose of bright sweet liquid cherry, fine herbs, leather belt, soft caramel and just a hint of clean horse hide and loamy earth. It is rather clean and charming, with just gentle hints of the rustic elements one sometimes encounters with this producer. In the mouth, it demonstrates great flow and fine acidic definition, with a purity of medium-bodied red fruit but also soft spices, smoke and cocoa dust accents. The finish is gorgeous, with a real lasting sense of flavor and great balance. This is a delightful bottle and garnered my #3 WOTN vote.
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Two bottles opened and decanted for 2 hours before drinking over a long and leisurely lunch with friends at Top Deck in Hong Kong. Deep red translucent colour which belies its age. Rich and rounded nose of camphor, church pews, green peppers and touches of truffle. Deep mouthfilling palate but with quite high glycerin and black and red fruits which are still quite primary for a Musar. Still with too much alcohol. Overall, the palate is great in potential but still rather disjointed at this stage in its life. Good length and some pleasant resonance in your head. Compared to the 1980 Musar we paired it with it is still a baby but with a lot of potential and cerainly with the depth and character to mature into something very nice.
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Plum, cassis, mint, barnyard aromas. This is lithe and light, Bordeaux in its leanings, but not in its dimensions; it is thin in the mid-palate. I like the restraint here, however, and this is not short in elegance.
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Immediately after pulling the cork and splashing it in the decanter there was lovely lavender, floral note to this wine that was captivating. Now at about an hour in the decanter scents of earth, pepper, wheat crackers, plums and wild strawberries emerge. This wine is just a puppy...and while it is a pleasure to drink now...this has the potential to be in the league of the '95 in another 5-8 years. In the mouth the fruit is so pure and the finish so long that I have found myself swallowing twice as saliva builds after about 30 seconds. Flavors of blue fruit, spice, and black cherries dominate leaving a lingering note of tobacco. This is not a wine of power or force but a subtle whisper in the pitch-black of a moonless night. You must listen and be patient to understand and comprehend all that is there...this sleeping beauty will break hearts and drive men mad as she continues to blossom and mature.
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Garnet translucent body; usual aromatic ("high") nose of rich herbs (hot nettles, rosemary, mint); darker and lower through the palate; decent length if just a little too funnelled from nose complexity to late palate simplicity. Medium modied, richly alcoholic, smooth with a nice dryness.
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Again: very nice fruit, some depth there. Very spicy wine, excellent with spicy dish. It outclasses many Bordeaux-wines that are substantially more expensive!
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Chateau Musar-smaking i regi av Aperitif (Gamle Logen, Oslo): Farge: Middels dyprød, mindre moden fargetone mot kanten enne 2000 og 2001. Duft: Plommer, mandler, blyant, bringebær, kirsebær, nyper. Smak: Søtlig frukt, så kommer fin fruktsyre. En mer moden eleganse enn 2001. Lang ettersmak. Drikker flott nå, men virker svært lovende. Kveldens nest beste røde (etter 1993). Laget på Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Carignan, Grenache og Mourvedre.
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Wonderful taste of figs, earth, leather and oak in an overwhelming package. Best wine I have tasted so far. A full bodied and well balanced great wine.
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outstanding wine. great interplay of rich fruit, leather, herbs and spice, with prickly vibrant acidity. delicious wine, wonderful with cheeses. the acidity is still strong enough that this wine will improve for years.
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Brought to a restaurant for a get together. Decanted but served in a small generic restaurant glass. An interesting aroma of provencal herbs. A well structure effort with plum, enticing acidity and resolving tannin. Too expensive.
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Not entirely open, but damned good and very unique. Spicy, earthy, meaty, leathery, and slightly funky. More Beaucastel than Bordeaux. High acid mars the finish a bit, but this is one I can't wait to come back to.
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BBQ Night at Keith's; 7/20/2008-7/22/2008 (NYC): honestly - here is a wine i must buy. i know i may not...but i should i really should. and more than one bttl. my WOTN Dusty, funky, leather and spices, rich red fruit in the middle, loooong spicy finish. like drinking an old rioja... this is soooo good. YUM!!!
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Dark garnet with a slightly brown edge. Aroma of dark cherries, blackberries, and leather. Flavor of dark fruit with plenty of acid underneath amd with nicely integrated tannins.
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On this showing I can't see the comparison to Bordeaux. VA in spades but settled down, burnt spices and exoticism abound, all that was missing was a belly dancer and a hookah to draw on. Next time eh?
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An Afternoon with Serge Hochar, Ch. Musar, China Club, Hong Kong: Lovely Burgundian colour with great clarity. Reticent nose. No VA. Lighter, restrained nearer Burgundian character on the palate. Sweet. Good structure. Very long finish. A bigger, less characteristic Musar that was the product of a very hot year. Serge says that it will need even more cellaring than usual. It certainly seems to have the structure to take very long cellaring.
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Deep ruby/garnet color. Almost Rhone-like, with notes of garrigue - lavender, thyme and fresh herbs. A little swirling brought out dried cranberry, cherry and potpourri aromas. Full-bodied, with dense, chewy red fruit, dark cherry and mint flavors. Red currants come in on the long, balanced finish. Simply wonderful, and a terrific match with the quail. 93-94 pts.
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This bottle was acquired recently from a less reliable source, so not sure of its keeping. Opened just 30 minutes before tasting, and there was a definite metallic overtone which I've experienced before with Musar - this disappeared after 20 minutes in the glass, but emphasizes the need to decant and open Musar a couple of hours ahead of drinking. One the palate, typical Musar, with an almost port like taste, leading to a reasonable length finish. Went well with moroccan lamb, but I concluded that this bottle was not up to the usual Musar standard, perhaps because it has not been stored well enough.
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My wife and I had a bottle of the '99 with Tabil-encrusted lamb.
I splash decanted the wine, had a sip as a sample, then let it sit for about 45 minutes.
There was none of the funk on the nose I usually get with Musar. Instead, we smelled bright red fuits, especially cherries, and floral notes.
I must elaborate that most Musars I've experienced had considerably more age, so take my comments in that context. The flavours of the '99 were mostly primary The palate was very fruit forward with cherries, currants and some earthiness, and it was a bit more tannic than I've experienced with Musars in the past. There was no hint of VA. In fact, I'd say the acid was balanced perfectly for my tastes.
In my experience, I often find a lot of cedar and spice notes in Musar. Those were there in the '99, but in the background right now.
My wife and I both found the wine very easy to drink and we finished it within a couple of hours - no experiments with a long decanting time, sorry. It was a lovely match with the food. The earthiness of the Musar matched the coriander, and the fruit was able to handle the mild spice of the Tabil.
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ON OPENING Showing some age in appearance already, with a medium to light red core, lightening to mahogany at the rim. Neither especially bright or dull.
The nose initially shows small sweet red-berry fruits and a touch of varnish (not excessively so for Musar). I think there's oak there, but it sits in support. Could fool someone into thinking Italy, even Piemontese Nebbiolo. Swirling reveals a greater depth, more substance.
The palate shows prominent acidity which seems to shout louder than the rest of the wine. On the finish however the complexity comes through and there's a good aged, if slightly baked fruit feel to it, with a faint touch of bitterness on the back of the tongue.
At the moment the wine feels a little disjointed, but the finish is long and complex. Let's see what it's like after 2-3 hours in the decanter.
AFTER 4 HOURS IN THE DECANTER No discernable change in colour. The nose however is more lively - not disimilar to swirling the wine earlier, though with perhaps a bit more orange-like lift. I sense a hint of vanilla now that I didn't see before. The palate is now more rounded and whilst still having prominent acidity, the rest of the wine seems to be balancing it better. The finish is still excellent and there's more of a progression than before. I hope this shows evidence the wine will come together a little better in time, but still enjoyable where it is now.
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Better than average vintage of Musar. Classic flavors but less VA than is sometimes present and slightly more full-bodied. Very reasonably priced for such a unique and compelling wine.
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My first Musar experience. On opening a strong smell of vanilla that blew off after some minutes. Decanted and followed over a couple of hours. Appearance: a lovely orange tinge to the edge of the otherwise ruby red wine (5/5). Nose: developed over time. Initially cigar, then barnyard with some fruit in the background. After an hour red berries coming to the fore, rasberry, not very strong, subtle, perhaps a hint of raisin? (11/15). Taste: Wow, smooth, lots of red fruit, just a bit of tannins left. The oak is there, but it doesn't dominate, makes for a well-balanced wine that is a pleasure to drink. Finish is long and pleasant leaving the impression of red fruits on the tongue (17/20). Overall: just a great wine, I have become a Musar fan! Perhaps this vintage will be good for some years to come, but it appears to be good right now (9/10). Points: 50+5+11+17+9=92
The hint of raisiness became more and more evident as the wine aerated. After three hours the wine degraded into a sweet cough syrup that was no longer a pleasure to drink. This wine definitely should not be decanted for long if at all!
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Bought at Rosine's to have alongside a 375 ml of 1998 Miner Oakville Cabernet. Light to medium color when first poured in the glass, but over time actually seemed to get darker with refills. Reminiscent of an older Bordeaux, much like the Miner but in a different way, a good way. Lighter in feel, with more hints of flowers and red fruit. A very pretty wine, elegant, balanced, graceful. Lorena said Musar is now in that top list of favorite wines along with Leoville Barton, Miner, and Karl Lawrence. I can not not not do anything but agree. Drinking these two lovely wines tonite, just the two of us, was a special moment...and one that both of us will tie to place, food and wine for a long time.
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This was the second in a vertical tasting of four vintages (2000, 1999, 1998 and 1993) at the Chateau Musar tasting held at the Whitewater Valley Wine Society and hosted by Jane Sowter of Chateau Musar (UK). The 1999 had a deeper red colour and browner hints and according to Jane it is a ‘magnum wine’ [requested in magnum size bottles] because it is so good; big power and velvety tannins, elegant and complex.
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What a strange wine. This is truly a new exprience for me. Taste extremely different from all the reds I have tried. 14 % but dissapointed in concentration. Light to midium bodied. Really strange smell going on. Very high in sugar level. There is some kind of mineral undertone. Quite complex. Dispite the nasty smell, it finishes quite long and suttle. I would like to try again but it is not my thing. Dont like it for me!
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Needed about 3 hours to settle, but came out of the decanter ready to fight! A marvelous Musar, with maybe a little less power than other vintages have shown. Balanced fruit and tannins and a really long and luxurious length. Deep colour and not yet showing any signs of aging at all.....
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Spicy nose with oak, leather and dry fruit. Taste was oaky, and also leather and dry fruit but not as strong as the nose. Very nice together with ostrich fillet. This wine should be interesting to give some years in the cellar.
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Better than the 98. Some volatility showing here. Funky nose with horse shit and red fruits - better than it sounds though some people will hate this (ie it smells a bit bretty but good Musar always does). Quite ripe and rounded sweet fruit flavours, mouthfilling and decent length. A very typical Musar. Worth getting a few bottles to see how it develops.
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At Incognico: lush, red fruit fragrance, vibrant, lifted with the characteristic Musar medicinal tone - this was absolutely gorgeous, possibly the best Musar I've had
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3/31/2024 - johnrm Likes this wine: 94 Points
A slightly paler colour than the 2003 tasted at the same time. Perfect cork - but I use the 2-pronged ‘butler’s friend’ corkpull for all old bottles of wine (See notes on Musar website for the device - widely available).
[Decanted slowly through a fine filter to remove the solid sediment. I always keep the inevitable fine powdery sediment late in the decant separate. I filter the last few ml (including any fine sediment) into a separate glass for an early taste.]
Good from the off but much better, as usual, after 5+ hours in the decanter.
It is still amazingly youthful and showed all the attractive sweet dark cherry and dark plum fruit and spice as in my previous note of 8 years ago. It continued to evolve in the glass over time. It has aged beautifully. Excellent structure, balance, and length. No VA.
Earlier notes are worth a look. Seeing the happy expressions on the faces of my wife and sons at dinner, we stopped trying to describe the subtleties and complexity of this wine and simply enjoyed it. No rush to drink your stocks!
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3/30/2024 - Puteljen! Likes this wine: 93 Points
A heady, classic nose of cassis, blueberries, cherries and blackberries. A bit of sandalwood, cinnamon and cloves. Very light VA, but much less than previous bottles. On the palate quite smooth and polished with generous fruit, medium structure and body and lots of detail. Medium+ lenght. This bottle is drinking surprisingly young.
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2/13/2024 - SimonG wrote: 91 Points
Dry and crumbly cork that doesn’t hold upto the corkscrew. Mid garnet with some vestiges of ruby at the core. Spicy notes beneath the VA, that mix of spice, some red fruit and acetone. Lovely texture, fully evolved with a spot of glycerin enhancing the texture, quite long, and a touch of heat on the finish. Good, but let’s see how it holds up overnight. Similar the next evening in terms of flavour and texture, but now minus the obvious volatility on the nose. Last glass all but wiped out by very fine, hazy sediment. ****
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2/9/2024 - Eric wrote:
Mamnoon: Provencale herbs. Touch of VA. Warm and bright with cherry, earthy on the back end. This softens and gets warmer with air, strawberry preserve, baking spice.
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1/20/2024 - fournet Likes this wine: 93 Points
I have enjoyed a couple each of the 1999 and 2000 over the last two months. The vintage is very typical in style for Musar. Well balanced with complexity, relatively subtle tannins, and a very long finish. I continue to enjoy the unique and quality taste of Musar, and the 1999 is no exception.
I found the wine evolved over the first two hours after opening, but enjoyable from the first pour.
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12/31/2023 - dera Likes this wine: 94 Points
Developed ruby with a touch of bricking on the rim. Nose is developed with tart red fruit, lift from some VA, shit, leather, thyme, barnyard, madeira, meat. Palate is medium+ to full bodied, lingonberry, cranberry, some green pepper, savory herbs, crushed pepper/spices and star anise. Finishes long and somewhat complex with fully resolved tannins and very savory and silky mouthfeel. Likely at peak right now, and probably not long until the madeira notes take over, but for now, from this pristine bottle, damn nice wine.
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12/27/2023 - zscheiner wrote:
Another great bottle, see my previous note from this summer. Complex but harmonious.
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12/8/2023 - avzhang wrote: 93 Points
Balanced with fruity nose. on the sweet side compare to other vintages. Right time to drink this wine.
The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle.
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11/16/2023 - blanquito wrote: 94 Points
This is truly wonderful. Lifted, exotic, ethereal, and spicy on the heady bouquet, with a layered, garrigue sweetness on the palate. The texture is silky and whatever structure it had in its youth is fully resolved, but it is otherwise just ascending to the peak of its powers. This is a clean, stable, flaw-free Musar, but with enough VA and complexity to still taste like the real McCoy. Easily the best Musar I’ve had, which covers the 97-05 vintages.
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10/22/2023 - NiklasW Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for an hour. Hmm, does this need more than an hour of decanting now? Not as amazing as the previous bottles, but still very good. Sour cherries, rust, VA on the nose. Red cherry, excellent acidity, mellowed tannins on the palate. Didn’t get the wow effect I was after, but very enjoyable with a roast of moose.
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10/17/2023 - king-bing Likes this wine:
Pretty funky on opening - lots of VA, horse and dirt. Maybe a touch stewed too. Alice certainly not a fan at this point. As ever with Musar, time did it's work. Notably cleaning up up, after 30 mins. After an hour it was clean enough to enjoy. Last glass at 2 hours much the best: a super red-fruited core with baked earth, wild herbs, and a real tension on the palate giving this cracking energy enhanced by a slight spiciness in the long finish. More than reminiscent of a Chateauneuf but without the alcohol. Super, but really needs air after opening.
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9/10/2023 - SICILIAN-SOLE Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow! I was surprised at how fresh this wine is. Drinking beautifully right now, as it is walking the line between fruit driven and tertiary flavors of aged Bordeaux, with some tension left to keep it focused.
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9/8/2023 - Lype Likes this wine:
It's been a while since the previous dive into the Musar land, way too long actually. Surprisingly clean bouquet, tempting but raises concerns - is this Musar enough? The palate reveals that it is. Uniquely lovely and elegant, slightly sweet, lingonberry and cassis flavors, minerals, luxurious exotic spices and more. Clean and pure but hints of funk, nail polish, wet dog and pea pod - all necessary Musar elements. Fresh acidity and mouthwatering longish finish. Super-good bottle and an excellent vintage. Damn the torpedoes, I am moving to Bekaa Valley and live happily ever after.
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8/23/2023 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 93 Points
While Musar produces freak great wines in "difficult" years (ie 1984) this is a classic archetypical vintage Musar that will age for a good time yet. Wonderful. Managed to acquire another case direct from Musar in 2018 and looking forward to breaking into it over the decade.
Now-2029 (at least).
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6/9/2023 - Ernestas Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lebanese night, Chateau Musar tasting (Vilnius, Lithuania): Chateau Musar tasting, flight 3/4, wine 8/12. Made from a blend of equal proportions of CS, Cinsault and Carignan, aged for 12 months in FR oak barrels. Deep ruby red, brick rim. Intense aroma of smoky cassis, leather, dry earth, brett, roasted walnuts, cedar. Medium+ body, earthy, bit smoky and fruitless with some licorice hints, fine medium tannins. Feels tired and bit dull with some life left in it, probably was stored improperly, as tried over two days and sadly there was no improvement.
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6/4/2023 - VlgJeff Likes this wine: 94 Points
Our second bottle of this vintage. Based on our prior experience, and many other TNs, we decanted this bottle for just shy of 7 hours to our first glass. Over that time the wine went through (what appears to be) its usual metamorphosis from its thin, light, acidic, youthful form to its darker, heavier, more expressive adult form. The medium bodied palate showed lots of spice, bright red, dark red, and a touch of black fruits, some earth and hints of cedar. The acidity was zesty and there was only a touch of tannin on the finish. The last glass - about 8 hours after decanting - was only slightly more present. This wine may(?!) still be evolving and will continue to delight for many more years.
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6/4/2023 - drfloyd Likes this wine:
The last bottle had me worried a bit as it was a bit too advanced - but this one was outstanding and in great shape. A potpourri of spices on the nose, mint - just a lovely, show-stopping nose. Tannins are light at this point but plenty of acidity to give the wine perfect balance. Impressive!
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5/21/2023 - ploher wrote:
Second time with this vintage for me. Decanted for about 8 hours. Nose changes constantly over the evening from nutty to extremely floral to tar and shoe polish and blood, and back again. Ridiculous complexity. The palate has insane concentration of sweet red fruits, dried fruits, honey and spices. It's structured with quality tannins and fresh acidity, showing very young, so young that I think this still needs more time to full blossom. Extraordinary in every way. Even for Musar standards this 1999 is truly special. 20/20
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5/20/2023 - zscheiner wrote:
A near perfect bottle. Just a hint of Musar funk (Bret) but it adds interest and complexity here. Dark red fruit is center stage with a melange of spices playing a strong supporting role. Such a great vintage for Musar and many years left in the tank.
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5/4/2023 - bobbylion Likes this wine: 92 Points
First day I would have poured it down the sink if I didn’t know better with Musar. Bitter, thin, off.
30 hrs later it was 90-91.
Day three it’s a solid 92. sweet fruit, chewy
Go figure:)
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4/29/2023 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 93 Points
From split- 30 min decant was all that was necessary for this to exceed all of my expectations. Medium bodied with nearly fully integrated tannins. Nice balance and finish. This is in its prime with at least a decade of solid drinking but likely more.
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4/24/2023 - FiggySmalls Likes this wine:
this bottle I opened on a whim after realizing I hadn't kept it in controlled temp storage and THEN seeing seepage THROUGH the capsule.
the capsule/cork looked like a disaster and I honestly wasn't in the mood for wine.
on pnp
oranges brick in the glass. slightly translucent. clean/not cloudy even though it was stored on the side
nose and mouth: wild strawberry, rose water, light bits of dried fig/PX sherry, poop direction funk, meaty direction funk, cherry, and orange tea. very high acid+ some VA/ vinegar on the nose, not nearly as oxidized as the color would suggest. super fresh, super energetic, super intriguing, super
delicious.
it's been a very long time since I've truly enjoyed a glass of wine--let alone been moved. they've all struck me as unimpressive or predictable. even wines I've felt should leave an impression enough to write a note... 2000 Chasse-Spleen, nice grower champagne, newly released Beaujolais, etc.
Bravo
(Drinking window =Fully soft tannin, but has the acidity to last. I would drink soon versus risking natty-wine volatility. Plenty developed and complex already)
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4/11/2023 - PJRONeill wrote: 93 Points
From half bottle, clean as a whistle, and with surprisingly minimal sediment, this is in great form. A deep and complex nose of Christmas cake, balsamic, leather, pine tar and sweet red fruits. Balanced and long on the palate, the acidity keeps you coming back for more and the fruit has rounded and softened with age, with notes of leather and ash. In a great spot for current drinking but with plenty in reserve where bottles have been stored well.
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4/5/2023 - maxima wrote: 92 Points
Bouteille soigneusement décantée pour en retirer le dépot.
Remis en bouteille laissé ouverte pendant un bon 6 hrs et
servi avec mon super Osso Bucco, accord réussi.
Assez souple et à point je dirais.
Sur les fruits rouges, la terre et aussi les épices.
Les tannins sont fondus et la finale est
assez longue sur des relents de menthol.
Super bien équilibré et sans accroc.
Excellent.
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4/1/2023 - forceberry wrote: 95 Points
14,15% alcohol, 5,97 g/l acidity, 0,95 g/l VA, pH 3,79. Decanted for four hours before tasting the wine.
Deep, quite dark and somewhat translucent brick-red color with an evolved maroon hue. The nose feels fragrant, quite dry and slightly oxidative yet not too old with layered aromas of sweet balsamic VA and strawberry jam, some Tawny Port-like caramel tones, a little bit of leathery brett, light juicy notes of ripe raspberries, a hint of dried figs and a touch of garrigue. The wine feels ripe, harmonious and subtly sweet-toned on the palate with a moderately full body and rather intense flavors of strawberry jam and very ripe raspberries, some bretty notes of leathery funk, a little bit of balsamic VA, light pruney tones, a syrupy, Tawny Port-like hint of sotolon and a touch of gamey meat. Despite its age, the wine retains an impressive, sinewy structure with its high acidity and still relatively grippy tannins. The finish is rich, complex and juicy with a firm tannic grip and a lengthy aftertaste of balsamic VA and wizened sour cherries, some strawberry tones, a little bit of dried dates, light oxidative notes of soy sauce, a sweet hint of soft black cherries and a touch of caramel.
A beautiful, complex and still impressively structured vintage of Musar that is consistently one of the best vintages in every Musar vertical it appears in. It feels like the wine has evolved to a point where it is aromatically more or less at its plateau of maturity, but its structure is still impressively firm and relatively tightly-knit. Regarding any further aging, I suspect the wine won't evolve much from the flavor perspective, but it might resolve into a slightly more open-knit texture over the following handful of years. However, based any further improvement is going to be quite limited, so any further aging is not really necessary. This is drinking beautifully right now, but most likely it will keep just fine for a decade or even longer. Truly a magical wine and among my favorite vintages of Musar from the past 20 years. At 30,59€ this has been a steal.
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3/30/2023 - FrancoisF85 wrote: 94 Points
Excellent ! Complex and fruity. Notes if baked fruits (dried plum). Very delicate. Compared very well in a nice line up!
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3/17/2023 - MindMuse wrote: 95 Points
I opened and separately decanted two bottles, one a 750 and one a 375ml for about 3 hours in the afternoon then rebottled and carried to a wine dinner event (M. Taylor Bdx pre-event) that night. Paired with the pea risotto and the suckling pig courses.
This was nicely mature with off-the-hook aromatics. Cardoman, allspice, other exotic spices, black plums, black tea, violets, shoe leather... Just tons going on and evolving in glass, all reflected beautifully on the palate carried with a wash of flavor on a silky body. The 750 was a touch better showing. 95-96
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2/18/2023 - SixHedgehogs Likes this wine: 90 Points
Red/brown. A Sherry aroma when opened, but clearly not oxidised after two hours of decanter time. Aroma of tobacco, leather, hot earth and blackberry jam. Very dry. Flavours of oak, red berries, roast meat, blackberry again. Complex, but also austere. Not a crowd-pleaser. Very good with slow-cooked lamb, middle-Eastern style.
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1/14/2023 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 93 Points
Complex on the nose and palate...smooth fruit, very little structure....drink over the next couple of years...
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12/17/2022 - Larre Likes this wine: 96 Points
Classic Musar on the nose. Great in the mouth, layers of mature fruit, pipe tobacco, cigar box and hallmark acetone notes. Nice symmetry, and a long, complex finish. All you can ask for from a mature Musar! 96+
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12/15/2022 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
Decanted off 1 oz of well settled sediment. Blend of Cab Sauv, Cinsault, Carignan. Decanted 1 hour and tasted. Medium ruby color, age-appropriate bricking; aromatic, red fruited with cherry and strawberry, spices like cinnamon, a bit of clove; palate is medium bodied, medium-plus vibrant acidity throughout, balanced 13.5-14% alcohol (13.5% on label, 14% on website), red fruited which fades just a touch through the midpalate; medium length finish. Currently what stands out is its impeccable balance, not much funk or oxidation/soy for Musar and seems youthful, not yet post-inflection though it's near that point and may develop that way with more air. 92++ with potential for much more with another decade... wait on my other bottle for 5-10 years.
90 min: Ah, this is starting to open up now. Really fascinating cranberry and also starting to develop a little bit of the soy/tamari character. This is going to morph and evolve for hours.
7 hours: definitely developed a little bit of tertiary character, but this has some aging in bottle left to finish… 5-10 years for my last bottle.
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12/10/2022 - shafer1994 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Not decanted. Immeadetely after opening an elegant and intense perfume: truffle, vanilla, Mocca, cedarwood. Very ripe and intense on the palate, exotic spices like piment, cinnamon, dried fruit and a wonderful sweetness. Wonderful long lasting finish of which you can’t get enough. In a great place right now but enough power left for many more years: wow. Equally good on second day.
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12/9/2022 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 95 Points
Initially the cork made me nervous... seemed almost petrified. At pop and pour is tasted a bit dusty... but over the course of an hour it opened up beautifully... and continued to improve over the course of the evening until the last drop. My wife was quite impressed!
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11/30/2022 - signotim Does not like this wine:
Baked, stewed cherry fruit which is not my favorite.
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11/27/2022 - lozatron Likes this wine:
Popped and poured - the idea being to have a glass from the bottle and have the rest with tomorrow's sausage and mash. On the nose - hint of brett, some decay, and a core of red fruit. On the palate - tannins fully resolved, that kind of glyceroly non-tannic / non-acidic Musar structure - I think that there's just enough brett to keep this interesting but it doesn't overpower. If this were another wine I'd advise drinking up your stocks now but for Musar - this is just another interesting facet. Interested to see how it shows the next day...
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10/29/2022 - SimonG wrote: 93 Points
Blind. Opened and poured straight away. Really bright and vibrant mid ruby. Different on the nose (cf the old Rioja). Slightly sweeter, more lifted with a herby edge and a touch of VA providing lift and complexity without being overdone. First thought is a Garnacha based on the texture, but then a couple more sniffs take me to 98 Musar. Oh well! This 99 is in a lovely spot in bottle format if this one is representative. Fully resolved, complex, very drinkable and good to go from the off. Bright long finish with some acidity and glycerin in perfect harmony. **** with upside potential.
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10/9/2022 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opens over an hour or 2. Quite complex blend with dark and bright fruits, that lasts and evolves...always popular !
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8/21/2022 - kevin h wrote: 91 Points
A touch of va but it settled down after a 3-4 hour decant. Lots of sous bois, hints of cassis. Gamy fruit. Nice but worth 15 years in the cellar? I’m not sure.
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7/31/2022 - Evandro Boabaid wrote:
7
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7/30/2022 - Puteljen! wrote: 92 Points
Very nice. Smoother and more balanced than my previous experiences with this wine. Less VA and funk.
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7/20/2022 - bobbylion Likes this wine: 94 Points
After a long flirt with brunellos and summer-induced Chardonnays, back to this.
Seeping cork. Hi to mid shoulder. So, IMHO, a preview for 5-7 years ahead. 9 hr decant (!). Damned powerful juice. Chewy and dense, but ephemeral at the same time. Very special. Still racy acidity and loads of fruit. Not for everybody, but I LOVE IT!
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6/14/2022 - Paul852 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Briefly, another perfect bottle - stood upright for a few days, then decanted (removing a moderate amount of quite fine sediment) about 8 hours prior to drinking. This was classic, perfect Musar. One of the best wines in the world (at a sensible price like the ~US$35 that I paid for these, anyway).
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6/7/2022 - Yagil wrote: flawed
Premium Mature Bordeaux Blend (at my home): corky
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6/3/2022 - auldalliance Likes this wine:
Last one. Last bottle tasted at a charity wine tasting hosted by me.
Lightish red, with tawny amber colour at the edge. Usual volatile 'blow off' when decanted, though not quite the heady bouquet of some previous bottles, perhaps because it was drunk outside. Notes of oak and furniture polish in a good way on the nose initially, then quite savoury, earthy. Still hints of tannin, but initial impression was of it being quite dilute on the palate, but it did have length and the sweet and savoury notes I associate with old Musar came through in the end. It was the favourite wine of 2 and least favourite of 2 others. Some things never change.
Overall, not in the same league as the 2003 just now, but still very good.
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4/30/2022 - dsiii Likes this wine: 92 Points
Outstanding. Classic Musar. Drank in 375, and it still has a few years left.
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4/29/2022 - jkvedar Likes this wine: 93 Points
Sublime . Sweet at the same time dried fruits , stewed fruits on the nose but the palate is still pristine . Hard to describe
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4/18/2022 - SimonG wrote: 91 Points
Half. Opened and splash decanted immediately prior to drinking. Bright mid garnet. Usual Musar lifted nose with some VA, furniture polish and spicy red fruit. Mellow and smooth with decent mid palate complexity and finish. ****
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3/23/2022 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Randoms (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Baked earth, volatility, blood, a little wood glue, leather, peppery spice, red currant, touches of rocky minerality, cream. Juicy, fleshy, plenty of chalky textured tannins, alcohol warmth, baked fruit, a little garrigue, long...compelling
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3/7/2022 - SteveLong Likes this wine:
You must decant this for at least 45 min.
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2/26/2022 - Kirk Grant wrote:
FROM A 375ml. Opened, decanted for sediment, then poured into a Grassl Liberté. A ruby core with bricking to a watery meniscus. Scents of dried red fruits, potpourri, decaying floral notes and weathered railroad ties. The palate leads with dried red fruits, kumquats, kiwi, and clove, the length is medium, there's a level of complexity that seems to come in waves. Given that this is from a half bottle, I would expect that there is another 10-20+ years for a 750ml with good storage. The wine is light-medium in body, framed by the acidity that starts of the edges of the tongue and seems to pull the mid-palate in together for a long finish. G-damn this has been so nice to get to check in on this wine over the years. This wine has been tasted at least 10 times over the last 12 years from 375ml, 750ml, & 1.5L.
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1/9/2022 - melvinyeowq Likes this wine: 93 Points
Mostly white Burgundies: When Musar is on, it is such a singular wine. Luckily, the wine gods smiled on us as this was a spectacular bottle. The VA was restrained to give it such an elegant nose that was peppered with some earthiness. Everything in balance on the palate, glorious red fruit with very high acidity. I didn't think it was a Musar because it didn't evolve in the glass much, but stayed at a consistently high plateau throughout. Great stuff.
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12/31/2021 - SeattlePaul wrote:
Lovely, in great shape.
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12/28/2021 - Harley1199 wrote:
Four years and a half since I visited Lebanon, good time to review some bottles brought at Gaston's cellars. Bottle taking a two hours breath before lunch. Bland cork as usual. Crystal ruby colour. Aromas of marzipan, gooseberries, aniseed, meaty, mineral, lactic and herby. Nice complexity. A bit one-way Musar anyway. On the palate showed a watery texture, sharp acidity (as a young rioja-like) and a warm, astringent finish produced by high alcohol. Damned bottle variation.
Where is that traditional softness? Where those oriental spices? My view is easy to explain: this is not an outstanding Musar. Have to age more in order to settle a little. As simple as that. If not traded, next bottle in eight years or so. Not the best mature wine to celebrate Spanish Fool's day.
Cuatro años y medio desde que visité Líbano, buen momento para revisar algunas botellas traídas de las bodegas de Gaston. La botella estuvo tomando un respiro de dos horas antes del almuerzo. Corcho blando como de costumbre. Cristalino color rubí. Aromas a mazapán, grosellas, anís, carnoso, mineral, láctico y herbáceo. Agradable complejidad. Un Musar un poco unidireccional de todos modos. En boca presenta una textura acuosa, acidez punzante (al modo de un Rioja joven) y un final cálido y astringente producido por un alto grado alcohólico. Maldita variación entre botellas. ¿Dónde está esa suavidad tradicional? ¿Dónde esas especias orientales? Desde mi punto de vista es fácil de explicar: este no es un Musar excepcional. Hay que esperar bastante más tiempo. Tan simple como eso. Si no lo vendo, la siguiente en unos ocho años. Necesita asentarse un poco. No es el vino maduro más adecuado para celebrar el Día de los Santos Inocentes.
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12/27/2021 - Anders Bjurestig Likes this wine: 91 Points
The best Musar I’ve had so far. The cork was dry and very fragile. They really have bad corks. But the wine was excellent. Gone was the masculine powerful wine, instead it was very elegant with a slight strawberry flavor and a beautiful bouquet of spices and tobacco. No airing before and after a few hours the wine begun to deteriorate. So a bit amazed about the long airing hours some have for this 22 year old wine. But I guess it can depend on the cork on that specific bottle.
It paired very well with a bookmaker toast.
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12/26/2021 - bobbylion Likes this wine: 94 Points
This time 30 hrs after opening the bottle and decanting. Amazing concentration, never ending finish, and the nose to die for. Years of life ahead of it. As usual the corkage is poor. Ah-so opener works well, though.
Here a mixture of great burgundy and highest grade brunello for my taste.
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12/25/2021 - VlgJeff wrote: 91 Points
Christmas Dinner (Our House): Based on many other TNs (thank you) we knew this wine needed air! The bottle was decanted (with a small amount of sediment) a bit after Noon for dinner. The fill was mid-neck, and (luckily) the cork came out unbroken, but was "squishy" and wet to about 20% of the way up.
As the wine sat in the decanter it got darker and took on weight. It took to the 3 1/2-hour mark to reach the point where the fruit finally exceeded the wood as the primary flavor, and the acidity began to wane.
At the 5 1/2-hour mark we began to drink the wine with dinner. The color was a medium to deep violet with a faded rim. The nose was mostly earth and spice, with some red fruit. The medium bodied palate showed lots of spice, some red fruit (strawberry & cherry) and earth, and juicy acidity.
This was our first experience with any of the Musar reds, after having one bottle each of the white and the rosé, and it was unique. Not certain how long this vintage can hold but have one more 1999 and one 2005 that we'll probably enjoy within the next couple of years.
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12/25/2021 - Corgi wrote:
Oxidative, ashen, wet earth on the nose - it is a Musar after all. On the palate, a beautiful blend of spice, musk. Half bottle format.
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12/21/2021 - Odedis.Wine.reviews Likes this wine: 93 Points
Light ruby in color with medium intensity.
Dry on the palate with a great nose.
Showing blue and black fruits with tobacco, cedar, leather, chocolates, licorice, spices, earth, herbs, light vinaigrette, wet leaves and peppercorn.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a great Cabernet based blend from Lebanon. Showing nice complexity with a nice mouthfeel.
Needs a couple of hours to open up properly, so be patient.
This 12 year old is easy drinking, spicy and interesting and will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 10 years.
The 1999 vintage was a great one in Lebanon, and it is showing so nicely now.
I had it all by itself, but good with food too. Elegant and delightful.
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsault.
13.5% alcohol by volume.
93 points.
$80.
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12/13/2021 - lozatron Likes this wine:
Lazy Sunday Lunch (La Trompette): Served from magnum. One of the best, if not the best 99 I’ve tasted. Clean - certainly at the “civilian-friendly” end, but still fun, even exciting. In some ways it was just like a 20 year younger sibling of the 79 it was served alongside. Not sure if it will go on to age in the same way…but worth leaving some to find out.
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12/10/2021 - dsiii wrote: flawed
Oxidizes
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11/23/2021 - Loathesome Likes this wine: 91 Points
Always been a fan of the 1999 and never seems to let up. Huge volatile currant, berry flavours. Not at all subtle but good balance and impressive length. Still in prime. As an aside I am still surprised, as someone who has been drinking Musar for 35 years, that so many people give a very long decanting time. The 1999 was typical in that it had an explosion of flavour from opening and not sure what long periods of air could add.
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11/21/2021 - drfloyd wrote:
A bit more advanced than I would have liked - hopefully just an off bottle. Slightly oxidized with Some dead leaves on the nose when first poured (after opening a few hours earlier) - after another hour or so the fruit firmed up and the oxidized notes blew off - so was still enjoyable to drink.
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11/21/2021 - Mr. Montrachet wrote: 92 Points
Cherry, forest floor, eucalyptus, some licorice and menthol. After 6 hours decant really starts to sing. Perfect with lamb.
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11/18/2021 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 92 Points
LE at ungrafted. Out of the 375ml: oxidation, Brett, perfumed VA hit - familiar and classic. With a ribbon of deep blackberry and cassis balsamic. I’m excited for this one. It’s been a couple years.
It developed some nice tertiary depth over the next hour - it's starting to inflect and is pretty open now, that said this was a 375 so I wonder if the 750's are still a bit closed.
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9/22/2021 - victorpb Likes this wine: 91 Points
I remember the 1999 as a better wine than this. Still a classic Musar on the elegant side. Eucalyptus, barn yard, roasted peppers.
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9/18/2021 - Paul852 Likes this wine: 95 Points
The bottle was high shoulder fill; the cork was soft and soaked most of the way through (but came out cleanly with a pseudo-durand).
Decanted about 6 hours in advance, put back in the bottle and decanted again at the restaurant about 90 minutes in advance of drinking. A taste of the dregs on opening had the classic Musar nose, and a slightly acidic palate.
By the time we came to drink with dinner this was a superb bottle. Classic Musar, beautifully balanced spicy, complex, lingering in the mouth. Described by two people (regular wine drinkers, but perhaps not connoisseurs) as "the best red wine they had ever tasted".
I got this bottle at ~US$35 and I have 3 more, but I'm sorely tempted to stock up more while it's still available, albeit that now the best I can find is ~US$58. It's still a stunningly good wine even at the current price.
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8/30/2021 - ploher wrote:
Musar Vertical: What a heavenly nose full of sweet fresh strawberry fruit, fresh herbs, some volatile acidity, but just extremely well balanced and graceful. Absolutely mesmerizing, something to dream about. The palate is a true stunner as well, it‘s elegant, aristocratic even, very polished not only for Musar standards, with a perfect balance between heavenly sweet, melting fruit, freshness and spice. Also infinitely long. Close to perfection for my palate, also the favorite of the groupe. 20/20
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8/28/2021 - hello.zzc Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tasted after 8 hours of decanting. A hint of red fruits, raspberries. Dominant tertiary flavours of forest floor, damp wood, oak. Medium bodied with mellow tannins. Good finish.
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8/28/2021 - englishman's claret wrote: 90 Points
The 1999 Musar (from half) is ready as soon as it hits the glass and it’s nose and palate are interesting in the sense that, for a Bordeaux drinker, it is as similar as it is foreign. A Franco-Lebanese Minotaur, offering classically left bank cool, dark fruit and leather - yet with a warm, spicy character, full of clove and cardamom. Fully resolved and slightly volatile. Enjoyable, if not climbing into the pantheon of the world’s great Cabernet blends.
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8/7/2021 - fred o. Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cork cracked midway but otherwise intact.
Light bricking.
Nose earthy.
Palate red berries, a maple syrup note, some earth. Still young and vibrant.
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7/31/2021 - auldalliance Likes this wine:
Decanted 4 hours ahead. Tawny port colour at first. Not much sediment. Had a sip then, all VA and furniture polish in a not unpleasant way.
Quite raisined sweet fruit and some oak, like a very mature Rioja. You need to like mature wine with tertiary flavours to enjoy this.
Colour seemed to deepen with time, and some fruit emerged. Probably at its best about 8-9 hours after opening (it was finished then!) and may have become better the next day if it had got a chance. Difficult to tell whether this is going to keep going or is on the way down now. Certainly needs a longish decant.
Great with roast lamb.
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7/5/2021 - Oberunter-5 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Had over three evenings. More reticent and brooding than the ‘98. In time the nose shows black tea, iron, a little meat, pepper, and mature red fruit. The palate mirrors it for the most part—but the savory notes emerge more clearly on the second and third days, as the fruit recedes.
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6/26/2021 - jondrinkswine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Similar to prior tasting notes. This continues to be my favorite vintage from my favorite producer.
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6/11/2021 - WetRock wrote:
Decanted a couple hours prior to consumption. Much less sediment than expected. Fully mature and completely integrated. Drinking in a lovely balanced way. A lot of wines were out so I didn't tarry about with notes. Memories are all positive.
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6/8/2021 - bobbylion Likes this wine: 94 Points
Open 24 hrs. Decanted 3 hrs. Absolute heaven. Have lots of different vintages of this. Right now 98, 99 and 01 are ready, but with proper airation. See above.
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5/30/2021 - Yassine23 Likes this wine:
From magnum. Loved it, though less of the usual VA or brett. Super fresh, long long life ahead. Massive amount of red and black fruits. Silky tannins. Long finish.
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5/8/2021 - premiercru1973 wrote: flawed
Off bottle and a victim of the infamous bottle variation from Musar in this period.
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4/27/2021 - drfloyd Likes this wine:
No formal note but drinking well - seamless and well integrated after 22 years. Impresses the guests - just lovely
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4/25/2021 - zimmy07 Likes this wine: 91 Points
This was better after 2 hours open. Sappy red fruits, bakers spice and bay leaf. This was direct from winery and from a 375ml, I was hoping for it to be a bit bigger, this is a bit after peak and I love older wines. I hope the bottle is just off a bit, but because of 375ml may be aging faster.
Overall nice wine but not as good as many Musar's I have had, but totally worth the price point
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4/11/2021 - stayhappy21 wrote: 91 Points
Drank this at Tunglok Xihe, Orchard Central, with a group of newly-found wine mates for the Chateau Musar vertical dinner.
2nd wine of the 2nd flight. This is really brilliant with the vanilla and cream notes shiny through. Some dark red fruits in the mid-palate with good energy and intensity.
One of the contenders for the Wine of the Night.
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4/4/2021 - jondrinkswine wrote: flawed
Ah-so pushed cork directly into the bottle (doh!). Wine was good/drinkable but this bottle was clearly a bit off. A touch oxidized and didn’t exhibit the freshness of the last bottle. Even a bit off, would score 92
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4/1/2021 - winesteward Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opaque and browning at the edge. The barnyard is strong in this one - immediately evident when the cork was popped. Rich and sweet. Quite a bit of blood/iron all throughout. Prune and leather. Dried berries. Pretty soft, good length. In a very good place, and about perfect now.
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3/30/2021 - VinCapitan wrote: 92 Points
got some raspberry over leathery earth. Spicy herbs (brown spice - anise, cumin?) a lift of cherry acetone and musk + cola, red but softened with the age and some coffee caramel oak. Tea tannin. Like this.
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3/13/2021 - Puteljen! Likes this wine: 93 Points
Best bottle so far of this. Soft and sweet, fully resolved but still retaining lots of fruit over a full on sous bois with mushrooms, decaying leaf, wet earth and moss. Earthy minerality, medium acidity, long finish. Bravo!
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3/13/2021 - tooby2 wrote: 93 Points
Leather; clove; liquorice; orange; Christmas spices; burnt rubber; mouldy cellar Palate: racing acidity; tannins softened; fruit still lively. Lots of strawberry. Finish is the clear slow fade of a prayer bell.
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3/10/2021 - erikmillroth@gmail.com wrote: 90 Points
Spännande att dricka med ålder. Torkad frukt. Läder. Tobak.
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3/9/2021 - Rossodio wrote: 93 Points
Pulled out of my wine fridge's top shelf which is the "special occasion wines" shelf (I was told it was not on that shelf...) and popped and poured hard into a glass a couple times as a random Tuesday night wine. That glass, in fact all of the glasses but the last half a glass, were not drunk by me and were naturally filled with sediment. I had a sniff and a taste about 2 hours after opening. Tight as nails but at the same time mature. Clearly would be great about 6 hours in. I set the bottle upright on the kitchen counter and tried a sip about 4 hours later and it was blossoming and the sediment all over the first glasses that I didn't have had settled down. 24 hours later after spray argon on top at room temp and it was even better.
I only wish that this had been noticed before it was opened and it had been saved for another time. It would have been beautiful with so many foods and was drinking great, but about 90 percent of the bottle was slugged down and found to be "not really that great" by the person who opened it. I wouldn't have liked a bunch of sediment and a tight wine in my glass, either. The few sips I had after it was opened for hours spoke volumes for this wine which is very, very good.
As you might expect, this was my only bottle of this and I can't just go down the street to buy a replacement.
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3/8/2021 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 93 Points
This continues to gain weight and is becoming deeper and the fruit is becoming more available and intense. Bright red fruit, cherry and then damson and stewed plum. Medium body, long finish. At and optimum time for drinking but it will grow and change with time. At the moment this is a great early plateau Musar. The later plateau Musar is almost a different wine and just as interesting. So glad that I loaded up on this year.
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2/23/2021 - bnqwallace wrote: 92 Points
I have been drinking the 96 (excellent) 97 (pretty good) 98 (very unpredictable) and this was my first 99. Very good all the best characteristics of Musar even after a 1/10 cork! 30 minute wait in the glass and it was great. Saved some for the next day and it died. Won't do that again.
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2/19/2021 - Ch63834 wrote:
Vollgesaugter und bröselig-brüchiger Kork, ließ sich nicht ziehen. Wein dann sehr gut: anfangs noch verschlossener mit merklicher Säure, dann immer besser. Nächstes mal früher öffnen und dekantieren.
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2/12/2021 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 92 Points
Funky but nice red fruits and A long finish...
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2/12/2021 - NiklasW Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for an hour, busy dinner, all I can say is wow, fantastic!
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2/6/2021 - bags wrote:
Great wine, of course, but the sad end of the evening is that I spilled the final glass.
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2/1/2021 - PSPatrick wrote: 94 Points
Top shoulder. Some seepage. Still reddish garnet colour, translucent towards the rim, some fine sediment. Red fruit, iodine, meaty and gamy notes, herbal notes, some cedar, some leather, some tobacco and balsamic notes, with great, lively acidity, perfectly integrated tannin and exceptional length. Ethereal. Elevated VA. Paired with a rib-eye steak it develops complex spice notes. Medium-bodied and very balanced. Great tension and intensity! The finish lasts for minutes. Captivating!
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1/16/2021 - Marmaras Likes this wine: 94 Points
After my first bottle from Chateau Musar oxidized in 1999 and the consumption was rather modest, here is the evaluation of my second bottle:
The cork of this bottle was completely soaked, and despite the greatest care, the cork broke off when it was opened. After fine handwork, the rest of the cork could then be easily removed.
Immediately after decanting the wine smelled very pungent, already thought that the second bottle would also be undrinkable.
After 5 hours in the decanter, the surprise came:
Very good aroma, great bouquet, the color between red and orange (slightly rust-colored), fine tannins and a very long, pleasant finish. This wine enjoyment was fun.
On the negative side: The quality of the corks could be improved. Already had about 20 years old wines from the Greek winemaker Papaioannou and the corks were way better.
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1/16/2021 - pavel_p Does not like this wine:
Bordeaux blend's double blind: Double blind. Cloudy and evolved color in the glass. Slightly oxidative nose. Fairly complex but not exactly pleasant on the palate, with some remaining dry fruit mixing with oxidative notes and some stewed vegetables.
I thought a poorly stored bottle of a 70s or early 80s Bordeaux off vintage. Then somebody said Musar, and it made sense.
I recall seeing this recently offered by Cru, and was wondering if I should take a case back then. Very glad I did not. NR
Group's # 7, My #7
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12/28/2020 - Maphill01 Likes this wine:
Followed Tim Heaton’s decanting advice: 30 min in a wide bottom decanter, then back into the bottle, no cork for 2 hours before the first glass. In a perfect place, sublime.
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12/27/2020 - Sean Tay Likes this wine: 97 Points
Banyard, cloudy in appearance, savoury, wet forest, mushroom, flora, medium+ acidity and medium tannin. Tasted blind.
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12/26/2020 - winot Likes this wine: 94 Points
Medium cherry red w just a hint of orange, pretty youthful looking for 21! Nose is... the inimitable Musar... I don't know how to describe it - tart cherry and red berry but with that overlay of funk, that Musar complexity that defies fruit metaphor. On the palate, perfection. Red wine as red wine was meant to taste, vinous, complex, does not yield to a flavour-wheel dissection. Just pure red wine bliss. Smooth, balanced, complete, complex. Moreish in a big way. Never disappoints. Great QPR.
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12/25/2020 - RolandGr wrote: flawed
Awkward smell and taste. Very bright brownish color. Did not change over hours. Obviously a flawed bottle.
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12/23/2020 - jondrinkswine Likes this wine: 97 Points
First time I've re-visited the '99 vintage since I originally had it 4 years ago, and it is everything I remembered! PnP, there is a whiff of VA that blows off quickly. While this bottle is accessible immediately, a decant is recommended to remove considerable sediment and because the wine does evolve and improve with air. Upon opening, both nose and palate exhibit a cooked, maderized sweetness: stewed cherries, strawberries and cranberries and a hint of caramel. The nose is quite tertiary and unapologetically animalistic with meaty, gamey, smokey aromas with a backdrop of wet leaves and forest floor, all of which is juxtaposed by a bouquet of violets and rose petals. After 30 minutes to stretch its legs, the fruit becomes more lively with its stewed character giving way to more youthful, tangy red fruit flavors with real zip and a spiciness that nicely accents Musar's gamey character. The finish is long, fruity, spicy with lingering tannin that is grippy but not at all offensive. What a delight, and 4 more bottles to go
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12/19/2020 - Enfant sauvage wrote:
This wasn’t very good. A bit oxidized and definitely flat. Got the wrong end of the bottle variation.
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12/18/2020 - kingkanu wrote:
Medium light body, some bricking into the wine. A touch of volatility which gives a nice lift, but otherwise not too wild, dried roses, cinnamon and clove with some mature red fruits. Balanced and so easy to drink, great with a pumpkin tagine
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12/18/2020 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 95 Points
Medium ruby/garnet color with some bricking towards the rim. Pretty animalic notes with some leather, horsesaddle, but also tobacco leaf, some graphite, with some more air there is also that super pure red fruit (red cherries and strawberries) showing up, some smoke, also some balsamic notes, too. Overall very complex aromatics. It‘s medium+ bodied, but with excellent mid-palate persistence, it has pretty high acidity, still medium+ tannin that is very good quality and silky and excellent length. Plenty of complexity on the finish.
A fascinating wine and very unique. Really fascinating as it combines Bordeaux-ish animalic notes with some Southern Rhône texture and almost Burgundian red fruit.
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12/13/2020 - Margroot Likes this wine: 95 Points
Some years ago the people at the chateau told me that they believe that old wines definitely should be decanted and aired for many hours. (They told the analogy about leaving your house for a week, a year or many years and how long do you open the windows then)
I was alway a bit cautious but nevertheless took some 4/6 hours with a bottle.
This one I followed their advice and gave it a 24! hours decant.
So this 9.5 is for all the people that made this wine! You have silk and silk! A nice acid kick even at the end. Fruit and cinnamon! This is Musar next level.
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12/7/2020 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 93 Points
Magnums Dinner (Friend's Place, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong): Impeccable boxed magnum from the winery. Perfect cork but interestingly it had been inserted upside down!
Initial notes on opening: Fully transparent cherry red colour on opening. Initial nose of new wellington boots and high- toned kirsch. Initial palate is tart and tannic red cherries and fresh cranberries. Quite a volatile eau de vie immediate resonance and reverberance inside the head in the mouth and on the swallow... very long indeed.
Decanted for 7 hours and then served blind but knowing it was my wine. Almost transparent except for the core. Has retained its cherry red colour. Nose is very well behaved and clean and reticent, almost disappointingly so...loganberry in the background. Palate has really benefited from the long decant - it is a BAM! of classic Musar Eastern spice market, black tapenade, deep red spiced Turkish delight, good medium acidic freshness. Then it suddenly grabs you by the back of the skull on the back palate and takes you down Alice's rabbit hole. Intellectual but also hedonistic. The power is phenomenal and very long indeed. Close to silence creating but too reticent on the nose to score accordingly higher. This is my favourite vintage of younger Ch. Musar and the first time I have opened a magnum. In most people's top two wines tonight. 93-94.
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12/5/2020 - auldalliance Likes this wine:
Back on form, after a disappointingly flat (oxidated?) bottle last time.
Brick red, quite vibrant colour, spice on the nose, with a little hint of farm yard, some sweet baked fruit too. Quite sweet on the palate at first, but also some fine tannins but pretty unobtrusive and still some acidity. Quite a long finish. Complete, mature and integrated wine now, reminiscent of an old Southern Rhone in some ways.
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11/26/2020 - manonthemoon wrote: 95 Points
Had at Thanksgiving.
N red raspberries, cherries, tobacco, pine tar, little cinnamon
P red cherry, raspberry, plums, barnyard, tobacco, little baking chocolate, spice
F long in length, great mouthfeel
Overall a fantastic bottle of wine, always one of my favs.
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11/22/2020 - cypra wrote: 90 Points
Right after decanting: sweet cooked plums and cherries, attractive matured. Plum and spicy on the palate. But allthe complexity vanished after 1h as if the wine is too old, similar to the last bottle, both from 2019th release of the 1999th vintage. Somehow below expectations. Do not decant and drink up (at least the 2019th release)
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11/13/2020 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 93 Points
1 hour decant. Drank 90 minutes later. Opened further in the glass. Smooth and complex, while elegant Beautiful ! Brother's Bday dinner.
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11/12/2020 - dnnk88 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wine Night #2 Commanderie @ GWC!: 1998 and 1999 served together. Red cherries, spices, slight tinge of sweetness. Similar to the 1998, enjoyed this a lot! 92/93
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11/12/2020 - Collector1855 wrote: 94 Points
During a blind tasting dinner. Served double blind, the 1998 and 1999 side by side as a pair. Farmyard on the nose, a touch bretty but not overbearing. Lots of red cherry and also spices. Light and crisp on the palate. As so often with Musar, teh nose points towards Bordeaux, the palate has a Southern Rohne twist with Cincsault and Carmenere being lighter, sweeter and more red fruited than a normal Cab/Merlot blend. Both wine showed well and were similar with the 1999 may be being just a touch too bretty, costing it a point.
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11/10/2020 - tfpywfpy Likes this wine:
Amazingly unseeped (or whatever the word is) cork. Double decanted then left open for 10 hours before pouring. Still plenty of life in this bottle, smells and tastes of plum, pepper, and other spices (maybe clove). A bit of barnyard but not as much as I was expecting, actually pretty clean. Fresh acidity and smooth tannins, worked well with the food (mushroom, spinach, chestnut, pine nut and Stilton wellington). At the risk of talking nonsense, I’d describe it as elegant.
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11/5/2020 - werlbonn Likes this wine: 94 Points
Absolutely brilliant.
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11/3/2020 - Purple Tooth wrote: 92 Points
Somewhat Bordeaux in feel, but with more of a resinous nose. I might have guessed South African Pinotage...Then with time in bottle and glass, more Bordeaux with more earth showing through. I have drank this wine several times now, and have a few bottle to go. I will not crave this for a long time so lets see what another few years does to this...If you own this its best with a 60 minute exhale.
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10/30/2020 - bobbylion Likes this wine: 93 Points
SLO ox 12 hrs. Drunk 1/3 of the bottle, then put the cork back in and drinking it now on day 3.
Orange peel and furniture wax dominate. Very much alive even after all the air. Mind boggling complexity. Just a Dream wine. Nothing like it.
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10/24/2020 - NickEnro Likes this wine: 95 Points
Exceptional. Complex nose of pine resin, dark fruit, paint, leaf compost/forest floor. Velvety mouthfeel with most of the tannin structure gone, yet holding together very nicely. Balanced and mature. VERY good length.
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10/24/2020 - MathiasHG wrote: flawed
Corked.
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10/11/2020 - finewinebuff57 wrote: 91 Points
All the usual eclectic Musar qualities, both ready but still youthful.
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10/8/2020 - daegde Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decant yielded significant amount of sediment. The brick color of a fully aged Bordeaux. Eucalyptus, tobacco and dyred dark on the nose. Tannins fully integrated. Hint of port or Madeira on the palette. More dark dried fruit and cedar. This has almost perfect written all over it The cork broke in half and at 21, my horse has more life in him.
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10/7/2020 - asparagus Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for an hour and drank over 2.5 hours. Funk and barnyard on the nose for the first 15 minutes. This significantly reduced after 15 min, leaving a lovely bouquet of black fruits and cassis. So distinct and so memorable. When a Musar is on song - it is a Madonna.
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10/1/2020 - PeaVey Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wonderful bottles from an stand-out vintage. Been years since returning to this case — not since Serge Hochar tragically passed. Musar has a tendency to open and close as it matures and the bottles sampled are right in the sweet spot at present. Lovely subtle tannins which provide just the right amount of structure for a 21 year old wine. All sorts of beautifully integrated flavours including smoky cigar box, leather and concentrated berries for a start. Superb long finish. What a rare treat.
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9/27/2020 - Thefatbastard Likes this wine:
Sublime. Très belle bouteille. Un vin qui a évolué sur toute la soirée. Passant de la rose, à des notes animales, sanguines. Encore du fruits, de la fraise. Un vin en grande forme d'une complexité étonnante et très long.
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9/19/2020 - bobbylion Likes this wine: 93 Points
Like sitting in a room where people smoked expensive cigars for decades, and eating fresh Sacher Torte with some bitter orange/ ginger Marmelade.
So glad I have plenty of these - it is an acquired taste and I did acquire it with a vengeance. I am buying any vintages of this I can find for reasonable price and drinking them at least 15 years after the vintage. SLO ox. Cork is through, but the wine is fine. As usual:)
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9/12/2020 - rossi.wine wrote: 92 Points
Expressive and open on the nose - notes of exotic spices, cedar, sweet dark fruit, leather, tobacco. Really lovely. On the palate a little less complex. Quite soft and mellow but not flabby, very good acidity, generous fruit, spicy, smoky. Not overly intense but persistent and delicious. Drink or keep. 91-93
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9/7/2020 - grapenomad wrote: 89 Points
A bit of a riper vintage of Musar, tasted very Shiraz-like. Fully developed on the noes, won't move forward from here. Medium-bodied, quite smooth and balanced with a acidity that's still kicking, but at its peak. Long finish marked with tons of spice and dried fruit.
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8/6/2020 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 94 Points
BYO with friends (Wee Family Coffeeshop): Medium garnet core, with significant browning and fading edges. A very complex dark floral nose, with hints of tar and black cherry. Ripe cherry fruit flavours, with crushed dried flowers, and even a rich leathery, cigar smoky feel towards the back. Very long cigarbox finish. Great!
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7/11/2020 - Hanibal Likes this wine: 92 Points
Mature blend. Had some brett at first but after 30min decanting it blew off. Cassis, wood, leather smells...very good QPR
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7/7/2020 - blanquito wrote:
Another wonderful bottle of this, probably the best one yet. This really seems at peak as is with lots of primary fruit combined with nuances and complexities of age, but I am sure it will stay at this level for a long time to come... This was filled with fruit and character, full bodied almost but never heavy, always interesting. Either my tolerance of VA has gone up, or I've had a string of Musars of late that have had low VA, as I didn't get any torpedo juice on this bottle at all. Showed really well with food, and has the profile to fit with a number of cuisines. Just delicious.
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7/2/2020 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Decanted for sediment at 12.00 (a fair amount of very fine sediment, actually). The wine aerated in decanter for 30 minutes before it was returned to bottle where it remained, without a cork, for the next 5 hours. I think this really helped as everyone at the table, myself included, found the wine to be in an ideal place/serving condition (including 63F temp). Packed with nuance, intrigue, and flavors, this gracefully danced on the palate, and stayed fresh, and bright for the 2-3 hours it was open during dinner. More than one glass was raised in honor of Serge's greatness. I'll drink my remaining bottles over the next 2-5 years as I really like this combination of freshness, and maturity. highly recommended
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7/1/2020 - Collector1855 wrote: 94 Points
Tasted a few Musar side by side against some Pauillacs. WE loved the Musars for their aromatic complexity, many of them did not have too much funk (aka Brett) as I observed in bottles before but a nice nose of musk, underbrush, sweet spices and more red than dark berries. There is a good portion of Carrignan and Cinsault next to CabSav in these wines. This makes the wine a bit lighter than a Bordeaux and also higher pitched in the aromatics. So after having tasted the 1989 (93, the lightest of all of them), 1999/2004 (94, aromatic, good mid mouth presence), 2001 (NR, light cork) we concluded that these wines are better to be compared against a South of France Blend than a Bordeaux blend.
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6/21/2020 - MAOC wrote:
This showed a bit better than last bottle 5 years ago. Faded plum, with other red fruit elements, old leather, spice, hints of brett and smoke. Improved as bottle went on so plenty of time in hand ***1/2+
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6/19/2020 - Puteljen! Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another good bottle of this. Ripe, soft and silky. Less of the dirty funk and clearly into tertiary territory, more evolved than the norm here, but then the bottle variation is part of the fun with Musar.
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5/25/2020 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 93 Points
Somehow when Musar hits the 20 year mark, it get more interesting and seems to put on a little weight. Definitely the case with this 1999. It is drinking beautifully and will do so for a good while. The stewed plum, and blueberry and very fine tannins also make this easy to drink. Medium in the mouth and medium finish. Unique, so you keep going back to taste.
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5/22/2020 - DrZett wrote: 93 Points
Stable and some brett in the nose. On the palate completely different. Mushrooms, wet moss and leather paired with ripe cherries - not much brett here. Very interesting with these tertiary notes. There’s still a little acidity in the background which pushes the berry notes in the end. Medium and precise bodied and a medium long finish. I really enjoyed this one. Great PQR - as usual with Musar.
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5/2/2020 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opens and improves over 2 hours. Gun powder and bright berries on the nose. It has medium body with sweet red fruits, great complexity and some good balance. Tannin and acid are well integrated. Drinking well and likely to last another 5-10 years.
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5/2/2020 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:
Definitely one of the more funky Musars I’ve had. Strong VA on the nose, and not short of the old stables. Not one for the Musar newbie. Lots else here though: fabulous fruit, strawberries and baking spices. Palate is very fruity, full and rich. Still a little tannin. Finish is spicy, cinnamon and all spice.
Drunk with roast shoulder of lamb and tasted great. Very very Musar. In a good way.
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5/1/2020 - jonathanknowles Likes this wine: 93 Points
Slightly pale at the rim, garnet colour. Very expressive smell, sweet red fruit, clove, a touch of tar perhaps. Unusual in the mouth, rich and concentrated, but weightless. Cranberry and sour cherry. Very long fresh finish. This is lovely. Mature but the tannins are still present. Many years ahead of it in my opinion.
** I preferred this to my memory of the last bottle, the only difference is a much shorter decant **
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4/29/2020 - winesteward Likes this wine: 92 Points
Looks far younger than 21 years old. Lots of sediment. Barnyard, earthy, smells like a stable. Red fruit on the nose - cherry, raspberry. Palate, ripe red fruit again - cherry and raspberry, a little wood but by no means oaky. The barnyard/earthy notes still there, and quite strong. Love it! Earthy cocoa powder. Soft tannins. Probably peak now. Some iron on the back end. Medium length. A fair amount of acidity on the finish - like sour candy - but not really distracting. Excellent. I'm a little surprised at how fast I drank it, must have really enjoyed!
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4/19/2020 - humagne wrote: 90 Points
Some off note in the beginning, but fades away with aereation. Nice mature musar, pretty good to drink noe, but will hold.
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4/19/2020 - phil the agony wrote: 93 Points
Aucune note prise
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4/12/2020 - Kirk Grant wrote:
This has finally started entering into the stage of life where I fine these wines show the best. The tannic frame is still present, but has mellowed out and the palate seems a bit rounder, but the acidity seems to pull it all back in together. I have no clue when I'll want to open my last bottle. However, as good as this was...it could be sooner rather than later. I think with good provenance & storage there's probably no reason that this wine couldn't go another 20+ years. However, it's in such a lovely spot now, I'm going to have a hard time not drinking and enjoying what I have remaining in the cellar.
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4/11/2020 - SimonG wrote:
Half. A pale shadow of a glorious bottle last month. Lifted VA nose. Served a little warm and felt a touch hot with the volatility. Sweet fruit, a touch of garrigue, but the VA dominates. Will revisit in a few days before scoring. **1/2
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4/7/2020 - auldalliance Does not like this wine:
This bottle was over the hill. Cork didn't feel quite right coming out the bottle, and the wine was tired, a bit oxidated and didn't come to life the way that previous bottles of this have done. Not actively unpleasant, just past it, and quite different from other bottles. Hoping it was the exception as still three more of these.
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3/30/2020 - PeterFrancis Likes this wine: 93 Points
This bottle was the first of six - as far as I can see it was in excellent condition. Nose slightly reticent but like a classic Bordeaux with extra warmth/ripeness. Good attack and concentration then persistent finish. Well developed aromatically with slight minty/tobacco notes. Definitely mature but still with time to run. All components in proportion though very ripe (unsurprisingly).
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3/19/2020 - Sotto325 wrote: 91 Points
A wine of nice extract and good balance that combines its Bordeaux composition--a mixture of St Estephe smoke and St Julien structure-- with a racy, slighlty gamey and wonderful earthy reminder of special soil and Mediterranean sun. The medium red to dark red crimson hue yields a waft of smoky clay-like scents along with cabernet cherry notes. The wine needs an hour in the decanter still-less evolved than a couple of later vintages in fact-- but it unfolds in a classy manner with plenty of that Musar tone. Not the best Musar i have had, for it still needs more complexity and roundness but it might do well with more time.
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3/7/2020 - emslounge wrote: flawed
Weinabend #2/2020 (Frieda's Castle): corked. Bottle was faulty - alcocholic and bitterness.
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3/4/2020 - rayq wrote: 93 Points
Relatively clean Musar. Sweet fruit note, not as sickly as some of the more funky bottles can taste. Nicely aged profile, tertiary notes.
Interesting. Consistent with other 99's I've tasted.
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3/3/2020 - nihraguk Likes this wine: 92 Points
A better version than the last bottle, even though the cork was soaked and wine was seeping from the top. Iron and leather on the nose with a hint of animal and earth in the background. Good acidity and enough structure on the palate, tannins more or less resolved, drinking well. Great QPR. This was decanted and drunk more or less immediately; the previous bottle wasn't. I'll be decanting the rest of my bottles.
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3/2/2020 - SimonG wrote: 93 Points
Hawksmoor steak (Hawksmoor, Air Street): Mid ruby to full garnet. Very Musar on the nose with that slightly lifted, not quite VA, sweetness of fruit cut through with a hint of garrigue and something smoky. Very smooth on the palate. Sweet-fruited but fresh and long, nothing cloying. Quite restrained by Musar standards, a lovely clean bottle. Really lovely. ****
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2/29/2020 - rossi.wine wrote:
Crumbly cork. Quite evolved in terms of colour. Very expressive on the nose - exotic spices, cedar, red and dark fruit, old leather, mint. Great acidity on the palate, good fruit. Mellow and smooth, lovely sweet fruit. Spicy finish, good length. No rush drinking up. 91-93
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2/28/2020 - nihraguk wrote:
Complex nose of earth and leather, tannins pretty much fully resolved and fruit already in the background. Acidity also becoming difficult to detect. At times interesting, at other times feeling like it was a little past its prime and starting to fall apart.
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2/27/2020 - JHSP Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ripe aged sweetness - fruit a bit downhill but still a very enjoyable wine / medium body and finish - love it
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2/23/2020 - khmark7 wrote: 89 Points
After a long day of pruning grape vines i wanted something distinctive. Tannins have completely resolved and this comes across mellow, almost unctuous. I think i prefer this at 15 years. Still a pleasure.....very elegant. Recommend drinking with lighter meals.
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2/22/2020 - drfischer wrote: 89 Points
now a little bit too old
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2/11/2020 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 92 Points
A private tasting (Amsterdam, NL): Tasted blind. A civilised rendition of the Musar theme, forest floor, deep spices, Pinot Noir like, crushed red berries, also a hint of truffle like a good Pomerol, gently resolved tannins, very good length.
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2/11/2020 - Cote d'Or wrote: flawed
Tasted over 2 hrs
-med dark red minimal bricking
-expressive dried red fruit spice red apple peel maturity and faintly perceptible TCA
-med acidity, med+ weight is authoritative but not heavy or cloying, faded but rich ripe dark fruit dollop of licorice gum ball, med/med- tannins and excellent length
-this is really quite good even though very slightly corked, on its prime drinking plateau now and this bottle suggests another 5-10 good years
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2/7/2020 - Papies wrote: 90 Points
The cork troubled us a bit , brittle and stuck to the neck. Decanted for a good 30 minutes.
Evolved and soft, feels like an decent vintage Bordeaux with 15yrs of age, earthy, spice, leather. A very nice wine albeit Musar bottle variation always worries us. Very happy with this. A touch sharp on the finish . 90-91
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2/1/2020 - jgreco Likes this wine: 95 Points
From a 375. The 1999 Ch Musar features a reddish brown color that fades to clear rim. The nose is significantly advanced with menthol, mint, herbs, forest floor, and little dark berry still left. However, on the palate, the bramble fruit is remarkably fresh and alive. The significant tannins from its youth are still there, but much smoother and more polished. This is one of my favorite Musar yet.
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1/31/2020 - peternelson Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another fantastic 1999 tonight (the other being Soldera); Always a joy to drink aged Musar (even if 1999 might be considered a bit young). It's an animal, ever evolving in the glass, funky, spicy, then sophisticated and complex, not a monster but balanced and changing it's clothes like an actor in a musical. Same performer but different character. Heritage Wine Blind Tasting Finals after-party at Jean-George Las Vegas. 92-93
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1/16/2020 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
Late Night Drinks at Kelvin's (Kelvin and Joyce's Place, Bishan): 9 years since the last bottle, this was showing even better. It had a lovely nose, tumbling out of the glass with layers of mint and menthol and peppery spice drifting over a bed of savoury meat, funk and a core of deep dark fruit. The palate was delicious too, with sweet tannins and juicy acidity chasing a mouthful of dark berries and cassis fruit, all this seasoned with a burst of spice, brambly herb, and savoury meat. Finish was mid-lengthened rather than truly long, but there was a nice little linger of mint and menthol to round things off. Really enjoyable and, as always, full of character. Drinking nicely now.
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1/11/2020 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 95 Points
Opened up over a few hours. Lighter in color and at the edges....Beautiful fresh nose of red fruits, a complex palate and a long finish. Should last...
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1/11/2020 - Mimesis wrote: flawed
Chateau Musar 1999-2004 vertical blind tasting: The big disappointment of the night. I got to sample the 1999 eight years ago, and then it was a robust red, even if it wasn’t my favorite. Now it’s noticeably over the hill, even if it’s not dead yet. The color is a little lighter and more orange than the others, but still quite dark, and not transparent at the rim. Meanwhile, the nose is more mineral, with wet stone and cassis. Brett is dominant at first, but eventually yields to fading, faintly overripe fruit. Was this bottle flawed? It’s hard to tell. The cork was fine. One taster still rated the 1999 first among the six vintages, while another gave it second place, but most (like me) gave it 5th place. Drink up.
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1/11/2020 - Cikgoo Likes this wine: 95 Points
Best Musar to date
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1/6/2020 - apple1813 Likes this wine: 93 Points
1999 Château Musar was complex, stylish and mature. The Lebanon wine was clear medium ruby in colour with noticable amber rim and fine sediments. The nose was complex and evolving. Freshly out of the bottle, it displayed ripe red cherries, liqourice, thyme and rosemary herbs and subtle leather and earthy funk. With an hour in glass, the funk dissipated, and more red fruits aromas like raspberries, cranberries and sour red cherries developed. The palate was lively and balanced. It was medium-bodied, well-complemented with medium level of acidity and medium level of supple melting tannin. The attack was ripe red fruit dominant and liqourice-tinged, and the flavours evolved into complex herbs and fine ceder wood in a long finish.
According to the winery official website, the blend composed of roughly equal proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carignan. The wine was fermented in cement cats with four-week long maceration, followed by one-year aging in French oak.
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12/30/2019 - cannym Likes this wine: 92 Points
Light garnet. This has lightened in colour since last one. Still a lovely wine. Very smooth tannins. A huge array of tastes, from dried cranberries through Xmas cake to smoky bacon and spices. Long too. A very good Musar, still living long.
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12/29/2019 - dankgummy wrote: 90 Points
Oddly tasted like an aged CDP to me.
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12/29/2019 - ieatprawnsss Likes this wine: 91 Points
Generally consistent with previous note, but this bottle did not show as well. Perhaps was not given the time it needed to open up. Still highly recommended
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12/27/2019 - SteveHyde Likes this wine: 95 Points
Best bottle of Musar I've had. Musar can be uneven. Had a bunch of clunkers. Not this one. Double decanted 2 hours before service. Beautiful clarity of crushed red fruit, spice, and distinct Lebanese notes of zaatar and olive wood smoke. Terrific. Love this vintage. One to look out for.
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12/26/2019 - Laurentcg Likes this wine: 92 Points
Toujours aussi bon, et s'améliore dans le décanteur/verre tout le long de la soirée.
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12/25/2019 - jonathanknowles Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pale red, some age visible. Wonderful red fruit smell, redcurrant, iron and wood spice. Medium bodied, lovely weight in the mouth, not particularly tannic but plenty of acid, lively. Long refreshing finish. Excellent. Ready but will last a few years yet.
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12/23/2019 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pale pinkish ruby, with slight fading edges. Upfront developed aromas of coffee grounds, green leaf, moss, twigs, barnyard, cloves, and a slight hint of still fresh red cherry. Good strength in the oak flavours of mocha, cloves, cherry, plum, truffles, and becomes somewhat tea-like, and a blackish tar towards the back. Tannins well rounded, and some fresh acids. A long, warm finish. Great wine!
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12/22/2019 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 92 Points
Prism w/ Sashi (Prism, Berlin): @prism Berlin.
Showed hints of blackberry and black currant and tertiary depth, but still in a reticent phase. Still...phenomenal.
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12/21/2019 - MattMauldin Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decades of Decadence - "The 9's" (Buellton, CA): Paprika spices, lavender, cherries, exotic spices and tea leaf aromas. Leathery fruit and spices on the palate, with seamless floral depth. Full rich mid-palate, elegant and finely structured. Great depth and length. Drinking beautifully
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12/20/2019 - NoTrollingerPlease Likes this wine: 92 Points
X-Mas Tasting (Freiheit Vinothek, Ulm, Germany): Glass: Gabriel Gold
Tasted blind. Decanted. Nose with some barn, VA, candied fruit, orange peel. Deep and complex. Grenache?
On the palate a bit hot, dense, very good balance, fine spices, red, warm fruit, good acidity. Certainly, from a warm location, but not broad or simple. Beautiful length. 92-93
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12/20/2019 - SoCal Likes this wine: 90 Points
Definitely a very enjoyable glass of wine. Complex and light on the pallet with just a hint of astringency. Still holding together well after 20+ years. Such an amazing winery and spectacular story. A great holiday treat!
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12/19/2019 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decades of Decadence -- the '9' Edition (Our Favorite Spot in Buellton, CA): An elegant wine showing impressive nuance and complexity, with polished red fruit, some crushed vitamins, lanolin, pastille and spice. If served blind, I might have called Sardegna. In hindsight, this might have been better placed in our Southern Rhone flight.
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12/9/2019 - R.H. Likes this wine:
Good bottle. Dark purplish in color with some bricking at the edges. Woodsmoke, earth, leather. Good acid. Dusty on the palate
Corkage at maydan
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12/8/2019 - Purple Tooth wrote: 91 Points
A prestine bottle with great provenance. Scents of varnish, intermingled with earth, dried cherries, prune and exotic spices. The wine was mature, yet it felt like it was having a hard time maintaining its balances from giving up and falling apart. I think next time I will need a 90 minute decant. drink
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12/7/2019 - rwthomps7 wrote:
3
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11/30/2019 - ChateauDutremble Likes this wine: 95 Points
My last bottle. Still going strong...absolutely wonderful wine! See my previous notes from 4/7/2018. Perfectly balanced and so delicious!
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11/23/2019 - Saint-Exupéry Likes this wine: 93 Points
Some Musar funk on the nose that quickly blew off and gave way to notes of sweet red fruits, figs, smoke and mushrooms. Very elegant on the palate, with lively acidity and good structure. This Musar had the body and ripeness of a warmer vintage but still great freshness. It kept evolving over the course of the evening, changing from a Southern Rhone-profile to a more Bordeaux-like personality. Long on the finish. Outstanding vintage for Musar that is drinking very well now and will keep for another decade.
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11/23/2019 - ieatprawnsss Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent - popped and poured, didn't think it needed a decant. Nose of stewed red fruit, mushrooms, dried herbs and leather / tobacco. Great elegant structure with acidity, fruit and tannin in balance. Not your typical BDX blend given the varietals, but altogether a unique wine that thoroughly deserves praise. And ... amazing QPR, especially for a bottle with this age.
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11/20/2019 - Lahontan Likes this wine: 95 Points
A powerful, original experience. Myriad flavours: sous-bois, black truffle, mushroom, but also pates de fruits (cassis, framboise), pipe tobacco (an English blend from GLP or Dunhill), the whole is supple, subtle and evolves in the glass very quickly. Strong flavours yet a delicate wine at this stage. No need to decant, just stand it up for a few hours before opening. Great with lamb and white beans.
QPR of the century. WOTY for this lad. (Getting the 2001 and 2006 to try as well). So much more nuanced and complex than most Cali wines I own, it makes me want to wail ;)
Chapeau bas to the brilliant folks who make this wine. This is what it is all about.
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11/13/2019 - MalcolmV Likes this wine: 95 Points
Chateau Musar Tasting: Garnet
Round balanced nose. A savoury character.
Herbal and savoury. Complex and long. Delicious!
QVX Total = 9/10
Q (Quality) =3/4 Great Vintage
V (Value) =3/3 Amazing value for money considering its age
X (Excitement) =3/3 Fascinating as Musar always is
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10/25/2019 - forceberry wrote: 94 Points
14,15% alcohol, 5,97 g/l acidity, 0,95 g/l VA, pH 3,79. Decanted for a few hours before tasting the wine.
Quite dark yet somewhat translucent black cherry color with a little bit of developed bricking. Dusty, dry yet quite ripe nose with aromas of ripe cranberries, some bretty barnyard tones and nuances of animal funk, a little bit of gamey meat, light lingonberry tones, a hint of wizened sour cherry and a touch of ripe red plummy fruit. The wine is full-bodied, silky and quite intense on the palate with complex and moderately developed flavors of exotic spices, ripe cherries and cranberries, some savory gamey tones, a little bit of beef jerky, light raspberry tones, a hint of raisiny fruit and a touch of tangy salinity. The taste feels less funky than the nose. Overall the wine is enjoyably structured with its moderately high acidity and firm, medium-plus tannins. The alcohol lends some warth to the palate. The finish is long, savory and gently grippy with layered flavors of meaty umami, some ripe cranberry tones, a little bit of wild strawberries, light wizened black cherry tones, a hint of earthy spice and a saline touch of soy sauce.
A lovely, wonderfully developed vintage of Musar that is starting exhibit some savory developed flavors, yet retains quite a bit of ripe vibrant fruit. The nose might show quite a bit of that classic Musar funk, but on the palate the wine feels cleaner and more polished in style. Overall it feels like the wine is slowly reaching its plateau of maturity, meaning that the room for further improvement might be rather marginal here, but most likely the wine will continue to keep wonderfully for another decade or so. A fine effort and a very lovely vintage of Musar. Terrific value at 30,59€.
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10/1/2019 - _water.into.wine_ Likes this wine: 91 Points
Garnet with tawny rims. Little sediment. Black fruits. Medium sweetness. Low tannin. Balanced. The nicest musar I have had so far as I don't usually like this producer.
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9/17/2019 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 89 Points
Ch. Musar Dinner with Marc Hochar (The Bunker, Crown Wine Cellars, Shouson Hill, Hong Kong): Pre-decanted for around 8 hours by Marc Hochar. Dark and semi-transparent ruby colour. Nose is surprisingly reticent and unyeilding compared to previous occasions. Palate is is very dark, deep, linear but very fruit-driven.....an extremely young bottle despite the very long decant. Quite "young Port" with extended time in the glass. I think this has maybe gone into a closed period because it underperformed against most of my previous experiences, where i have marked it out as a future star vintage of Musar.
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9/14/2019 - ZMAng Likes this wine: 92 Points
Crumbled cork, but not flawed. Brownish red. Light barnyard (integrates well for a Musar), smokey meat, opening into sweet black fruit. Sweet dark fruit on palate, moderate acidity, well-integrated tannins. Missing some of the more interesting tertiary notes from the half bottles (e.g. mushroom), but very nicely balanced and enjoyable. Medium length. 91-92.
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9/11/2019 - andrewstevenson.com wrote: 89 Points
A slighter nose again than the 2002 and 2002. Some red fruit.
Feels rather closed and dumb.
Oaky black fruit and olive on the palate. A bit slight overall.
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9/6/2019 - dsamuel Likes this wine: 91 Points
Garnet color with moderate bricking - unfiltered
Medium plus aromas of dark fruit/ cherry and dominant Brett / old cellar funk which did not appear to blow off with time in the glass
Palate absolutely beautiful - full red and black fruit / currants and roses with a little Asian spices and oak for good measure
Medium plus very well integrated tannins and amazing length
What a paradoxical experience - typical Musar
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9/6/2019 - starrynight Likes this wine: 90 Points
Cork had seeped through, so we were worried. Turned out to be unfounded. Dried cherry, eucalyptus and mostly importantly, basil!
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9/4/2019 - S.Wayne Likes this wine: 92 Points
Single blind tasting.
Burgundy brown color, unfiltered
Medium + aromatics of cherry, rose and earth. No oak. Over time Brett apparent but not overwhelming
Medium palate of mild tannins and medium acid. Primary palate is red currants, but texturally beautiful.
Medium long finish
The palate is the star of this wine. Truly a tasting experience as the nose a little off over time
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8/31/2019 - Peter-Luke Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cette fois-ci, je savais à quoi m'attendre. J'étais prêt à décanter pendant plusieurs heures. J'avais des craintes lorsque j'ai remarqué que le niveau de la bouteille était bas et que le bouchon avait des fuites. Or, au nez c'était beaucoup mieux à l'ouverture que le premier. Après quelques heures, un excellent vin sur les notes de cuir, de cigare et de dates séchées.
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8/5/2019 - bobpsi wrote:
Restaurant wine, decanted at table. Not much on the nose except old musty cellar. Better on the palete, but still lacking. Some dried red fruits and licorice notes but still mostly stale and musty. MEH.
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8/2/2019 - Puteljen! Likes this wine: 89 Points
Cork bled through. Initially murky nose of old cellar. With air it clears up and is quite enjoyable, but not as good as last bottle. Classic band-aid, old leather, muck and stable. Some silky strawberries as well, but toned down. Medium+ lenght.
Note that this was a sub-optimal bottle due to the leaking cork, but not corked (ie TCA) and still quite enjoyable, wich is why I decided to score it.
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7/31/2019 - JJKinch wrote: 93 Points
From .375 (popped & poured)
Dark fruit (cherry, blueberry, slight cassis), olive, garrigue, spice, good acidity. Smooth & complex. Really enjoyable. Lingering finish.
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7/23/2019 - Maphill01 Likes this wine:
Really unique. All leather and chocolate on the nose. And then a beautiful cherry shows up on the palate. Hint of mint and acidity to keep things fresh. Savory, with nicely integrated tannins. In a great place.
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7/15/2019 - SeattlePaul wrote: 92 Points
Delicious, smooth, lots of fruit and the characteristic Musar eucalyptus.
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7/10/2019 - ccn wrote: 90 Points
(750) long decant. Compared to the 375 which wasn't decanted, this was much more mature, bigger, less balanced and restrained, with an almost chateauneuf du Pape ripeness and intensity. I preferred the more restrained stage. This is almost overripe.
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7/5/2019 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nothing to add to my recent notes on this excellent Musar.
Up to 30 years from vintage in my view.
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7/1/2019 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very similar to my previous note, but the wine was even creamier and a bit more mellow. Strangely the classic bretty wet-dog note was subdued and the fruit just a tad less pinging in the acid department. Really classy, slick, almost polished for a Musar. This currently in a plateau and feels a bit like pensioner in expensive pyjamas, not quite ready for bed for some time. It's not anywhere close to being over the top. The evening gets interesting and surprising from here.
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6/24/2019 - hiker_guy Likes this wine:
Color:
Clear with bricking rim. Looks like a Pinot in clarity and color.
Nose:
lovely floral notes, roses, cinnamon, leather, soft spice
palate:
Smooth as silk, layered, long. really very nice, This bottle is really very nice. Flavors indicate peak drinking for me. Lots of secondary notes. no hard edges, long silky finish.
Would buy again.
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6/19/2019 - ccn wrote: 92 Points
(from 375) Open for business and surprisingly mature from the first moment. Wow, there's a lot of structure a complexity here. I agree strongly with Richard Hemming who calls it a cross between a mature medoc and a souther rhone wine: there's structure, lovely acidity and balance, ripe tannins -- but also garrigue spice, olives, tree branches, olive leaves. And of course, that constant resiny sweetness that always gives Musar away in blind tastings. Of the 8-10 Musar vintages I've tasted, this is hands down the best.
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6/18/2019 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 94 Points
Less evolved than my last bottle of this, last year, which was a 375ml - this one has denser, darker fruit still holding on to some of its youthful sweetness and flesh along with a bit of tannic grit. There is some Musar barnyard funk on the nose but it's presented deftly in the usual Musar way that makes you scratch your head wondering how it's possible to be subtly, delicately, poopy - but there you have it.
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5/25/2019 - bubnos Likes this wine: 95 Points
I'm slowly drinking my way through a Musar vertical, and of the ones I've drunk thus far (97/98/99/01/03/05/07/09), this is the standout and also by far the most "approachable" Musar for the uninitiated.
On the nose, lower but still distinct VA levels and a far milder initial brett character. Powerful blue and red fruits and the usual spices and leather, but nowhere near as overpoweringly tertiary as some of the other older vintages. Great tannin, just enough to keep things in check but barely noticeable otherwise. One of the most elegant and balanced wines I've tried at a great QPR, this is close to peak and can be freely enjoyed.
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5/24/2019 - seijaro Likes this wine: 95 Points
What a beauty! Smooth and full of fruit, tasted like a blend of Cab and Merlot. I got plums and chocolate with a long finish. Some browning that did not affect the taste.
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5/11/2019 - Fitzl Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great mature musar, would Drink it within the next two years.
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5/8/2019 - CleverCorkage Likes this wine:
Medium garnet in color. This Musar was extremely aromatic and pronounced. Smoky notes with darker red fruit. This wine had the body and ripeness of a warmer vintage but still great freshness. Outstanding wine that I would drink now but probably has the stuffing to go the distance.
I preferred this over the 1998.
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5/5/2019 - Paul852 wrote: flawed
Corked. It's Musar. Shit happens.
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4/30/2019 - Puteljen! Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dirty, almost pungent nose, but detailed, intresting and despite the hints of sewer and rot very good. On the palate also quite intense. Mature, with leather, dried plum, adhesive and warm herbs. Long. Good stuff, now mature but holding up well.
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4/28/2019 - Abigailkb Likes this wine: 89 Points
Elegant, but fading - fascinating to see what was once a powerful wine now in its twilight. It was like holding vigil with an old grandfather, whispering stories about old battles and loves. 2-3 hours of decanting did not fall apart, but certainly past peak.
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4/11/2019 - NickA Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fresh but also round, sweet but also savoury, jammy without being cloying. This bottle showed better than a recent 1998, without the port-like notes and having more complexity.
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3/30/2019 - auldalliance wrote:
Finished a bottle previously Coravined.
First time I've had a concern about oxidation with Coravin. Wine wasn't a patch on the previous tastings from this bottle. Quite a bit of fine deposit in suspension too, probably to be expected for the last glass of a wine this age. However, that doesn't explain the oxidation.....
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3/30/2019 - OenoDrZH Likes this wine:
Pale ruby with signs of age. Classic Musar nose with red fruits, cherries, leather, meatiness and oak. Medium bodied, smooth tannins with substantial acidity on the finish.
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3/30/2019 - M.Y. Chong Likes this wine:
Very Musar! Barnyard at first but subdued after a good decant. Leather, animal, meat, red fruits on the nose. Very balanced and relatively long on the finish.
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3/26/2019 - fc1910 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Winenerds at large (Restaurant 100/200 Hamburg Port Area): This one is for me and my choice, strong fragrance, perfumed, sweet delicious black fruit, chewy but not in a new world overloaded style, always on the very elegant side of finishing, mineralic and spicy, the pure harmony, long+ finish, for me on top now, but no need to drink this one up, ****(+), 91- 93(+?)
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3/15/2019 - Bobhelge wrote: 91 Points
Uplifting and balanced with a bouquet of ripe cherry and prune. The volatile mark is not of nuisance but rather elegant with flowery touch. I would say this is classic Musar that has some hay and barnyard elements. Tannins are well tuned after 20 years.
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3/11/2019 - MQuentel@web.de wrote: 93 Points
The combination of subtle, slightly sweet fruit with the spices of an Arabian bazaar and round, fine-grained tannins and a harmonious acid make over and over again these delicious, juicy and quite unique wines of Musar. Still years to go.
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3/3/2019 - Laiandy Likes this wine:
After opened, it was quite like plum juice and relatively quite acidic. After breathing 6 hours, the spice character came out. Overall a pleasant drink
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2/18/2019 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 91 Points
MNB: Old Wines II (Jesper's): Lower-mid-neck fill, cork 2-10mm soaked through.
Decanted in the morning, 8hrs before. Out of the bottle, it seems mid-weight, with some dried and stewed red and black fruit, and of course pronounced balsamic, light spiced brett, moderate oxidation and light VA/perfumed volatile notes. There’s also a hint of a burnt-wood note like the ‘72 - possible slight reduction.
On the palate, it tastes great, but missing a core of fruit - the acid is aggressively high (and is reinforced by a prickly balsamic note on the palate), the tannins are soft medium - melted. Alcohol seems medium plus - around 13.5%. Overall it tastes great but I know it can sing more - the core of fruit and expressiveness are missing. Decision: double-decant and leave open in the refrigerator.
---
At dinner:
Feels a bit warm - 14%. Brett and savory. Has some dark fruit but still reticent. Acid has integrated somewhat. Super funky and long. Slight toast - like peat.
It's nice, but a bit disjointed and quite bretty. The fruit isn't really singing.
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2/16/2019 - tak4 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Popped and decanted and tasted immediately.
Ruby with brick notes. Wine is a little turbid.
Nose of mint leaves, funk, cherry, plus tertiarty notes of leather.
On palate, wine is sound. Tertiary flavors really come through, especially the leather. Very rounded mouthfeel. Low-medium acid, softened aged tannins, medium alcohol, long finish. Definitely funkier than an aged Bordeaux but not unpleasantly so. Over time some raw cigar tobacco came out.
I respect this wine but I don’t love it. The funkiness is, based on my reading on Musar, a typical stylistic feature of the wine but it’s not my preferred approach. I won’t be buying cases and cases of this but I will give full props to those who do.
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2/5/2019 - Derek Darth Taster Likes this wine: 93 Points
CNY at UE Straits. Pop and poured.
Appearance fine sediments, pale intensity, garnet colour. Legs.
Nose is not clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of funky barnyard earth, leather, spices, sweet tea leaves, dark red cherries, plums. Developed.
On the palate, dry, bright high acidity, medium+ alcohol (14%), integrated smooth medium+ tannins, medium+ body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of spice, leather, earth, dark red cherries, red plums, sweet tea leaves, melted rose petals, red licorice. Long finish.
Very good quality. Layers of complexity and elegance, and don't mind the funkiness. Every bottle of Musar brings a new expression and variable amount of wine faults.
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2/4/2019 - NiklasW Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted. Busy dinner, but need to say, fantastic elegant bouquet, simply stunning wine. In its stride where it will be for a while. Hedonistic.
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2/3/2019 - Praxis wrote: 94 Points
Brick red in color and a clear watery rim with some fine sedimentation suspended in the wine and some settling on the bottom of the glass. The nose is absolutely sensuous with an over arching degree of wet fur funk nicely interwoven with an ample degree of red fruits, flowery herbs, worn leather, tobacco and a hint of oxidation. The palate is medium-bodied, extremely smooth, round and balanced with lots of delicious red fruits at its core but endowed with an amazing array of secondary and tertiary flavors one comes to expect from an aged iconic wine such as this. Characteristics of both fresh and aged juicy red fruits can be said to serve as this wine's foundation and overall external frame. While impressions of spicy red stargazer flowers, subtle grassy herbs, diluted vanilla cream, boiled meat, hints of fresh animal fur, fresh tobacco leaves, and a fleeting flash of minerality especially towards the backend serves as its beautiful finishings and nuanced styling in its interior. This is truly a special and memorable wine and an experience that did not disappoint.
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2/2/2019 - auldalliance Likes this wine:
2 glasses with Coravin.
Unmistakeably Musar, and one of the best I've had. Spicy fruit, tannins present but gentle and lovely sweeter finish. Great.
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1/31/2019 - chatters wrote:
Annual Coravin blitz - day one (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Leather, warm earth, gamey, blood, red fruit a little herbaceousness, baked spices, a little oxidised as well with a porty underpin. The palate is fruit sweet, long, slightly oxidative, warm, tannins are soft. Nice.
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1/28/2019 - PSPatrick wrote: 91 Points
"A taste of Libanon"-Tasting, Flight 5, Wine 2 (non-blind): The wine offered red and dark fruit and complex spice aromas on the nose, complemented by gingerbread, chocolate and black tea as well as gamy notes and some brett. On the palate, the wine showed complex spice fla-vours, some brett and gamy notes, with a touch of residual CO2, good acidity, medium-fine tannin and good length. For Chateau Musar, this 1999 was unusually aggressive on the palate, and it lacked the typical smoothness and fine tannin I associate with most 20-year-old Chateau Musars (and I bet the wine suffered from the tasting setting and had developed beautifully with extended aeration). Consequently, it seemed less complete than e.g., the 2002 and the 2000 today. But I will not be fooled, all components are there, and the wine had most definitely shown better in a more appropriate setting.
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1/5/2019 - melvinyeowq Likes this wine:
Very different from the 2007 Musar that I had before. This is what I had envisaged Musar to be. Absolutely brutal to begin with - heavy tobacco, herbs and funk. Over time it turned into something soft, mellow with vanilla notes. Almost like Dr Jekyll turning into Mr Hyde.
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12/30/2018 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 93 Points
Absolutely gorgeous and full of Musar typicity. Classic 'wet dog' halo around the whole thing, the fruit is nicely mature, dried almost, with incredibly subtle layers of tertiary complexity. What's brilliant is how they all meld into something uniquely singular - soft and creamy, but full of something vivacious and unstoppable. The structure is here to keep things going for sometime, but I'm not sure significant improvement is in store.
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12/25/2018 - Thefatbastard Likes this wine:
Incroyable à tous points... Complexité, finesse, équilibre. Très grand vin. Du fruits, des épices, notes tertiaires. Wow!
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12/25/2018 - Balthasar Likes this wine: 93 Points
Developed and complex bouquet with animal fur, nutmegs, caramel, flowers and red berries. The wine combines opposites; it is sweet and tart, generous and slender, silky and fresh, rustic and elegant, old and young. Quite unique.
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12/15/2018 - djchango77 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose is opulent to say the least; prune, plum, tamarind, molasses, soy, tobacco, dried coffee, tar. Definitely some Brett and wet, mulched, earth. On the palate; great acidity and fruit, beef jerky, dried strawberry, cherry, anise. The finish has a little bit of tapanade and lasts for over 2 minutes.
Well worth the wait. This could go for another decade easy.
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11/30/2018 - aknot13 wrote: 96 Points
Out of this world!
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11/18/2018 - Peter-Luke wrote: 93 Points
Un seul mot pour ce vin: Carafe. J'ai goûté le vin à l'ouverture et j'étais extrêmement perplexe. J'avais l'impression d'être en présence d'une bouteille de varsol. Je l'ai oublié en carafe quelques heures pour le laisser réfléchir. Au retour, complètementbun nouveau vin. Un excellent vin. Bizarre cette experience, c'était la première fois qu'il y avait une telle différence avant et après le passage en carafe.
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11/18/2018 - AYKC wrote: 94 Points
My first Cabernet from the Lebanon area, such a beautiful expression, a very distinct flavor I could now pick out anywhere. A new form of Barnyard at first and that lends to cherry sweetness, not tart. Sedated tannins- a place of pure enjoyment. Fennel seeds, short finish but ever connected to the brain, ruby red, a pure delight.
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11/17/2018 - Alexroy wrote: 92 Points
Bold red fruit, sherbet, meat, long.
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11/9/2018 - Brentw1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Had a dozen of these this week in two batches and one bottle had a wet protruding cork and was weeping slightly. No problems with fill Level in any of the bottles and the rest are fine. I phoned the merchant (Robersons in the UK) and they were excellent, crediting my account immediately and saying that they did not want the bottle returning.
So....... nothing to lose folks! Out came the corkscrew with the sink in close proximity in case I got that wet cardboard, wet dog, mouldy potatoes experience. What a lovely surprise! Loads of fruit, tons going on and half the bottle left in the decanter to see what develops after 24 hours.
There is no doubt that the bottle would not have kept with the cork in that condition but on the other hand, I was not expecting to enjoy a 19 year old Musar this evening. Let’s see what the other 11 bottles do over the next few years.
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11/5/2018 - anstruletz Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is really singing with secondary aromas and flavors. Rose petals and black fruits emerge after only moments and tannins have rounded out to reveal sweet dried cherries and herbs. I wish I had more bottles.
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11/1/2018 - BillBell73 Likes this wine:
Unusually ready right out of the gates- clean, light cherry fruit, tea leaves, and just a little bit of funkiness. A very different bottle than the one I opened in April which had more savory funk...this was more feminine and delicate. Absolutely delicious.
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10/26/2018 - blanquito wrote: 93 Points
Really enjoyed part of this bottle last night. Popped and poured, this was ready right out of the gate. This bottle had a very Rhonish-profile, unlike some which can harken more to Rioja or Burgundy or even Barbaresco...
Clean for Musar, shows sweet cherries, rosemary mint, pine needles, with only a touch of smoky incense and lacquer really giving the full Musar here. Suave, sweet and smooth on the palate, light and deft body with Italian-styled acids, ends with a juicy and terrifically tangy finish that lingers impressively. Not a hair out of place really. Better depth and refinement than is the norm here-- impressive, if not as wild and exotic as other years. Early maturity, it will doubtless get more complex with time, but drinking fantastic today. 93+ pts.
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10/20/2018 - fred o. Likes this wine:
half bottle, purchased off restaurant list.
Light ruby color with translucence. Nose prominent nail polish. Palate light cedar, pine; Herbal, light cinnamon. Earthy, yet great acidity. Really interesting, not for everyone but I really enjoyed it, and think it still has quite a bit of life left yet. 93 pts
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10/11/2018 - ti_ric Likes this wine: 91 Points
Très bon Musar. Le meilleur millésime que j'ai bu jusqu'à maintenant. J'ai laissé respirer la bouteille plusieurs heures avant de la boire. Un vin encore vivant et une finale agréable. Couleur un peu orangée avec des notes de truffes et encore un peu de fruits
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9/27/2018 - maxima wrote: 91 Points
Très beau après pas mal d'aération.
Beau bouquet sur les fleurs et les épices avec des fruits rouges.
En bouche, souple et bien équilibré, des cerises de la canneberge et une pointe
mentholée vers la fin.
Belle finale fraiche, pas mal à point je dirais.
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9/23/2018 - brooklynguy Likes this wine:
Lovely and complete nose when decanting. An hour later and over the following hours the wine moves back and forth between orient and fresh and clean. It’s lovely and complex overall. But there’s a volatile aspect.
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9/22/2018 - mtaczak wrote: 92 Points
yeah, this is pretty special. brettier than expected on open, it actually blew off a bit and a beautiful, delicate, ethereal drink emerged. remarkably poised and balanced, this is one to contemplate.
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9/21/2018 - maxima wrote: flawed
Bouchonnée ou déviante!
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9/14/2018 - adnorthup Likes this wine: 96 Points
Acid is tamed. Classic amazing Musar
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9/14/2018 - tkamp Likes this wine: 93 Points
Best Musar year to buy price/quality at the moment. Sorry, I cannot give more details, but I opened many bottles recently and they were all good.
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8/25/2018 - Blauweiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Classic Musar I guess, this needs some serious decanting, 2-3 hours IMO. Full bodied, elegant, with rich red fruits, fine acidity, integrated tannin, also loads of secondary notes lika leather, licorice, herbs. Long and very food-friendly.
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8/24/2018 - Thehawk wrote:
Drink by 2020
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8/19/2018 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 93 Points
Much as my recent notes, the ripeness and depth of this vintage is becoming more striking with every bottle.
Drinking beautifully, but should comfortably see out the next decade if you want to hold.
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8/18/2018 - Alexroy wrote: 92 Points
This has the look of a well aged wine. Complex nose, spicy, herbal, raspberry. Powerful, red fruit, some casis, herbs, spices. Long.
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8/6/2018 - jmoore431 wrote: 90 Points
Soft textured and balanced. But for my $$$, I'll spend that elsewhere.
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8/5/2018 - Psdycp wrote: 91 Points
The overall elegant nose is very similar to the 2000 vintage, but this has more depth of fruit and licorice. Very fine balanced palate, everything is in harmony, silky smooth mid-palate with savoury grilled meat and old leather, sour cherries and hints of sweetness towards the finish. Again here the acid formed the backbone to the rounded structure. Finish is smooth and deep. This is a better vintage than 2000.
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8/4/2018 - Decanting Queen wrote: 92 Points
Loved the funky nose which thankfully was nothing like durian fruit (referencing earlier CT comments). This was a delight to everyone at our table, wine geeks and the uninterested alike. Fantastic rich fruits with a hint of citrus. Drank after a 25 min decant but woukd have been interesting with more time. At Basil’s in ATL
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7/28/2018 - Rupert wrote: 93 Points
Stunning yet again - mouth-filling, velvet texture, fruit cake richness, multi-layered complexity.
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7/19/2018 - Rupert wrote: 93 Points
restrained, yet exotic, no funk, richly fruity, on top form
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7/12/2018 - bobbylion Likes this wine: 94 Points
This time the cork was completely soaked and wine was seeping through. The bottle lost some fill, so was a bit worried it has gone bad... Not at all! In fact I may have had a taste of this 5-7 years down the road because of the corkage problem. Wonderful wine giving me more than 3d-4th growth bordeauxs 3-4 times the price. I bought several cases of this over last the year and look forward to enjoying these over the next 10-20 years (God willing ...)
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7/11/2018 - Bearbus Likes this wine:
Fantastic, a fantastically integrated and elegant wine
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7/7/2018 - James Kim Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dinner with Brian and Monica. From memory. Decanted for 2h prior to bringing it to restaurant and started drinking about 1 h into dinner and everything came together at the 2 hr mark. Just fantastic. Bright red and blackberry fruit, baking spices, flowers, hints of leather, earth with mild tannins on the end. Elegant and silky. Complex but with a bit of wild, alive edge. WOTN for me.
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7/2/2018 - Paul852 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was my first bottle of the 1999, having being a little disappointed by some 1997 previously. But this is the real deal! Yes, it has the funky nose on opening and decanting, but the colour is good; after an hour the funkiness fades and the fruit starts to develop, but still with a bit of acidity/edge.
However, after 3.5 hours in the decanter this is perfect Musar - a beautiful balance of fruit, tannins, spice and a slighty funky edge. Curiously, in Hong Kong it is significantly cheaper (at the equivalent of US$35 in a recent deal) than the 1997, which seems to be over the hill to me - I wonder if the handover date drives that price or something?
[EDIT - subsequently I realised that the 1997 in question was slightly flawed; subsequent bottles have been better, as see my 1997 Tasting Note for details.]
Anyway, I shall be topping up on the 1999 for drinking this year.
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7/1/2018 - pryby Likes this wine: 93 Points
Second bottle of this. Nose is grand marnier, baking spice. Flavors of ripe strawberry, orange zest, cardamom. Long finish.
Beautiful!
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6/9/2018 - bsycheng80hk Likes this wine: 93 Points
No formal note,
needs 2hrs in the decanter to blow off the funk, notes of spice, wonderfully sweet and balanced, complex
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5/31/2018 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Drank next to the 1995 and 2004. The acidity here of the 1999 reminds me of the 1995, but different from the 1995 and like the 2004, this 1999 shows some indications to me of brett. In addition, inside of the wine I find something volatile, perhaps elevated alcohol--whatever it was, it stuck out for me as a negative. Between the more savory aspect of this, and the barnyard/leather aspects, I placed it last of the three wines.
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5/31/2018 - brigcampbell wrote:
Blake Brown in the OC - Version 2.0 (The Winery, Newport Beach, CA): I really enjoyed the '99, the right balance of age and fruit. Still clean and fresh with a light oak note. The fruit was cherry and Raspberry.
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5/18/2018 - heymamalow Likes this wine: 92 Points
My first Musar ever and it did live up to the hype especially when you consider the price tag, or lack thereof.
I am a big fan of durians and it was interesting to see parallel described below though i wouldnt use it as an analogy lest some might turn away. But fully agreed - the nose is definitely beguiling. Tropical fruit, sweet spice, cinnamon all came to mind.
Nicely balanced with resolved tannins. Berry fruits, spice and herbaceous notes all combine well and is strung together with nice precision.
My gut tells me one can get even more out of this wine with a bit more bottle age. Will be back for more.
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5/14/2018 - OneForTheStairs Likes this wine:
Anthony Burgess described eating durian fruit as like eating blancmange in the toilet. There is something of this in Musar - like an andouiette, the taste is far more rewarding than the nose. That said, there are mint, lavender and vanilla whiffs to be had beyond the plum and cowpat trombone note. But the enjoyment - and it is enjoyment - is in the lovely carnival of surprises on the palate. Vanilla, walnut, orange peel. There is tannin there but only as a magical silky frame for the soft flavours of raspberry and herb to fence with the more robust glints of chocolate orange, port, and hedgerow. This is what the Musar fuss is about.
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4/30/2018 - ricard Likes this wine: 93 Points
Classic bonkers nose of brett and leather and cloves and this enduring sweaty funk... Fabulous acidity and precision. A touch of smoke as well, and cinnamon and general insanity. Not as "out" or angular or as memorable as the 95 - more rounded and balanced. Very good Musar, still going strong, perhaps on the early stages of the decline.
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4/28/2018 - bacchus of knockholt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted blind at Bacchus. Dark ruby core with a brick edge which gave the wines age away. The nose is funky with earth, barnyard, spice, blackcurrant and menthol. To taste, all I could first write was Wow!
Fabulous flavours of blackberry, raspberry, spice, earth, savoury notes. liquorice, menthol, cough medicine with a lovely balance and long finish. I love Musar's wines.
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4/16/2018 - BillBell73 Likes this wine:
This was really funky and had some odd aromas early on- mate and tea and that unique Musar earthiness. It’s not dirty diaper-level brett but something else and it works with the wine. After a three hour slow ox the wine was more integrated and better for it. Dark cherries, crushed grape seeds, VA, moderate tannins, just the right amount of funk...a classic Musar in middle age.
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4/13/2018 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 95 Points
What used to be an awesome young Musar is now an awesome mature Musar. Scented with old style funk and saddle leather. Essentially fruitless, but still rich in body with a glossy, leathery sheen, tannins totally resolved. Exceptionally suave and polished. While it's a relaxing sit-back-in-your-easy-chair style of wine, it also has an energetic element to it, a twist of citrus, tangerine-like juicy flavors in a mix that's otherwise much deeper in tone and earthy rather than fruity.
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4/12/2018 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 93 Points
Musar tasting at Roberson Wine.
Much as my earlier notes but with more concentration and an almost caramel element to the fruit on the nose. Lots of trade mark gun-flint.
Very fine and much less advanced than the 2001. Should easily make 30yrs from vintage. Bought another case.
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4/8/2018 - Rupert wrote:
On form tonight, funky and mouthfilling, full without being porty, waves of exotic mellow fruit. Excellent.
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4/7/2018 - ChateauDutremble Likes this wine: 95 Points
Une fois de plus...quel délice ! Je suis un grand amateur du Château Musar...jamais déçu !
Nez de cassis, cerise, légumes cuits, olive noir...bien intégré...soyeux en bouche avec de beaux fruits rouges et d'épices : sel de céleri...longue finale ! N'attendez pas...délicieux !! 95+
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3/14/2018 - Rupert wrote:
At 67PM: served nicely cool - this is lighter and more elegant than my bottles, less funky and wild too, rather refined in fact, for all its warmth.
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3/14/2018 - VinCapitan wrote: 92 Points
got some raspberry over leathery earth. Spicy herbs (brown spice - anise, cumin) a lift of cherry acetone and musk + cola, red but softened with the age and some coffee caramel oak. Tea tannin. Like this.
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2/28/2018 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 91 Points
Wednesday night at ES BK. Drank from bottle over 1 hour+.
Appearance is clear, pale intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose medium intensity, with aromas of caramel, nail polish VA, red fruits, earth. Developing.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (14%), high tannins, medium+ body. Medium flavour intensity, with flavours of red plums, wild red berries, sour red cherries, red licorice, caramel, herbal tea leaves. Long finish.
Good quality. Somehow not as showy or enjoyable as previous bottles of Musar I have had before. Maybe not enough airtime? Will try this again tonight.
Day 2: Incense, earth, leather. Much more savoury. Meaty palate and additional sweet spices. Lively red plums. Yes it is lovely now. The wonders of oxygen.
Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, and Carignan.
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2/24/2018 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 92 Points
Eldest daughter's birthday dinner.
3 bottles all with the same profile decanted for 2hrs. As per my recent notes, still packed with wild berry fruit, earth, gunflint minerality etc. Merest hint of truffle the only indication of age. Excellent.
Should hold up for at least 30 years from vintage.
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2/24/2018 - Hanibal Likes this wine: 91 Points
was worried that it would be corked or oxidized but as soon as I opened it all that musar magic was there. Nose on flowers and fruits with some Brett that went away after a decant. Allot of sediments in the bottom. on the palate the tannins are practically gone leaving still much fruit and secondary and tertiary flavors such as copper earth and flint. all in all another winner. still have another 1999 but won't wait l9ng to open.
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2/10/2018 - Alexroy wrote: 92 Points
Earthy, herbal nose. Smooth, amazing complexity, soft. Great.
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2/5/2018 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 92 Points
Family Sunday Dinner.
Exactly as per my Dec '17 note. Superb and with plenty of mileage left in this structure. Now and up to 30 years from vintage.
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2/3/2018 - MattGeneve Likes this wine: 92 Points
This bottle was much better. Perfectly mature, singing Musar.
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2/3/2018 - MattGeneve wrote: flawed
Only 1 in case at shoulder level so cracked this first. As expected, it was flawed / early oxidised.
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1/21/2018 - dsamuel Likes this wine: 90 Points
No notes taken
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1/15/2018 - GrandeSerataFuori wrote: 92 Points
Wow. Flowers, herbs, light and fancy free. I love this. Can't believe it's my first 99.
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1/9/2018 - bsycheng80hk wrote: 93 Points
1hr decant, sweet perfumed nose, blackcurrant, cedar, leather, herb and garrigue, soft and engaging palate, seamless and layered, memories of exotic middle eastern spice, fresh and transparent, just a touch of alcohol on the lengthy finish
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1/5/2018 - lozatron Likes this wine: 89 Points
Really on song. As good as any of this vintage I'd had. Double decanted 4 hours prior to drinking - it honestly could have been popped and poured. Delicious and just starting to get into that lovely late stage Musar deliciousness.
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1/3/2018 - GuillaumeC Likes this wine: 92 Points
Très beau nez typiquement Musar, mais moins "funky" que la dernière. Du beau fruit rouge et du cuir. En bouche il y a beaucoup plus de fruit qu'on aurait pu s'y attendre malgré son age, c'est vraiment très bon. J'adore Musar et cette bouteille ne déçoit pas!
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12/28/2017 - mr_swirl Likes this wine: 92 Points
Good Musar vintage. Drinking nicely. Bordeaux like, full bodied wine with concentrated rich aromas: ripe red fruits, leather, licorice, sweet spice, and herbal scents. Nice smooth tannins and sweet finish
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12/25/2017 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 92 Points
Musar has that classic "musar" flavor, not unlike a good aged Bordeaux. Opened a litre bottle at a high end tasting and this held it's own against much more expensive wines. I have had Musar several times and have consistently loved the wine, great value IMO.
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12/23/2017 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 92 Points
Main family seasonal dinner (only day to get all together including our two 2017 vintage grandsons - our first grandchildren).
Three bottles with our rib of beef and cheese. Confirmed my November note. Wild red berries/strawberry and juicy steely blackcurrant. Earth, smoke and gunflint minerality. Racy. Excellent even by Musar's high standards.
No rush and possibly room for further development. Till 2029 at least.
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12/23/2017 - nhericks Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was the 2nd bottle I had from this wine and it was an outstanding experience. The wine showed so much fresh, very deep and almost sweet fruit, it was surprising, the taste was way from aged. The wine was so intense, it lasted very long this evening... A bottle like this is a bargain at current prices, this one was a 94, the 93 is for the average of the two bottles. We had it after dinner but a nice Teriyaki would certainly match. It has power enough.
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12/23/2017 - Tefal Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rust coloured, with a nice fruity nose. Medium to light body, mellowed cherries and leather flavours and a nice lingering length. I very much enjoyed this wine on it's own. Decanted and left for 2hrs, drank over 3hrs and continued to mellow throughout. This wine may last a few more years, but felt on the nail for me.
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12/19/2017 - Billigan wrote: flawed
Thermonuclear VA bomb
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12/9/2017 - sb_guido Does not like this wine: 85 Points
BRETT..
Servi à l'aveugle (mon offrande) :
Visuellement, le vin est grenat avec un teint tuilé et les convives disent 2000.
Au nez, pour ma seconde expérience sur trois avec Musar, je le trouve bretté en tabarouette! Le premier arôme qui me vient est le diachylon ("band-aid") alors qu'un des convive détecte le fromage. C'était intense! On ne pouvait pas vraiment percevoir de fruit mais il y avait des arômes d'épices ainsi que des petites notes fumées.
En bouche, assez fidèle à ce qui était perçu au nez. Un peu de pruneau confit ?
J'ai pourtant mis la bouteille à la verticale pendant 36 heures, puis décanter pendant trois heures. J'ai oublié de filtrer comme Pedro, mais bon....
Dans le verre, après une heure, le vin s'est amélioré mais pas significativement pour le rendre suffisamment agréable.
La magie Musar n'y était pas... décevant puisque c'était la première expérience pour la majorité des invités.
Le lendemain matin, c'était mince et il a fini dans l'évier (le tier restant...).
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12/3/2017 - Margaux Bro Likes this wine: 92 Points
Keowee Wine Mixer; 12/2/2017-12/3/2017 (Seneca, SC): Tasted Blind. First impression was actually pinot noir from my first sip - something others mirrored. However, I couldn't identify any bright cherry so I knew this had to be the Musar. It was the oldest wine of the flight, so it had definitely developed a rust color which also made it easy to identify. It was tied with the 13 Vosne Romanee for the lightest wines of the tasting. I thought it was a bit one dimensional, although it was very mellow and about as good as it will be - perhaps even a touch past its peak. Drink up!
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12/2/2017 - Villon wrote: 92 Points
Épicé, solaire, mais tout en finesse. Dans un style très à lui, belle réussite que ce musar, sur sa fin de plateau. 92
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11/25/2017 - empire80 Likes this wine: 94 Points
A super bottle. Still plenty of sweet red fruit, a wonderful array of gentle spices, and a very long finish. Wish you could guarantee them all to be like this one!
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11/22/2017 - CamWheeler wrote: 92 Points
SLDS November 2017: Spice, cherry, herb, some meatiness and light VA lift. Sweet and bright on the palate, very fresh but also has plenty of grip. Youthful fruit and tannins for now, the complexity should definitely come with time. The wine was served blind to others and nobody thought this was anywhere close to 1999. Will save my other bottle for 10+ years if I can!
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11/19/2017 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 92 Points
Picked up case recently for a song - great buy!
Classic focussed ripe blackberry and wild strawberry fruit with smokey nuances, spice, touches of earthiness and the gunflint core minerality that screams Musar.
Drinking beautifully now but with the structure to evolve (?improve) for at least 30 years from vintage. 92?+
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11/18/2017 - Nomen Nescio Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fortfarande vitalt vin med pigg syra och bra fruktighet. Silkiga tanniner. Tydliga och angenäma mognadstoner. Mycket bra matchning till älgfilé, svart vitlökssås och hasselbackspotatis.
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11/16/2017 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 95 Points
Wines of Lebanon (SF): Slightly dark aromas - this bottle seems a little reductive. Beautiful nose - starting to present as tertiary. Dark raspberry, blackberry, strong floral Brett, perfumed VA with faint dark aged balsamic notes. Dried roses. Powerful palate - but seamless. Light and intense. Phenomenal. Dark and brooding while being agile and tense. About to explode. Fierce.
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11/10/2017 - jmcmchi Likes this wine: 92 Points
Showing good maturity, retaining attractive acidity with medium ripe tannins.
Intense and well balanced, dark baking spice leading into dry dark berries
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11/3/2017 - diggydan wrote: 93 Points
So much for all those "Musar baby killer" nags. This library bottle was not as lively as that from a few years ago. Plenty of lifted plum on the nose and stewed dark stone fruit on the palate. Just seems a tad tired and mature as compared to the first time.
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10/31/2017 - to_sty Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is our second bottle and we now can definitely say, that the first one was spoiled. This time cork in very good shape. Smell after opening was completely different, a pleasant thick and rich bouquet of various berries, cherries, spices and more. Rather surprising and rare. This time decanted for around 5 hours in the opened bottle. A wonderful experience we must say - loved the sweet dark fruit, it went very well to our vegetable side-dish which we had trimmed to the sour side. Probably also saved the day as the meat was rather too well done and a bit chewy :)
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10/28/2017 - jorivesud Likes this wine: 93 Points
Le bouchon avait coulé, mais le contenu était toujours très beau, du solide ce vin.
Pas de notes, beau nez, mais avec un peu trop d'écurie(fumier) que les autre Musar(1991, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 et 2009) de la verticale n'avaient pas(seulement ce 1999), mais pour le reste, beau fruits, tanins competement fondu, Belle equilibre, long, Superbe vin.
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10/16/2017 - Keith Cooper Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasted at the Whitewater Valley Wine Society, Hampshire, UK. Chateau Musar tasting. Final bottle in four bottle vertical tasting. Opened and double decanted 3 hours before tasting. This wine showed rich Mediterranean flavours with figs and raisins on the palate. A good experience to taste a Musar at 18 years after the vintage.
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10/1/2017 - Bearbus Likes this wine:
Cedar, plum, VA, aqua marine/dune sand, sweet-sour, borderline iodine, red earth, quite minerally really, the beach on one's skin, sweet lamb chop. Elegant, lacquer, VA, cherry, tangy, savoury, gently silty tannins. Delicious
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9/24/2017 - SteveHyde Likes this wine: 92 Points
The first time I feel as if the 99 Musar is really starting to show what it has to offer. Double decanted 4 hours before service. Kept at about 68 degrees while drinking. Cork was showing some signs of saturation, but the wine was singing. A soft but clear ruby color, lovely garrique and spice notes on the nose, very sweet fruit with no noticeable signs of oak. Beautiful mid-weight structure - a wine that was not ponderous or heavy. Years to go, but showing very well now.
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9/12/2017 - CamWheeler wrote: 92 Points
Negociants Australia Portfolio Tasting 2017: Earth and smoke, raspberry, cherry, violets and meaty elements. Complex but also youthful - very savoury/smoky profile. Excellent!
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8/20/2017 - to_sty wrote: flawed
Cork extremely porous and it took about 15 minutes to get it out without any residue/crumps in the bottle.
In the glas - extremely brick, nontransparent colour and cherries in the nose - no hint of being corked but really not much more there anymore. In the mouth immediately extremely sweet and dry with a medium finish. Definitely long over the top - aged too fast (porous cork...).
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8/17/2017 - TheNeuroticDobermann wrote: 92 Points
Decanted. Always a pleasure - very fine nose: meaty cherries, strawberries both ripe and in preserve, spice, a whiff of cellar, and a tantalising balsamic note, reminiscent of aromatic wood. Drinking very well at the moment: the palate is extremely composed and well put together. Disciplined, taut, and energetic. Plenty of ripe strawberry and raspberry, menthol, and rich damsons - long, measured finish. Good with food. A traditionally made wine, with an extraordinary longevity and finesse. Good value for money.
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7/26/2017 - TheMajor wrote: 93 Points
Second tasting note here 2.5 years on from the first. Not a lot has happened, although the colour is notably more garnet. There's plenty going on, and a fantastic core of sweet dark fruit, but it's still not quite singing that unique and exhilarating funktastic Musar-tune yet that the older vintages (1991 and 1995 in particular) are. So, more patience required here I think. Plenty of grip left so this wine won't fade for an age.
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7/22/2017 - Fatty Cat wrote: 92 Points
Late Jul 2017: crimson color; intense oriental spices and herbs aromas/flavors, cedar wood, plus some plum and a hint of strawberry; sweet on the palate; medium body; some tannins; slightly angular texture; medium finish.
Each time when tasting a Musar I scent oriental spices and cedar. Is this real or an autosuggestion? Some doubts are still there but think I'm right.
If you are looking for a wine with a special touch, Musar can be a good choice.
This bottle of 1999 Musar was mature and the wine showed all the typical attributes. Musars are known to become "best agers", so there is no need to hurry to drink.
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7/9/2017 - Jean-Philippe M Likes this wine:
Moins éclatant que le 2004, tout de même le vin est encore bien vivant, avec une belle acidité, presque pas de tannins et un fruit croquant. Il y a peu d'arômes secondaires, mais tranquilement il va tirer vers des arômes de carignan. À mon goût, je préfère Musar légèrement plus jeune, mais c'est un vin de course de fond, pas de sprint, donc le 1999 pourrait être oublié en cave quelques années encore.
3,5/5
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7/2/2017 - Paui wrote: 88 Points
My first Musar. Light red colour. Dominant, simple sweet plum juice nose and aroma. Nowhere close to mistaking for a Bordeaux or Burgundy wine either. This did not change on day 2 and 3.
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6/25/2017 - rayq wrote: 93 Points
Lovely mature and clean Musar. There was a thin spirit/alcohol note but it was very much in the backfround. Very enjoyable bottle.
(from half)
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6/25/2017 - Piotr K Likes this wine: 88 Points
My first Musar, I did not know what to expect. Decanted for 3hrs. It is much more like Burgundy than Bordeaux, which surprises me. Nose not very intense, but pleasant and complex, of cherries and liquorice. Mouth very rich, no tannins left, but lots of acidity, some fruit, mostly plum and cherries. Very long finish. I am looking forward to 2003 and 2008, which I have in cellar.
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6/18/2017 - Villon wrote: 94 Points
Délicieux, souple et complexe. Épicé et fin.
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5/30/2017 - chbeaumont wrote: 92 Points
Lovely garnet colour; classic Musar, woodsmoke & hickory, intertwined soft red & black fruits constantly evolving, tell-tale whiff of VA; savoury, harmonious, fresh feel, warm near sensuous fruit; finishes with a certain spiky twist & funk. Vigorous, extended finish. At its peak, should hold for a further decade.
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5/28/2017 - Robert Pavlovich Likes this wine:
High toned, bright and expressive. Shows good freshness and bold flavors that are different than the classics, as it should be. Stood out in a large tasting with plenty of mature GC Burgundy and Bordeaux.
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5/12/2017 - CondorKhan wrote: 93 Points
Chateau Musar Tasting: Musty basement like Rioja again. I think that by this point we're starting to see what happens to mature Musar: Complexity is ramping up significantly: sweet fragrant cherry, olive, licorice, basement must, earth. A wine of considerable elegance.
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4/26/2017 - Ward Huang Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose almost Musar-like. Sweetness on the palate and the acidity indicates there is still a good potential left even this is not a perfect bottle.
开瓶明显的穆萨风格气息，口感偏甜，酸度很好，继续陈年。
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4/20/2017 - Mazy Likes this wine: 86 Points
Le 1999 était à mon avis très évolué et tertiaire, sans oxydation toutefois. Une robe claire, des notes de pruneaux et de fleurs séchées avec du cuir, un nez légèrement fermier et une finale chaude.
Le 2004 a été le préféré de tous. On a aimé son équilibre, avec plus de fruits et d'épices que le 1999 mais plus ouvert que le 2009. Les tannins sont présents mais agréables. Celui qui soutenait le mieux le repas également.
Le 2009 démontre une robe plus foncée et légèrement turbide. Il s'ouvre légèrement en cours de dégustation mais demeure malgré tout secret. Ça nécessite sans aucun doute quelques années en cave.
Les vins ont été ouverts une heure à l'avance, puis décantés et remis en bouteille tout-de-suite, puis servis immédiatement.
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4/15/2017 - Rupert wrote: 93 Points
On form. Fruitcake, spice, sweet in middle, had the floatiness of very mature bottles. High alcohol, of course, but fresh and not porty like some past bottles.
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4/10/2017 - phil the agony wrote: 93 Points
Vraiment un top avec près de 20 ans sous la cravate .
Des notes de sucre d'orge, caramel et cassonade.
Une belle rondeur et droit comme un Béliveau !
17.5/20
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4/9/2017 - maxima wrote: 91 Points
Laisser debout 2 jours avant l`ouverture.
Passage en carafe soigneusement pour laisser le dépot en bouteille. Le vin est rester en carafe un bon 4 heures avant de le servir.
La robe est rouge grenat assez soutenue et uniforme et SURTOUT assez limpide, aucune trace de trouble!
Le nez ne montre pas de signe de Brett contrairement à d`autres qui ont bu ce vin
trop rapidement après l`avoir reçu de la SAQ...l`avoir laissez debout et le passage en carafe on fait TOUTE la différence!
On note surtout des odeurs de torréfaction, de prunes et de cerises avec une touhe de cannelle.
En bouche, vraiment très beau. Presque pas de tertiaire, un peu de cuir mais surtout des serises sures,
Il y a aussi des épices et les tanins bien fondus et fins.
La finale très longue et savoureuse.
Un très bon vin souple et assez aromatique.
Pas aussi bon que le 1998 ou le 2000 bu à plusieurs reprises mais très bons!
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4/7/2017 - Jonathanmustang Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beaucoup de volatile à l'ouverture, chimique et varsol...Un bonne heure de carafe et tout disparait
Puis la magie opère, nez magnifique, funky et imaginatif sur le cassis, les cerises, la boite à cigare, épices asiatiques, bois de sental, cuir, fumé, terreux... tout me passe en tête... chaque bouffée je trouve un nouvel arome
En bouche la texture est soyeuse au début mais beaucoup de dépot les derniers verres, un nettoyage pour les prochaines! tannins facile mais présents. Belle attaque, un vin dense et beaucoup de matière.
Finale persistante sur la prune, le tabac, et le cuir. L'alcool se fait sentir qu'un coup dans l'estomac, une sensation de chaleur comme un porto... je dois être une petite nature
Pour moi le vin est a son peak, un style chaud et structuré fidèle a mes attentes. Sans contredit l'un des beaux vins "plaisir" que j'ai bu
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4/6/2017 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 95 Points
Broadbent Selections (Musar, +++) (Western Reserve Wines): I brought this along and as the evening neared the end, it was brought out and popped, decanted and consumed by those of us who stayed. On decanting, i was worried as the VA was noticeable. That blew off quickly. There was some bottle stink, but that also blew off quickly. This bottle was everything one would want in a mature(ish) Musar. deep ruby in color. The nose is gorgeous with cassis, cherries, cigar box, slight merde and funk and earthiness. On the palate, the tannins are slight but present, the fruit is fresh with just a bit of dried notes. There are layers of depth and complexity. Great acidity. Wonderful texture. Nice finish. Very Bordeaux like as well. It's awlays great to hit a wine at peak and although this will probably have years left, it sure seems damn close to peak. At 18 years from vintage, I don't see it getting better.
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4/3/2017 - EirikM wrote: 92 Points
Still not fully mature, but drinking very well now. Double decanted. Complex fresh fruit with a touch warmth, but without heat on the long finish. Spices, but fairly subtle. Integrated and harmonious, with only a touch of v.a. adding complexity rather than marring the wine.
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4/1/2017 - Ajallo Likes this wine: 93 Points
Spectacular! Such a nice experience. Opulent, juicy fruits and sooo smooth. Like velvet on the tongue. If any small gripes, right out of the bottle the nose was a bit too strong on the barnyard. An hour minimum of decanting recommended, but after that everything just in place. On its own the smoothness had a hint of sweetness, but with food everything balanced out perfectly. Grip still present, despite the amazing smoothness. Just love the wine, but unfortunately no more bottles in the cellar. 93 w/o food, 94 with.
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3/19/2017 - NiklasW Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for an hour. Fantastic as expected. This showed beautiful red cherries, with an excellent barnyardy/leathery component on the nose, some lilac, eminently sniffable! The palate followed, good red berries, tannins integrated, a nice sweetness. Was perfect with a deer roast, just an excellent wine!
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3/17/2017 - canan wrote: 96 Points
Misc Tasting - Terkel Style (Birkerød): Sewer and coffee mixed with fresh raspberries. Very solid wine that really impresses. Very charming wine that is difficult not to love.
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3/14/2017 - bobbylion Likes this wine: 94 Points
One of the best I had ever. Had Ausone 95 last week in a 2 star restaurant and I wish I had the two side by side. My feeling this one is better. For 20x price...
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3/11/2017 - swyang wrote:
A stunning wine. Gorgeous color of smoked/hue and reminding gorgeous petal of roses. On the nose... well... to describe it would be silly as it has so many layers of fruits, leather, wet earth, spices, slight smoky lavande and etc and etc... Profound, powerful and yet elegant and volatile. A super long back end which reverberates for a long long time. A superb bottle entering its peak, I would say. Cheers,
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3/7/2017 - haluyoung Likes this wine: 92 Points
杯醒了3小时，香气和口感变得浓郁。红色水果、烟草、皮革香气为主，香气不算复杂。口感精致，酸度恰到好处，单宁细滑甜美，优雅而有深度。总体来说性价比极高，喜欢优雅细腻风格的人一定会喜欢。
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3/2/2017 - manonthemoon wrote: 93 Points
Always a favorite of mine, this bottle showed all the things I love in Musar. Great mouthfeel funk acidity still showing with the red fruit.
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2/25/2017 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 92 Points
Dinner at Mandu w/ the old crew: Impressive amount of fruit for Musar on the nose - juicy raspberries and cherries and red plums, along with pepper, smoke and mat. Lots of grip but fresh acidity, framed nicely, full of tart and juicy red fruit. Laced with sage, pickle, baking spices, tar. The brett and volatile acidity are kept in check quite well, offering the classic Musar signature but not overpowering the other elements.
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2/24/2017 - Nohedes wrote: 92 Points
Checking in with a wine I last tried in 2010, this time a 750 rather than 375. Signs were not good when the cork disintegrated on contact with my trusty waiter's friend. I was not hopeful, but after a quick decant the wine smelled great, of a little musty. None of the acetone I noted last time, but more of a light red/brown colour now. Nose had fruit and that mature cab aroma redolent of good Bdx. Left it in the decanter for 90 mins and then went to taste - really very good. Dark, concentrated and surprisingly rich. The acidity is still there though, tidying up behind the mid-palate and leaving you ready for another sip. Long finish and great balance. A terrific food wine and delicious now with or without - more to come though so I'll check in again in a couple of years.
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2/24/2017 - NoTrollingerPlease Likes this wine: 93 Points
10 vintages of Chateau Musar (@Private location): *** Please see the general tasting story notes for more details ***
Glass: Riedel BDX Sommelier
Popped and poured.
Clear, medium, ruby-garnet color. Clean, medium intense, developing nose. Very nice!
Dry, medium acidity, medium+ fine tannin. Lots of extract sweetness. Medium+ body, medium+ intense, wonderful complex flavors of tobacco, red fruit, leather and a bit barn. Reminds me of a good Rhone wine. 14% abv. Elegant, cool, complex, multi layered with a medium+ finish. Close to the 98 vintage. I would say it is start reaching its peak, but it will continue to improve. Has everything to evolve for 10+ years. Fantastic PQR!
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2/18/2017 - doctornoah Likes this wine: 89 Points
My 40th Birthday Weekend; 2/17/2017-2/20/2017: Even with a few hours decant this was not ready. Another bottle a few months ago seemed better out of the gate. Classic Musar notes of Rioja-like red fruit and tobacco with some brett and VA.
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2/17/2017 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 92 Points
Impromptu Nopa (Nopa SF): From a half bottle at Nopa with KF, MB, JK.
Medium crimson with garnet at the rim. Initially a bit metallic and quite Bretty on the finish. After an hour a deep tertiary blackcurrant and juicy black cherry emerged along with savory oxidized tamati Brett. It has a lot of tertiary character but still some ripe primary fruit.
Medium bodied, lots of flavor intensity and quite melted tannins. Elegant acidity and just a touch elevated alcohol. Beautiful and starting to get in a good place, though still early in its inflection.
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1/23/2017 - lolo66 wrote:
Delicious and very complex. Just beginning its drinking window. Still a bit tightly wound but showing a lot of stuffing. I need to find more.
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1/13/2017 - empire80 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fading cherry, vanilla, meaty, like a very old rioja but just slightly too volatile and with a hint of nail varnish. Not as good as my last bottle, but still an interesting Musar experience.
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1/9/2017 - PJRONeill wrote: 94 Points
Another brilliant bottle, complex, expressive and at peak drinking for my taste.
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1/8/2017 - pryby Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really beautiful. This should be the template for describing "baking spices" in wine. Cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, star anise, but with a tart cherry backbone and a underlying meatiness - enough that it wasn't at all cloying.
My first Musar - and I will be eager to try more.
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12/24/2016 - mkolbu wrote:
.
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12/23/2016 - Tony Molester Likes this wine:
Wow drinking very well. Cork was in very good condition.
Aerial texture, fabulous. Tertiary flavours; savoury and moreish. Everyone loved this one, including neophytes.
Drink or hold to 2022, drinking well now.
14% abv
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12/21/2016 - appel54 wrote: 89 Points
Mogen, lite grumlig, ljusröd med mörkare kärna
I början mycket kokta grönsaker, mycket mognadstoner, jord, övermogna jordgubbar, paprika, extremt skitigt och lite naturvinsfunkigt
Pigg frukt, bra syra, slank men ändå rätt sträv
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11/16/2016 - VeronicaXu Likes this wine:
Medium ruby, pronounced nose, perfume, meaty, sweet cranberries. On the palate, pronounced intensity, medium(+) body, medium ripe tannin, medium(+) alcohol, medium acidity, medium(+) finish. Developing.
At Sampler. 8
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11/12/2016 - om42 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great tertiary development at this point. Best of the night so far.
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11/9/2016 - Lewerentz Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very wellbalanced dark red wine with taste of dark red berries blood herbs and forest. Do not think it has 10 years more to go as some suggest. Perfect now. Very good
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11/6/2016 - colmanstephenson Likes this wine:
Light and cloudy
Aromatic
Beautiful red fruit.
Terrific
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10/29/2016 - eboracum Likes this wine: 95 Points
My bottle of the year so far. A bottle opened in 2011 was wonderful but this one was even better. Colour was deeper than in some vintages and body fuller but that did not detract from elegance and harmony. It was classically shaped showing complex aromas of red fruit, blood, varnish, leather and oriental spices, all in perfect balance, together with mouth-watering acidity and gentle tannic support for the long finish. However the extra 5 years have brought even better integration of flavours and a more velvety texture. Top Médoc elegance and class here combined with Mediterranean sensuality. Musar is reputed to live for decades and I see no reason why this should be different but it is hard to see how it could improve. Outstanding.
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10/16/2016 - rocknroller wrote: 89 Points
Greek Rabbit Stew and Brunello's (Leo's Place, Mpls, MN): Pretty rustic tonight, showing quite a bit of wood and more alcohol as well. The fruit didn't seem to show up as well as some bottles, Bordeaux-like. 88+ to 89pts.
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10/14/2016 - Lype Likes this wine: 92 Points
In a beautiful place now and drinking well, resolved tannins and good balance, nice depth and power, dark berries, earthy tones, forest floor. Highly recommended.
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10/7/2016 - bboy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Stunning! Best Musar I have ever had.
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10/3/2016 - krprice Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted with friends. Decanted back into bottle. Open for around 90 mins. Really lovely with a smokey finnish
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10/2/2016 - solace Likes this wine: 86 Points
Grown up musar. Nose of blueberry, cherries and gunsmoke. It seems to me that this is as far as it will go and the slightly oxidised nose fell apart with some airing. Good acid backbone on the palate and it paired well with fatty charred ribeye and other food. Some tannin grip left but drinking well and ready to go. In light of the nose I would drink up.
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9/28/2016 - drwine2001 wrote:
Half bottle ordered from a restaurant list without a great deal of conviction based on my one previous tasting experience in 2009, and neither being a Cabernet aficionado nor someone who has had uniformly great experience with this producer. How wrong I was. Tawny center, light rim. Where is the Musar funk and volatile acidity? Not here. Rather, just a hint of green and increasing perfume with balsam wood that rather reminded me of Rioja. Middle weight, lovely supple texture, low acidity and tannin, spicy blue fruit with some citrus at the end, a dash of soil. I adored this little bottle. It was one of the cleanest and least enigmatic Musars that has crossed my lips. I can also confidently say that if I had tasted it blind, I would have mistakenly identified it as a New World something, and that "something" would not have been Cabernet. Beautiful now from this format.
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9/24/2016 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ch. Musar Dinner with Marc Hochar (Crown Wine Cellars, 18 Deep Water Bay Drive, Shouson Hill, Hong Kong): Perfectly transparent jeweled ruby in colour. Nose is nail varnish remover and lots of pleasant VA, quite penetrating and hiding a lot of complexity in the background. Palate is sweet, dry, still surprisingly tannic, sophisticated but not yet even half-unfurled. Great......and lots of upside potential over the next 10 years.
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9/21/2016 - Seth Rosenberg Likes this wine: 91 Points
Exotic nose of marzipan, creamy sweet red fruits. Big on the palate with marzipan, very sweet and rich, good balancing acid, hard to mistake. Creamy fruit on the finish. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 4.5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 15.5/20.
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9/21/2016 - mdvino63 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking beautifully right from the get-go (breathed for about 30 min. before pouring). Complex, great fruit and balance. Silky. Yum.
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8/12/2016 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 92 Points
Wine, Steak, and Olympics (Home (Noe st)): Quite oxidative out of the bottle, then 20 minutes later, a bit bretty. Then the fruit started to emerge. Blueberry, blackberry, cassis.
Mid-development. Has a sweet melange of dark glossy black fruit, dried cherry, tamari soy, faint blackened sugar. The oak is integrating nicely but the tertiary notes aren't strong yet. It's just starting to emerge. This bottle still has an intense black cherry.
91
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8/5/2016 - Finare Vinare wrote: 92 Points
Complex, mature nose with tobacco and leather, baked and dried fruits, sweet liquorice and dried spice/herbs, and rusty/earthy mineral sensations. The volatility is moderate and does not stand out. On the palate fairly full-bodied, with good amounts of sweet baked and dried fruits, well integrated alcohol, smooth tannins and decent medium acidity. The balance is highly functional and enjoyable with assorted hard cheeses. Has the stuffing to keep for several years more.
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8/2/2016 - lilolwindrinker Likes this wine: 95 Points
Great musar, at its peak, unfortunately last of the case, and the best thereof.
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7/11/2016 - Wineguy76 wrote: 91 Points
The 1999 Chateau Musar is delicious. Having just entered its maturity plateau this typical Musar blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carignan boasts a bright crimson core and an intense aromatic bouquet of crushed dried cranberries, orange mocha and subtle hints of herbes de Provence. Medium to full bodied it pleases the palate with delicately intertwined layers of wild cherries, caramel and sun dried tomatoes, and a very decent silky finish. It appears set for at least another decade of graceful evolution.
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7/10/2016 - kevin h wrote: 90 Points
Classic Musar but felt a little restrained.
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7/2/2016 - brooklynguy Likes this wine:
An excellent bottle. The aromatics show less of the spicy fireworks than past bottles - here it is more of the suave, leathery, composed and gentlemanly aspect of a fine claret. After about an hour open the wine is perfectly round and harmonious, and balanced by good acidity too - stays vibrant and fresh, and the earthiness lingers on the finish. Excellent wine, a real pleasure.
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6/22/2016 - signotim wrote: 88 Points
This was rather ripe and showed some alcohol. I had the same wine back in 2013 and it was quite different. On this night, it had nice cherry liqueur flavor but not a lot of nuance or freshness. Very tasty but not outstanding.
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6/20/2016 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Weekly tasting group #218; Two verticals of 7 wines: Mondivin (Hungary) and Musar (Lebanon) (@ DJ): Beautiful bouquet with sweet spices like cinnamon, cigar box, earth and autumn impressions. On the palate juicy red berries, sweet licorice, cinnamon, good acidity and soft tannin. Medium plus length. After the 1988 and 1998, the best so far. Ready now.
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6/5/2016 - phil the agony wrote:
Bouchonné mais buvable.
Il est juste mort en bouche et au nez il y a pas grand chose.
Genre de vin que j'aurais pu boire quand même avec de la bouffe mais à côté des autres, cela ne fonctionne pas vraiment
Non noté.
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5/31/2016 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Cinsault, Carignane and Cabernet Sauvignon, 1 year in French oak. Some barnyard to the aromas. Smoke, licorice and red cherry aromas. Vitamin-style grassiness. Palate still shows mid-life CdR.
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5/29/2016 - Conde Likes this wine: 90 Points
Colur: brick red with brown nuances.
Nose: barnyard, leather and wood, but also a fair amount of dark cherry, a touch of chocolate and herbs.
Palate: mediumbodied with good acid, surprisingly fruity (dark cherries), smooth tannins and a long finish with a fiery note.
We had it with moose patties, kachapuri (a cheesebread from Georgia) and sallad.
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5/28/2016 - forceberry wrote: 94 Points
Moderately translucent cherry color with some mature maroon character and quite pale rim. Generous and expressive nose with heady aromas of sweet volatility, dusty earth, kirsch, floral perfume, some mature cherry, hints of both nail polish and nail polish remover, and a whiff of mushroomy sous-bois. Ripe and rich palate with smooth, moderately full body. Quite sweet flavors of ripe dark plums, almost overripe, soft fig, kirsch, some clove and a hint of bitter Morello cherry. Moderate acidity and initially ripe and friendly tannins that eventually turn out to be quite grippy and powerful. Long, complex and a bit sweet finish with layered flavors of ripe dark cherry, plummy fruit, some sunny dark fruit, a little balsamico VA and a hint of leather.
A lovely, classic and elegant Musar with incredible depth and complexity. Shows some VA nuances, but is overall surprisingly polished and fruit-forward. Despite its obviously sunny, slightly wizened fruit, the wine shows good structure and remarkable balance. Drinking beautifully now, but will easily keep at least a decade, maybe even several.
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5/25/2016 - Umay Ceviker wrote: 92 Points
Pale garnet, not clear. Early notes of leather, tobacco and prune mingling with barnyard. Silken texture with integrated yet firm tannins and bright acidity. Lively, mature and at its peak offering earthy undertones as well as dust and a lovely floral touch.
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5/14/2016 - Sandy T Likes this wine: 91 Points
A first for me. Everyone talks about the funky notes but what a surprise this was.
Bought this in Dubai airport and have requested for a well stored bottle from inside the store instead of a display one. Makes big differences indeed.
Notes of savoury meat, wet leather, dusty dark fruits. On the palette, red fruits, prunes and slight tinge of integrated tannins. Medium bodied with medium long finish on the end. One would have presumed it to be a mere 5 years old. Astounded by the presence of acidity and freshness for its 17 years of age.
Lebanese friend remarked that only Christians are allowed to make this wine.
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5/5/2016 - rossi.wine wrote: 92 Points
On the nose tobacco, spice box, leather, dark fruit. Soft, resolved tannins, good fruit, fresh, very long. Elegant and balanced, drinking beautifully. 91-93
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4/25/2016 - Sorrowless Likes this wine: 92 Points
Significantly better than the bottle I tried just a few weeks back. Definitely some bottle variation going on here. This one had a very cloudy appearance (unlike last bottle) but held together much better. Great balance between fruit and acidity, with beautiful mature notes.
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4/22/2016 - Dovberg Likes this wine: 89 Points
Some sludge in the bottom of the bottle. Filtered it all away before serving.
Instant perfyme nose, heady with marker pen, melted chocolate, sour cherries, seawater, pineapple and forest floor.
On the palate the wine is indeed heady with apple pie, grape fruit, dark chocolate, ginger, rosemary, bay leaf and coca cola. Texture is fatty but I do think that alcohol takes overhand over the fruit. My first real mature Musar. With some time in the glas the alcohol settled down a bit.
It seems that Musar can deliver in any shape, any age. Impressive!
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4/6/2016 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
Showing more cabernet notes here with light tobacco, bell pepper notes, cherry skins, musty-dusty nose with dark spices and iron-granite dust; good power, body, intensity, fuller tannins, rounder than 2000 and long finish. Marc Hochar tasting at Terroni. Really nice.
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4/3/2016 - MindMuse wrote:
Took to a Paulee. This was singing. Earthy and savory, though not much VA or funkiness in this bottle. A beauty.
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4/2/2016 - sachsen Likes this wine: 95 Points
Stunning bottle. 2 hours decanted before re-bottling and opening with dinner an hour later.
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3/30/2016 - Sorrowless wrote: 89 Points
Complex on the nose with sweet red and dark fruit. However, quite short on the palate. Seemed a bit tired, and lacks the fruit to balance the acidity. Fell apart even more over the next few hours. Perhaps some bottle variation. Will try another bottle soon.
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3/14/2016 - aagrawal wrote: 91 Points
Chateau Musar Dinner (Pera, San Francisco): Aromatic, slight funk, slight stems?, plenty of red fruit, slight cinnamon; palate is medium bodied, medium to medium-plus acid, fruit isn't quite as dense as the 05 but still present in good concentration; medium finish. Very nice, just starting to get secondary character. 90-91
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3/13/2016 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 93 Points
Musar Vertical with B. Broadbent (Pera SF): Double-decanted 8 hours in advance.
This is starting to transform from primary and youthful dark fruit to the tertiary fruit of developed Musar. Right now it has a bit of both, but not much of either. Still muscular and dark-fruited, with more overt Brett than the ’05, hints of cassis, sweet tomato, beef broth (phở bò), moist earth, and mossy stones.
Score: 9-9.5
Tasted the next morning, it had developed more of the intense tertiary fruit, like the ’95 (but less complex).
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3/7/2016 - colmanstephenson wrote:
Another success for Musar 99
This time with an Otto Lenghi Malay salad.
Densely Cloudy. Light red.
Gorgeous leathery meaty nose
Thick texture and peacocks tail finish.
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2/28/2016 - colmanstephenson wrote:
This is really singing at 16.
A wonderful combination of a core of thick attractive fruit, developed flavours and and all the unusual interesting aromas of Musar without the "nail polish" being dominant or agressive as can some times happen in younger examples.
I have five left and look forward to following their evolution.
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2/24/2016 - forceberry wrote: flawed
Moderately translucent dark cherry color with slight bricking. The wine has obviously taken some hits along the way judging by the oxidative nose with aromas of saline Fino acetaldehyde, some dried figs, a little raisin, a hint of nutty Madeira and a whiff of syrupy tawny port. The palate is medium-bodied and slightly tannic with obvious salty acetaldehyde tang and some oxidation. Flavors of dried fig, some sweet nutty notes, a little prune and a hint of raisin. As the flavors are rather one-dimensional and subdued, the acidity becomes more pronounced. Sweet, raisiny finish with flavors of sweet, sunny dark fruit, some salty tang, a little prunes and a hint of nutty tawny port character. A light touch of tannic grip.
A bottle that was not represantive of this lovely vintage. Despite its surmaturé character, the wine was still delightful and completely drinkable, if not as interesting as a Musar of pristine quality would have been. Even in its poor condition the wine fared a lot better than many of the mediocre wines I've had in my life; however, as this wine was obviously defective, no score is given.
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2/21/2016 - sachsen Likes this wine: 93 Points
In decanter for 2 hours then rebottled, poured 2 hours later. Restrained red fruits and spice--has a lot going on. 93-94. DEFINITELY worth the price!
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1/28/2016 - Tobysplanet wrote: 93 Points
This has to be opened at least 4 hours before drinking and is usually better the next day.
Just superb
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1/8/2016 - johnrm Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened 6h prior and double decanted. Deep colour. Typical Musar character - 'sweet' fruit with complex, spicy, 'fruitcake' notes. An interesting comparison with the 2000 - different but both are lovely. A well- respected vintage with real potential for long ageing.
Tasted at Grand Union Wine Society with Jane Sowter of Chateau Musar (UK)
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12/29/2015 - rayq wrote: 91 Points
Lighish red colour. Not an entirely clean nose with some VA present.
On the palate it's also quite clean, typically Musar. There's a sweetness that in the past has made me fear it is brett but on this occasion I think it's sweet fruit. The sweetness on the finish makes this slightly less enjoyable for me but thankfully a relatively clean Musar.
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12/29/2015 - sharonandroland Likes this wine: 92 Points
At a rather wild stage Still much lighter than the 1998
Wonderful expression of Musar, albeit not as rich as other vintages
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12/24/2015 - Corgi wrote: 94 Points
Perfect drinking now...
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12/22/2015 - bags wrote:
at Oleana in Cambridge MA, for a reasonable $125. Singing, almost from the moment it was opened. Beautifully balanced, reasonably complex, and wonderful acidity. A perfect match for our food
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12/16/2015 - dream Likes this wine: 92 Points
A fine showing for this wine out of magnum with plenty of unique red-spiced fruit along with notes of smoke and garrique. Quite smooth and elegant and very Bordeaux-like in it's texture and flavor profile. Finishes complex with hints of tobacco leaf and mid-eastern spices. Sort of in middle age and should get more complex and tertiary over the next 10 years. A very open and giving vintage for this unique wine. 92+.
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12/12/2015 - bboard wrote:
First timer on Musar, decanted for 3 hours. Overall impression was only ok. Bright, clear color, no sign of age. Aroma is consistent with other CT notes, with that funky smell that was less prominent over time. Taste was light weight, fruit driven (plummy?), little tannin, and little finish. A little disappoint given the ratings and notes. But being 1st time, i'll reserve judgement and have another go with 1 more bottle
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11/15/2015 - Lordswood wrote: 92 Points
Awesome, delicious mellow drinking. Not really funky, just a touch of sweetness and everything working in harmony. In a great place now..... Will it improve?
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11/6/2015 - rayq wrote:
Volatile acidity and the sickly sweet taste associated with brett.
One of the less stellar bottles of Moose. Pity.
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11/5/2015 - kenv Likes this wine: 93 Points
WCC Blind Tasting of Chateau Musar and Chateau Montrose (Salty's Pub & Bistro, Clifton Park, NY): [Double decanted for two hours the previous evening.] Black and red fruit nose. Complex, long, delicious.
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11/4/2015 - explorer 1016 Likes this wine: 91 Points
opened 3 hrs beforehand. nice and easy to drink and paired well with the steak platter served along. the wine opened up well in glass and decanting seems to be optional. this is the first musar i had in about ten years time and it somehow tasted different from my memory, now feel more approachable like a bordeaux blend. interesting.
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10/19/2015 - kakpoo wrote: 92 Points
delicious. My first Musar. I was thinking this was going to be an intellectual drinking experience based on what others had told me about Musar...but it was actually easy drinking and had more in common with a CA cab than I would have expected.
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10/18/2015 - swaap wrote: 92 Points
Le nez s'est refermé tout de suite après l'ouverture de la bouteille, la bouche est complète, tanins biens serrés; Grand potentiel. Prochaine bouteille à ouvrir dans au moins 3 ans.
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9/14/2015 - Tony Molester wrote:
Cork soaked to 1/4. No seepage trace. No decanting. Popped and poured.
V: translucent garnet, orange rim. Sediment visible.
N: initially trace of VA. some barnyard/brett stink, some nutmeg, orange peel, balsamic (VA again).
P: Some brett extending to palate, not unpleasant. Rustic texture and finish. Developing secondary flavours, grippy tannins still not resolved. Has some weightlessness, but less than similar vintages such as 2002.
Drink or hold, perhaps needs to evolve a bit more.
14.5% abv
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9/12/2015 - klezman wrote:
Showed plenty of aged character, but both the nose and palate were more muted than I expected. Everything was there and delicious (and did justice to rib steak) but wish it had been turned up a notch.
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8/25/2015 - tkoby11 wrote: 92 Points
Not at its best tonight, but for sure Musar in every detail. Plenty young this was much fruitier than I am used to from this wine. Good depth, excellent balance and oak integration. Wait another 3-5 years.
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8/14/2015 - ETT95 wrote: 89 Points
At nose it comes with amazingly fresh fruits accompanied by oak and spice. Alcohol level is high which makes this wine a bit backward, but this improves through decanting. Tannin is very subtle. Acidity is quite high and it's a bit bitter on palate
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6/23/2015 - peternelson wrote: 90 Points
Terroni with Marc Hochar: Plum skin, shrooms, slight sour cherry notes--a bit more monolithic than the others, sweet & sour bite in the end with soft tannins. 14.15% Not my favorite--this also may need time.
Some of the vineyards are 3 hours away by unrefrigerated truck (Cabernet?), most are organic, very hands off approach, used oak (with 15% new every year).
All red wines ferment in cement vats, spend 1 year in used Nevers oak.
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6/20/2015 - AlphaMikeFoxtrot wrote: 92 Points
Drank with my dad over Levantine food in Tenafly, NJ
Dried cherries/currants, cinnamon, cream, curry spice and pepper. Rounded with an firm mouthfeel. Still tannic. Minute long finish is very nice. This feels younger than 16 years old and surely will get even better.
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6/13/2015 - chatters wrote:
Prince Saturday Tasting - Chateau Musar (Prince Sydney, 40 Hansard Street): touch of VA initially on the nose, a little dirty in fact with red cherry and currant. Baked earth. Spice and cream. The slight VA note translates to the palate as well with red fruit, spice, talc textured tannins, quite dense and broad and long with the fruit carrying on the finish. Still relatively fresh and carrying a certain youthful impetuosity. Very nice indeed.
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6/13/2015 - drzweigelt wrote: 92 Points
Who poured Primitivo di Manduria in my Cabernet? That's what this wine tastes like - serious carafage does it a lot of good, don't be fooled by the oxidative chestnut aromas on the nose, there is a lot of red cherry and a fair bit of cassis and christmas spices underneath. On the palate it is dense and sweet (!) again there is cherries and cassis with cardamom and black pepper aromas intertwined, very rounded and long. A wine to like, although I guess it will evolve into something more serious over the next decade.
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5/31/2015 - MAOC wrote:
Double decanted for 2-3 hours and taken to lunch. Medium red with an orange tint. The nose was very harmonious - dark red fruit with flecks of rasberry, touch of stable, leather, cigar box and cinnamon. The palate is quite lightweight and the cinnamon hint shows through the fruit nicely. Only criticism is a lack of mid palate concentration and ultimately length. It changed a bit in the glass but not for better or worse really. Probably no need to decant for more than 30 mins or so next time. ***(1/2)
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5/26/2015 - sharonandroland wrote: 89 Points
A bit disappointing. Light and rather muted. Lacking the spice of a usual Musar. Suboptimal bottle?
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4/23/2015 - Bun Likes this wine: 91 Points
brownish red, good bouquet even with not-so-good glass, flowery, good palate. Very enjoyable.
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4/20/2015 - RajivAyyangar Likes this wine: 90 Points
99 Musar at Nopa with BFU, WC, SC (Nopa SF): I felt happy to be re-acquainted with this wine, and to share it with some of my good friends. My impression this time, aside from the characteristic Musar tamari, animal notes from Brettanomyces and bruised apple/fig from oxidization, was one of a very large grapey blackberry, looming over secondary details of chamomile, earth, tobacco. I’ve thought this before with young Musar - I wish the fruit would get out of the way just a little so the secondaries could shine through.
It seemed awkward, young, the flavors a bit separate and disjointed (compared to how Musar can be at its best). Will it change more? I’m not a fan of the current fruit character. Will it change or go away? Is my palate changing with this wine? Maybe I’m becoming more attuned with secondary aging flavors, and this wine is just behind the curve.
Referring to my notes, I tasted this in 2010 (at 11 years), and thought it was beautiful, emphasizing fruit. I enjoyed the fruit character, calling it “real, true fruit.” I noted how it didn’t quite have the emotional impact of the ’95, which had had a profound impact on me not that long before.
I tasted it again in London at the end of 2012 (at 13 years) and noted a grapey fruit core that I didn’t particularly enjoy, though the secondaries and Musar character still made for a great wine.
Most recently, I tasted it 2 months ago (at 16 years) at the tail end of a formidable lineup: the ’91, ’94, ’96, and ’98. I noted it was somewhat closed (it hadn’t been decanted), and the fruit was “plummy.”
Extrapolating, I’d say that for me, the fruit character of the ’99 isn’t up to par with the ’95. Maybe it will get out of the way and turn into a fantastic secondary and tertiary wine. Maybe I’ll never like it as much as the ’95, my one fantastic bottle of the ’94, or that great bottle of the ’96 in Orono. Or maybe it will surprise me in young-adulthood.
Sensory Notes:
Visual:
Mostly clear, just bright. Dark garnet, moderate to moderate-minus concentration. Some sediment.
Nose:
Brett and Acetaldehyde were high initially, as was a dark grapey blackberry note. Over time the nose became much more refined, more complex, but still chubby and not fully-integrated. Primary aromas of blackberry, dark plummy fruit. Secondaries of tamari, dried cherry, dried tomato, and chamomile tea. Complex, and still developing.
Palate:
Moderate in body. A slight impression of elevated alcohol that works very well in context of the flavors and acidity. The balance is such that it stands on its own, yet also works with food. Midpalate flavors of tamari, blackberry, dried cherry, tobacco, some dusty, woody oak peeking through on the palate (not excessive, presenting as a bit of clove and nutmeg and freshly-sanded wood). [Aged for 1 year in Nevers oak - age of barrels unspecified]. It finished with just moderate to moderate plus in length, with very little impression of tannins and a bit of tart malic sourness, which I associate with acetaldehyde.
Overall:
That I wasn’t completely taken with how this bottle was showing did not distract from the facts of the evening. We had several other wines to contrast, but only this seemed to rise up and have a conversation. It paired phenomenally with the roasted squab, dusted lightly with Indian spices.
Score: Around 9.
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3/13/2015 - SoCal wrote:
Earth, cherries, and leather. None of the trademark funk or VA that I have had is other vintages. In comparison this one is much more tame and lighter on the palate. Overall this wine would be incredibly hard to pick out blind and it would be a great wine to bring to a wine tasting. Very unique and silky.
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3/6/2015 - NiklasW wrote:
Wine tasting at Paul B's place (Cambridge, UK): Tasted double blind. I should have spotted this, but I didn't! Very elegant and refined, excellent cherry, feels and looks very young. No VA or barnyard in this bottle, I was thinking a young Barolo.
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2/28/2015 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very consistent notes. This is a lighter Musar, but aging well and delish. Musar is one of my very favorite wines, so distinctive and different from anything else. I had this on the occasion of Serge Hochar's death. He's certainly brought me a lot of pleasure. Hopefully he's drinking the celestial stuff.
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2/24/2015 - JulianSkeels Likes this wine: 92 Points
Clearly better than the 2000 Musar, this needed 30 mins in the glass/decanter to soften, then was a clear and perfect expression of what you expect in a Musar. Reminds me of a Tertre Rotebeouf, with less density and less beef blood. That funky sweet and leather/mushroom taste. Wonderful with some wagyu tenderloin. The best value Musar on the market and good for a long-time (should easily make 2030, ignore the silly window on CT)
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2/16/2015 - mmh wrote: 92 Points
Poured blind by my wife. I guessed Musar after the first whiff:) Great nose with leather, stables, spices and dark red fruit. Very complex! A bit bretty, but in a very good way. Quite dry on the palate, but also complex and long. Relatively high acidity. Not so much fruit, but lots of spices and leather. This will keep for ages, but i am not sure it will improve anymore. Very, very good!
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2/6/2015 - brooklynguy Likes this wine:
Gor. Geous. Showing so beautifully right now. Opened at 6 to drink at 8 and was going to decant but didn't seem like it needed it based on the open aromatics and flavors. Not even a sign of volatility, nor brett. A little bit horsey, but that's part of the game here. Rich, layered, highly expressive and complex on the nose and palate. Such a great bottle.
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2/5/2015 - RajivAyyangar wrote:
In Memoriam - Tasting Musar at Heirloom (Heirloom, San Francisco): Somewhat closed nose of dense, dark fruit. In the mouth, plummy with grippy tannins. This was just opened, and I think needed to be decanted a lot longer. Very young and closed.
Score: No score.
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2/1/2015 - eluebchow wrote: 93 Points
Ordered off the list at Les Nomades and decanted for 30-45 minutes before our first sip; Nose is quite compelling, with a melange of berry fruit, leather and tobacco and no overt brettiness that can sometimes accompany Musar; Palate has plenty of fruit, with lots of fleshy red fruits, complemented by some herbal and spice undertones; Wild and exotic, and really excellent
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1/25/2015 - Kirk Grant wrote:
19 Vintages of Musar Rouge; 1/25/2015-1/26/2015 (Clark Point House in Southwest Harbor, Maine): Color: Ruby core with a clear meniscus.
Smell: Warm notes of ripe red fruits, brown sugar, clove, cement and a strong not of crimini mushroom.
Taste: Red fruits vie for the spotlight as notes of "Black & bleu" steak with serious char leads into clove.
Overall: Returning to the bolder yet restrained side of Musar; this is a wine built for the long-haul. Med-full body, high acidity, med+ tannin. This is a wine that will reward those that hold off from opening this until it's at least 20 years old. It's still amazing now...but in the context of tasting the vertical...this is really young. In honor of Bart Broadbent who made tasting the '84 Rouge possible I'll use the five * system. (***/**)
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1/23/2015 - MonkeyBiz101 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drinking well now. Continues to amaze me how much this changes from sip to sip. Lots of leather and musk on the palate. Good QPR.
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1/23/2015 - TheMajor Likes this wine: 93 Points
The marmite wine. I'm in the "love it" category. I've got about 30 bottles of this vintage and I'm trying not to open them too quickly. If you want a wine (1) with a bit of age and bags of character (2) which everyone will have a view on and (3) which is still very modestly priced in a world of still crazy fine wine prices then look no further than this one. If you are a gambling man then you will also enjoy the usual Musar Russian Roulette (about 1 in 12 corked on average in my experience for older Musar wines, and another 1 in 12 oddly 'dull'). But if you get a good one, it is pretty unforgettable and head-turning stuff (and always my 'wild card' at any blind tasting I host, and always the one everyone wants to talk about). This one is stuffed full of barnyard and cherry but (I think and hope) will continue to improve (i.e. become even more funky and delicious). Not as good as the 1991 or 1995 (my two favourite years, for different reasons) but better than the 2001 and 2004. Can't wait to continue to see how this one develops over the next 10 years (but I'll have to).
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1/22/2015 - tendring Likes this wine: 90 Points
Wine Education Service - Château Musar (LSE): Orange rim, translucent.
Fairly closed nose but patience reveals some fruit and honey.
Fruity, high acidity, but this wine has a reserved character, maybe going through a dormant phase. It was lovely after an hour suggesting that decanting will pay dividends.
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1/17/2015 - Club14 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 4 hours. Fantastic and ever evolving as the evening went on. Cherry, red currant with a hint of the musty barnyard. Very well balanced with a long but smooth finish. This wine is elegant. It took a little while for the classic Hochar cinsault to fully evolve but smell and taste were worth the wait. Do not skimp on the decanting time. Serge Hochar RIP. A true gentleman.
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1/15/2015 - leecon Likes this wine:
My first chateau Musar. A bit of varnish on the nose, nice dark brambly fruit and some leather/ coffee. Similar to a bordeaux yet very unique. Warmer jammier with spice. Was very pleased with this on a cold winters night
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1/11/2015 - Rupert wrote:
A replacement for a tasteless burgundy, chosen because it was bound to have a lot of flavour. And indeed, it did, broad, spicy, sweet in the middle, mature and lovely, and didn't seem as heavy as some recent bottles.
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1/6/2015 - andtheodor wrote:
Red vines, five spice powder, cherries, cocoa powder, a punch of acetone, a little oxidation even. Sweet/savory, leather, silky and fairly mature. Uniquely Musar while being very much on the cusp of intolerably flawed in several ways. Fun to drink all the same.
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1/4/2015 - Vinterest Angus Likes this wine: 92 Points
A cracking wine. Very jammy and medium length but otherwise great QPR
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1/2/2015 - McKraftyWino Likes this wine: 94 Points
drinking very nicely.
i like the familiarity of the baseline Bordeaux with the surprise of the interesting flavors of the unique grapes Cinsault, Carignan used in Musar. Cheers to Serge Hochar. May he rest in eternal peace as his family continues creating beauty.
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1/2/2015 - J @ y H @ c k wrote: 91 Points
opened in memory of Serge Hochar. Opened, decanted through an old style aerator, and then started drinking it after about 45 minutes. I was reticent to open the bottle because I wanted to hold it for a few more years, but the passing of Mr. Hochar compelled me to open it, and I was not disappointed.
The Cedars of Lebanon were evident. Actually there or mind over matter I cannot say, but I noticed cedar on the nose from the first whiff of the cork when it was pulled. There was initially some sulphur funk on the nose in the decanter, but it disappeared after five minutes. The nose then morphed to soft cedar and the palate was the beginnings of tertiary sweet red fruit and cedar with no tight astringent tanins. The flavors got better in the glass over the course of 30 minutes, with more fruit emerging. Extremely, and surprisingly, smooth. A bit of spiciness. Outstanding, but still on the upswing. Hold the next bottle for 3-5 years.
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12/31/2014 - khmark7 wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful aged red with impressive balance and a unique style. Enjoyed by everyone in the group.
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12/27/2014 - empire80 Likes this wine: 93 Points
A superb bottle. Redcurrant, strawberry, hint of volatility on the nose, otherwise this might be mature burgundy, or perhaps Rioja? Definitely one to try blind with some friends!
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12/25/2014 - shugmo Likes this wine:
Lightly structured, spicy, sublime...
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12/25/2014 - colmanstephenson wrote:
Upon opening
A: pale, orangey-red
N: really warm and inviting, intense, cake spices,
P: bright, medium, slippery fruit, integrated tannins, easy to love.
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12/8/2014 - andtheodor wrote: 90 Points
Cocoa, roasted meats, sharpie, red vines. Very Musar, quite tasty but somewhat narrow. No fireworks.
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12/1/2014 - Seth Rosenberg Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Musar Mini-vertical at Jules' place (Hoboken, NJ.): Not a great showing for this wine. The nose first shows a chemical (Matt N says 'varnish') smell, some horse, some dark fruit, marzipan. The palate is bright but the chemical aspect returns. Some fruit, meat, horse. Nose - 4/6, Palate - 4/6, Finish - 4/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 0.5/2 = 12.5/20.
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11/27/2014 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 92 Points
I ended up buying a lot more of this wine. The QPR for a 15 year old wine of this quality is just too good. This is a lighter Musar. However it is all of the complexity, nose and barnyard of any other Musar. This is drinking beautifully now, but still has a long way to go, and I'm looking forward to how the complexities emerge. As always it so cool to have a wine that is so different from all other wines. It is so hard to achieve that.
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11/1/2014 - forceberry wrote: 95 Points
Obviously aged appearance of pale, translucent pomegranate color leaning heavily on brick orange. Initial aromas of pronounced bretty character with other funky farmyard notes and hints of crushed red berries. Quickly the bouquet settles down, revealing notes of red cherry, new leather jacket, sun-baked earth with hints of sous-bois, some garrigue, a little sour cherry, a hint of bretty funk and a touch of sweet VA. The wine is quite rich and full-bodied in the mouth, yet the palate does not come across as big or heavy, but instead surprisingly low-key with lovely air of sophistication. Compared to the nose, the palate is surprisingly clean with complex flavors of ripe cherry, pronounced leather character, some dark-toned blackcurrant notes, a little sun-dried herbal character and a touch of mushroomy forest floor. Both the tannins and acidity are quite modest, giving the wine nice balance, but not standing in the way of the silky mouthfeel. The overall taste feels like a contradictory combination of really dry flavors and very sweet, ripe and juicy fruit. The finish is remarkably long and exceedingly tasty with complex, layered flavors of leather, roasted exotic spices, ripe cherries, sunny dark fruit and hints of volatility intermingle with the lightly astringent bitterness from the ripe tannins that become more apparent in the finish. Especially the leather character seems to just grow in the aftertaste before fading away.
A wonderful vintage of Musar, showing really funky, more animal characteristics in the nose than in the palate, which, in turn, seems really elegant, delicate and even quite polished by Musar standards. Stunning depth and complexity with lovely, leathery character. This is like a blend of classic claret and warm-vintage Rhône red, vinified naturally, resulting in this unique, magical wine. Requires prolonged decanting: in the 3 hours during which this wine was consumed, the wine just seemed to get only better, minute after minute, until the bottle was empty. One of the greatest Musars of the past 20 vintages. Stupendous value at 30,59€.
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10/18/2014 - Christine Havens Likes this wine: 92 Points
As the winemaker stated during in a recent #VivinoTasteParty, Musar is Musar. There is a compelling quality to these wines that make them special, Musar has a unique thumbprint. Incredible complexity on the nose, it unfurls slowly revealing layers of ripe plums, figs, cigar box, dried rose petal, spice and marvelous top notes of mint and dark chocolate powder. Medium-bodied, fine, velvety tannins lead into notes of red currant, leather, and rust. It crescendos with a finish of peppercorn, spice and tobacco.
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10/11/2014 - bramwessel wrote:
Phenomenal. Huge nose, super complex. Berries, spices, smoke, just layer after layer. Surprisingly light looking but perfectly balanced with front end dark fruity sweetness, peppery mid-palate, long, smooth meaty finish. Decanted 45 mins.
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9/19/2014 - Skip4wine wrote: 93 Points
medium garnet color starting to get some brick coloration. Tart dark fruit, some leather and barnyard. Drinking beautifully now and I expect more complex flavors to continue to develop. Can't believe how complex and delicious this is for the price.
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9/13/2014 - jpdel Likes this wine: 92 Points
First experience with musar. First thing that strikes is how light it is. Nose was tight at first then opened up with some of the barnyard scents that is apparently typical.
Boy the light color gives not hint to the intense flavors here. A meatiness dominates for me, some light veggie notes, and plenty of fruit to wrap around it all. Soft, velvety finish.
Very tasty, and will make me seek out more.
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9/12/2014 - empire80 Likes this wine: 90 Points
A bit more volatile than previous bottles, and a slightly shorter finish than I recalled, but distinctly Musar.
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9/12/2014 - coremill wrote:
Out of 375. Quite volatile but not overwhelmingly so. Pretty red fruit, good density, nice silky texture. Nice.
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8/21/2014 - blaahhi wrote:
Red fruit, leather, tobacco, foresty elements and some typical funk on the nose. Spicy sweet fruit on the palate, balanced by the good acidity. Velvety tannins and a long leathery finish. Matured but still somehow youthful, it still has many years ahead.
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8/14/2014 - derekjohn Likes this wine: 91 Points
Astonishingly a little petillante. Otherwise unmistakable Musar. A few years left in this vintage, I think.
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6/11/2014 - Biggsy wrote: 90 Points
Classic funky volatile Musar aromas. There's a lovely tobacco note in there too. Feels light on it's feet and really fresh. There's tarry red fruits, old leather and some spice to the tannins. Nice mouthfeel and excellent balance. Maybe a touch short on the finish.
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6/5/2014 - NiklasW wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour. Excellent as always, wonderful cherry, just so good. This one with quite a bit of VA, but in the good Musar way. Love it.
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3/29/2014 - CapitainHaddock Likes this wine: 92 Points
After opening the wine the bouquet was the noted Musar barnyard. The palate was somewhat harsh. After decanting for over two hours, the flavors came out very nicely. Round, smooth and balanced. Earth and plum. No tannins. Fantastic wine. The 1999 was ready to drink but can also age a few more years. Wonderful pairing with grilled steak, roasted potatoes and roasted cauliflower. I have several more 1999s waiting in the cellar.
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3/26/2014 - rexmerlot wrote: 92 Points
I always enjoy the musar wines. Dark purple in color. Clean nose of cassis and spice. Dry, med acidity, med body, cassis, leather, dark chocolate, and spice on palate. Wish I had more.
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3/23/2014 - kopke wrote:
Bouteille prise en bonne compagnie! Une bien belle bouteille, robe translucide, un beau fruit et rien de funky...
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3/16/2014 - cardsandwine Likes this wine:
Even better than previous bottle. Best bottle of this wine to date. Big earthy bouquet with sweet pure fruit and impeccable balance on the palate. Completely round and delicious. A wine with soul.
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3/13/2014 - Rupert wrote: 88 Points
Sweet, autumnal soft fruit, fruit cakey and a bit spirity. (Looking over the past few notes I see that this porty quality is a consistent theme)
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3/2/2014 - StefanAkiko Likes this wine: 89 Points
Miniinferno #1 in Umeå (Hemmavid, Umeå): Mature, delicious, powerful and rustic. One of the great tasters at the table spontaneously said: "...this is like a Musar...". I had intended it as a ringer, but made a face-plant. Would have been much better in a C9dP tasting.
It displayed no brett, has a slightly sweet core and is delightfully mature, as in playful early maturity. Still plenty of life ahead. This is rewarding and complex, but lacking the structure that previous btls displayed.
...or was it the company of super structured fantastic '95 Bordeaux that dismantled this wine? Hmm, good question, but I don't think so. It was a different animal from its ordinary self already upon popping it.
Happy to have 3 btls in London.
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2/23/2014 - Billigan Likes this wine: 95 Points
There's always an extra bit of suspense when opening a bottle of Musar, not knowing what wild flavors (or flaws) are in store, but it's especially nice to crack open a clean-as-a-whistle example like this one. It took a good hour for the aromatics to come to life, but when they did, they were brilliant. Like a red-fruited Bordeaux profile (leather, cedar, graphite, etc.) but with a whole exotic, spice market component woven into it. Typically sweetish fruit on the palate but with Burgundian elegance, acidity, and proportion. Stunningly good, with many years to go, and hands-down the best Musar I've ever had.
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2/6/2014 - blanquito wrote: 93 Points
Big mint and cooling eucalyptus, warm mulling spices, citrusy cherry syrup, sweet and long, with intense tangy acids and an overlay of paint thinner/petroleum spirit. No barnyard. Bigger/deeper than the other Musars I've had (the 98, 01 and 02). There are flavors and smells almost foreign to wine. The intensity and torpedo juice grew with air. Peculiar and ravishing. 93-94 pts.
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2/1/2014 - Lordswood wrote: 92 Points
Wow, sweet, but beautifully balanced. Went wonderfully well with a smokey beef casserole... Has a decent life ahead of it too.
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1/30/2014 - hadwin Likes this wine: 90 Points
WES - Château Musar Vertical (LSE Holborn): Medium to high intensity - quite dark. Orange rim and very clear and bright. Very sweet on the nose - sherbet, treacle. Smooth velvety richness, good acidity and length.
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1/30/2014 - tendring Likes this wine: 89 Points
Wine Education Service - Château Musar (LSE): Translucent, showing some age but not as much as expected.
Figgy fruit and treacle aromas.
Sweet and fruity attack, tannins are pretty evident but otherwise the balance is good, long.
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1/29/2014 - affordableCollector wrote: 88 Points
orange, red, in the color. dried fruit, soil, on the nose. cherry, spice, blackberry, earth, on the palate. medium acid, on the finish.
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1/28/2014 - Colima74 wrote: 93 Points
Lovely showing, with tart red fruit dominating, and bordeaux-like notes in the background. This was opened at The Playground for a large group, and it was well-received.
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1/23/2014 - 99tollap wrote: 95 Points
Drank with patatas bravas. I was lucky enough to get an exceptional bottle of Musar, far better than my last '99. Light cherry colour. Extremely aromatic and complex nose. I could smell this just pouring into the decanter! Sweet berrys, apple cider, leather and general 'forest' aromas. Quite Burgundian. In the mouth the attack is also quite sweet and rich extending to a beautiful and almost piercing acidity on the mid-palette but never off-balance. The finish is warming, very, very long and mouth-filling. Tannins are there but resolving nicely. Stunning and unique wine. Best way to drink this? Slowly from initial pour. I drank this with a friend over 6 hours and it was insane. Worth a gamble I'd say.
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1/1/2014 - rexy wrote: 92 Points
On the nose: Barny, yes. Nail varnish, yes. Always interesting on the nose that never gives any clues as to how it will taste.
Mid length finish, sweet, touch of fruit cake and spice. It's a very interesting wine, never disappoints (when it isn't corked). Oh goodness, I like this wine for what it costs. Ps never have Ch. Musar after having Californian wines or a powerful Bordeaux on a tasting night. Start with Musar, it's just so different and not comparable to these. Enjoy it for what it is. Love the Hochar family for this.
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12/29/2013 - ekallio wrote:
Very aromatic, cedary bouquet as in some left bank Bordeaux, but also a lot of spice. Very Burgundian mouthfeel, not a lot of impact, but really long, mouth-cleaning and acid-driven taste of spice and dried fruit. Really fine and also a nice match with Maroccan lamb with prunes made in a tagine.
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12/27/2013 - PeaVey Likes this wine: 91 Points
First bottle in 6 months. Decanted 1 hour before drinking. Usual funky/bretty nose. Agree with previous comments regarding fruitiness. Tannins seem to have subsided. Bottle variation means it's always a bit potluck. All part of the attraction and mystique of Musar.
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12/26/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:
Very lifted and quite stinky/bretty at first. Sweet fruit underneath. Needs air and food to show best. I liked it.
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12/17/2013 - Rupert wrote: 88 Points
Even more fruit cakey than last week's bottle, fat and verging on oxidised - still nice, but hard to take when you know how good this can be
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12/9/2013 - Rupert wrote: 90 Points
Wine lunch with work colleagues (Hawksmoor, Guildhall, London): Not one of its better showings. Fruit cakey and porty, sweet middle. Very nice to be sure, but this lacked the energy of past bottles.
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12/8/2013 - Lordswood wrote: 91 Points
Very light colour... Is it a bird, a plane, Pinot Noir or Nebbiolo. Too sweet and not enough tannin or acidity for either, this turns out to be sophisticated, smooth and easy to drink. A tiny bit of funk in there reminds you of its origins. Lovely. No rush to drink.
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12/7/2013 - cardsandwine Likes this wine:
My first bottle in 5 years and the wine is showing no signs of slowing down. Earthy bouquet and a harmonious balance with a lengthy finish. Fantastic juice for the price.
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11/3/2013 - ekenneth wrote: 95 Points
The 1999 Musar has been one of my favorite wines of all time and continues to be so. But, by the same token, no 2 bottles of this have been the same.
This one had that beautiful black cherry fruit/ simple syrup texture that so many of the musar's have but with dark fruit and a healthy dose of barnyard funk, and at the same time a hint of cranberry/ acid that reminds me of what you get in a high-end burgundy or a refined style of chateauneuf, like clos des papes. While I've had musar's that remind me more strongly of bordeaux, burgundy or the rhone, this one is rhone all the way.
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11/2/2013 - shallIshantI Likes this wine: 93 Points
Another vertical tasting 18 months from the last one.
1999 - we thought this was at its peak last year. It is still going strong. As night went on, it became sweet and honeyed. There is plenty of punch. Apparently that is supposed to be the characteristic of Musars. Instead of peaking and then declining, they stay at that peak for years. Score 93
2000 - Rich nose. Slightly lighter on the palate. More wood. Score 91
2001 - favourite for 2 of the guests. Lovely fruit. Still lots of body for a 12yr old wine. Score 92
2002 - again that spritz and bite. Phenolic - even on the cork. What is it with the '02. Least favourite of the lot
2003 - Lots of blackcurrants but lighter compared with the others. Score 91
2004 - Wow. Medicinal lozenges. Think Vicks vapour rub. This will age very well. Score 92
2005 - noticeably more purple at the edges. Still has youth. Again medicinal but good clean fruit. Yummy. This has certainly matured in the last 18 months and drinking well now. Interesting how it has changed in that time. Score 91
We had beef in ale as the main course and then Gruyere de Compte (another vertical of 18, 21 ans 24 months) for the cheese course. The Musars went perfectly. All bottles opened 9 hours before starting the meal.
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10/31/2013 - Sheila62 wrote:
This was a tribute wine for my dog Carly who passed away a month ago after 14 years, and was born in 1999. Great cigar box nose, spice and wonderful balanced fruit. Good acidity and this wine has at least 10-15 years to go..a symbol I know but what a great wine!
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10/12/2013 - mugginsthedog wrote: 88 Points
Last bottle of first case. Three more cases to go. This was the least impressive of the case with hints of VA. Palate was better.
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9/20/2013 - jamie24 wrote: 94 Points
This was my first from a case of the '99 Musar and it trumped the '01 which I'm also a big fan of. Cherries on the nose. Simply delicious and I suspect it will age well. Outstanding price to quality ratio
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9/15/2013 - Rupert wrote: 93 Points
Pale, a rose petal fragrance, sweet, spice and strawberries, mouthfilling. Quite glorious
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8/31/2013 - colmanstephenson Likes this wine:
UPON OPENING
Appearance: rather light, translucent
Distinctly orange rim. lots of material
N: baked bread, cake spices, acetone, but its all on the warm side.
P: friendly round chewy entry. plenty of tannin fur, quick . warming finish but more length then the finish would suggest.
=: gorgeous. not as weird as some other Musars.
-----
2 hours later.
resolved into a medium bodied, sweetly fruited, slightly chewy drink with that disctintive raspberry/acetone aroma.
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8/26/2013 - Seth Rosenberg Likes this wine: 93 Points
Jeremy's bottle - tasted double blind. I was behind, so when I got to it, the group was discussing what it was. Some said 'right-bank' while Faryan went with 'Italy-Spain'. I immediately sided with Faryan. There was something warm about this - hot stones or the sap you get with Tempranillo - citrusy sweet fruit. It was too sweet for BDX. But that wasn't right either - there was something pretty acidic about it - Nebbiolo? I realized it was something else - there was something exotic ... like Unico ... what the hell is this. Then I put the pieces together: Musar. I've only had it once, a few months back, and it was a bad bottle - but it all made sense. Even I was surprised with the reveal. :)
Murky with stones and sun, plums and blood. Like BDX but more ripe with an exotic oak and spice component. Hosin with a touch of funk. Plummy with spice on the palate, exotic and rich (a la Unico), meaty, good acid, dark and rich. Tart finish. Light tannins. Runner up for WOTN for me. Nose - 5-5.5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1.5/2 = 16.5-17/20.
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8/25/2013 - wirelesswine wrote: 95 Points
Color is dark, tawny, and a touch cloudy. The nose has sour cherry for days, a hint of VA, mushroom, spice, and even some medicinal qualities. And then you take a sip - and the fruit is EXPLOSIVE, yet caressing the palate with a silky texture and all kinds of sweet fruits.
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8/24/2013 - Rich S Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for around 1.5 hours. Dark ruby color, slightly cloudy. Great nose of medicinal herbs, tart cherry and red fruit, a bit of mushroom and some metallic and mineral driven notes. Really pretty. The palate was possibly even better with some of the purest cherry and cranberry coming through and just coating your palate in silky red fruit. Medium+ acid and medium tannins. Great balance and a long finish. This was the best Musar I have had to date and crushes me that I only had 1 bottle of this in the cellar!
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8/21/2013 - drunkstar wrote: 91 Points
I love Musar and this is a good un. Musar = Marmite!
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7/20/2013 - MonkeyBiz101 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Surprisingly little drama from this bottle. No funk, etc. just straightforward bordeaux style red. Very good, smooth and balanced, with good spice and cherry fruit.
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7/9/2013 - Rezy13 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lighter orangey red, mainly translucent; animal nose but in great balance to the rich red fruit and vegetal components; radish, carrot, cherry, yellow plum, cranberry, and lots of licorice, silky mouthfeel; delicious, balanced, and sweet finish; knew right away exactly what this was, reminds me of clean Quintarelli. WOTN
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7/2/2013 - winesteward wrote: 92 Points
Very strong barnyard note on first taste. It did go away for the most part after some time in time in the glass. Rich and sweet. Fig paste and plum. Earth and cocoa. Quite soft and approachable. Very nice. Slightly jarring metallic note on the finish, though.
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6/28/2013 - Rupert wrote: 91 Points
Classic Musar, exotic perfume, spirity silky, mouthfilling, but not as deep as last month's bottle
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6/22/2013 - Michiel Likes this wine: 91 Points
The wine looks Light brown colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like Strawberry, and Cherry. It tastes like and Cherry. The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Smooth texture. The wine finishes Long.
(Thanks to the cellartracker tasting note assistant)
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6/14/2013 - empire80 Likes this wine: 92 Points
consistent with previous notes
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6/1/2013 - Barolo Raymond Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium ruby, vibrant, narrow legs at 14 % abv. Medium developed aromas of red cherries, caramel, coffee, a farm emerges vaguely, butterscotch and spice. Dry, medium acidity, medium(-) super soft tannin, medium body and medium(+) alcohol. Medium(+) flavors of ripe cherries, berries, chocolate, white pepper.
Very well balance between fruits-tannin-alcohol. Light juicy pleasant mouth feel, elegant and structured. Great length, no lack of focus, this wine has youthful presence. Very elegant and enjoyable, quite unexpected. A really good wine, funky and one of the best Musar so far.
Released by the winery in 2012, this sets an example! Many other top estates should take notice.
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5/25/2013 - Rezy13 wrote: 92 Points
Orangey red; sweet, perfumed, leather, gaminess, radish, red fruit, richness, aged, obviously some Brett but it is symbiotic to the profile of the wine; overall very delicious. I was on Quintarelli.
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5/15/2013 - danielk168 wrote: 90 Points
Hmmm, this is really like nothing I have tasted before, as they say, either you love it or............, I guess I liked this. Ha ha. Now I am a new Musar fan.
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5/14/2013 - Rupert wrote: 94 Points
I think this is the best Musar ever. All the funk, medicine, dried fruits, sweet core, mouthfilling, soft textured, a wonder
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5/7/2013 - indiscriminate palate wrote: flawed
Brief Notes from Grand Sichuan: Very pretty nose, but clipped and without fruit on the palate.
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5/7/2013 - Seth Rosenberg wrote: flawed
Odd flavors and mouthfeel. I got some Marzipan before I gave up.
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5/7/2013 - salil wrote: flawed
Not a representative bottle, coming across really disjointed and acidic, almost vinegary.
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4/11/2013 - SimonG wrote: 94 Points
Half bottle recently purchased and direct from CMUK. Cork a little dry and crumby at the exposed end, but wet and fine at the business end. Full smoky garnet. Lovely Musar nose of warm spice, sandlewood and winter fireside. Sweet fruit, round, mid weight, good line from positive attack through mid-palate to persistent and moderate length finish. Smooth and harmonious. Proper Musar blend of cosseting and comforting with something slightly wild and exciting. No VA etc. The best early adolescent Musar I can remember having. In half this is just at the start of it window proper. ****1/2
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1/25/2013 - 99tollap wrote:
Rating pending. Nose was astonishing. Rich, velvety, leathery. Lots of Earth and spicy fruit and a touch of tobacco/tar. Unfortunately the tasting this was drunk at was a disaster and I couldn't get any decent further notes. I have another bottle which I'll use to embellish this note with in time...
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1/25/2013 - sindbad wrote:
Given the high points on Cellar Tracker, I'm surprised this wine showed so poorly. A possible off bottle? Sharp VA, and a hint of wet cardboard. Would like to try this again coz I'm not convinced this was a representative bottle.
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1/20/2013 - diggydan wrote: 95 Points
Red-fruited, spiced, buried in earth, the nose reaches up from the glass, grabbing you. What a way to start a drink of wine! The spice, which I suppose is brett, returns on the palate, providing a cozy warmth. Ripe red fruit melds perfectly with soft yet ample tannins and refined but robust acidity. The finish is long and pleasing, the fruit lingers like memory.
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1/12/2013 - bullmrkt Likes this wine: 94 Points
Whoa. My first Musar and me likey. Lollypop cherry red color, quite transparent. Big Bordeaux-like nose but with an unique exotic element to it. Lots of ripe red fruits combine with earthy elements and an amazingly smooth, almost chocolatey texture make the palate. It gracefully and slowly recedes from your palate in a long, clean finish. Fantastic.
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12/31/2012 - RajivAyyangar wrote:
With the Family at New Years.
Med ruby in the glass. Slowly unfolding nose with a pure core of integrated tamari and cassis, but still a bit of grapeyness and disjointedness around it. Secondary flavors like brett are sort of swirling around, as if searching for a place to settle.
In the mouth it is med-light bodied, with some grapeyness and an unremarkable finish.
Improved a bit after a while out of the decanter, but this needs age. No Rating - YOUNG!
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12/31/2012 - marc d Likes this wine:
High toned (duh, its Musar). Very deep fruit, some spice. Structure was gentle, easy to drink. This was excellent. Decant if drinking now.
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12/25/2012 - Billigan wrote: 91 Points
An excellent accompaniment to the Christmas tenderloin. No mistaking the heavy presence of brett on the nose, but the kind I don't mind (cloves, smoke). And as usual with Musar, the flaws somehow became virtues, with spice aromas blending beautifully with the high-toned red-fruited scents.Tannins were fine-grained and well integrated on the palate, with a nice kick of spice on the long finish.
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12/18/2012 - coremill wrote: 91 Points
Initially served blind. I initially thought mid90s left bank bordeaux based on the graphite. Not a bad guess but I was obviously off. Very nice redcurrant and cassis fruit, the aforementioned graphite, and some spice. There's upfront sweetness to the fruit on the attack but it's well-balanced through the midpalate and the texture is the real selling point here, silky and suave, what the Brits would call "classy, with good breed". Drinking very well and wide open now.
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12/14/2012 - jcha24 wrote:
a fantastic bottle of wine
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12/12/2012 - amgryger wrote:
NY/NJ WLTV Offline at SD26 on 12/12/12 (SD26, NYC): Aromatic profile is an interesting mix of cassis, tomato juice, pyrazine and earth. Medium to medium high acidity and tannin. Medium body and very well balanced.
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11/28/2012 - lozatron wrote:
Enjoyed at Alex Lake's Musarathon. Showed well - properly Musar-y, enjoyable now but certainly lots of life ahead of it.
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10/30/2012 - StefanAkiko wrote: 94 Points
Non-blind. Decanted 3 hrs. Had at Le Manoir (Hiroo).
Impression: Outstanding with great class. Musar continues to amaze.
Light red with slight maturing nuance. Fantastic on the nose, displaying ushi-no-oshiri (behind of cow), sumi ink and a fruity palette of distinction.
In the mouth this wine is elegant. Elegant and rich. Powerful thanks to miraculous concentration and M++ acids. Tannins are melting and there are many secondary aromas. Sumi ink, spicy character and Brett make this wine amazingly interesting. Not yet peaking but getting there in a few years' time. Blind, I'd probably had gone with a high quality Rioja...
(Wife 89p - didn't make friends with the acids.) Final bottle in ~4 years' time. Wish we had more.
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10/27/2012 - Jkeyes wrote: 91 Points
Fantastic and a nice surprise. Akin to a spicy Bordeaux or powerful merlot. Pleasantly surprised with my first Lebanese wine.
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10/15/2012 - h8oopus wrote: 94 Points
A special treat to find on the restaurant wine list. Great nose, lush berries but not overwhelming, chocolate, velvet tannins. Only have the 2001 vintage as a reference point and it outshined by a wide margin.
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9/30/2012 - drfloyd wrote: 95 Points
Outstanding in every way - just loved this wine and it went perfectly with a grilled leg of lamb. It has really settled down and is drinking well now - lovely, rich nose with a bit of mint. great structure and balance - almost no tannins but wine is perfectly balanced w/ acidity - and has a finish which goes on for ever.
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9/29/2012 - Elfgren wrote: 95 Points
Perfect with Jordanian style lamb
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9/24/2012 - Keith Cooper wrote: 92 Points
Two bottles opened to cater for numbers, both tasting similarly. I like Musar, though I don't drink it often. Opened and decanted two hours before tasting, it was rich and chocolatey. Received well by friends.
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9/17/2012 - salil wrote: 91 Points
Wild stuff. Layers of fresh currants and red fruits, high toned herbal and spicy notes and bretty and VA accents, incredibly compelling to smell and very polished texturally with fine grained tannins and bright acids that keep it very lively and precise.
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9/14/2012 - swyang wrote: 94 Points
Transparent, yet deep violet red color. On the nose perfumes of flower, mineral, and small red berries sing along a beautiful and yet subtle song. On the palate a superb presence on a rather high pitch at first then getting deeper on the mid palate and to finish with a beautiful reverberation. That is exactly what I look into wine; a weightlessness, and yet beautifully singing 'tension' in the body, and a gorgeous harmony of flowers, berries, and mineral, making it a perfectly balanced chord and wishing yet for another sip. A stunner just starting it's peek... will have my last bottle in a couple of years.
2nd Night; A stunner, never had we experienced such perfume of Cherry, Cranberry, and Grape seed(yes literally!) exploding, colliding, and coming down in a rainbow like harmony. One could almost see colors through the scents. If it were tonight the score would be a 96+. I am now wondering how I could get more of this vintage, as I only have one left and is clearly hitting its peak plateau only now.
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9/7/2012 - Topper wrote: 86 Points
I know that many people have had good luck with this wine but mine are definitely fading and starting to fall apart. Just shadows now.
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8/16/2012 - Eubulos wrote: 94 Points
Unique, excellent, multi-dimensional, good potential to reach a perfect score.
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7/30/2012 - michigan dogs wrote: 95 Points
Best bottle night, the Musar, from a magnum, was the wine of the night for me. Outstanding, smooth, great flavor profile, tasted like an excellent bordeau to me. A 2007 Lynmar Estate single vineyard Pinot was #2 and a Joseph phelps 2002 Insignia #3. I had never had Mausar before, what a treat. We enjoyed several other great bottles too.
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7/6/2012 - empire80 wrote: 92 Points
as last one
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6/21/2012 - Winevestor wrote: 93 Points
The Musar nose is always tremendous, giving you an inkling of what is to come. The wine feels like it is out of the glass, in the air and coating your nose. Leather, vanilla and stewed plums A lot of fresh fruit in the mouth, light to medium body, wonderful integration of tannins. This is a very distinctive wine with the most similarity to an older Rioja. Compared to other Musars, this is a lighter body, and more fruit. Absolutely beautiful wine
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6/13/2012 - Goldstone wrote: 92 Points
Drank over dinner at Chez Patrick Restaurant with Angela, Jackie and Alex. Decanted 5 hours in advance. Dusky semi-transparent purple-red color. Nose is medium level temple smoke and spice market, still some oak. Palate is sweet red cherry, cherry boiled sweets, bright acidity, fresh and light, still quite tannic on the finish with a dry black Chinese medicine finale. Some resonance. Needs more time but adds to my conviction that this will one day be a superlative vintage of Musar.
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6/10/2012 - shallIshantI wrote: 92 Points
Vertical tasting – 7 years of Musar from 1999 to 2005
2005 – most tannic one. Noticeably younger. Very good year, smooth, but needs longer in bottle. Scores range 85-91
2004 – still has a little bite on the tip of the tongue. Tastes younger than its age. Fruit is nice and clean. Mustier. Nose is dull. Hot year. Punchy. Scores range 87-90
2003 – lovely and smooth from the word go. Silky but more lightweight compared to the others. Scores range 82-92
2002 – there was a sharp spritz on the bottle, still there hours after opening. Roughest of the lot and not nearly as good as my previous experience of this year. Maybe just a rogue bottle.
2001 – if tasted blind, you could be forgiven for thinking this was a grand vin claret. The Cabernet dominates this year. Another hot year. Almost sherry like. Not full or punchy though. A few more years to go. Well liked. Scores range 90-92
2000 – bubblegum sweet yet earthy. Distinct from the others. Nice, clear, young and fruity for a 12year old wine. The 2000 grew on us as the night went on. This has reached the point when it can be enjoyed. Scores range 90-92
1999 – this is at its peak now and showing its aristocracy. Drink up. Scores range 90-93
We tried the 2003, 2004 and 2005 with the starter (shredded duck) and then added the 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 for the main (Roman lamb). All bottles opened 6 hours prior to tasting. The cork for the 2000 was coloured all the way up but the wines were all at the same level in the necks.
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6/3/2012 - VTCellarDweller Likes this wine: 93 Points
With dinner at The Farm Table in Bernardston, MA. I have never tasted Chateau Musar so I decided to give it a try. The Som did a great job of opening and decanting the bottle which had a fractured cork and a fairly heavy sediment.
As soon as he started to decant, I could sense the fabulous aromas. He gave us a short pour and recommended waiting until the entree to pour again. In the glass, it had a brilliant medium ruby color with just a hint of edge browning. The aromas and flavor profile were wonderfully exotic and exuberant (roses, lavender, violets, baked fruits, cinnamon, garrigue, old leather, pipe tobacco, and a hint of brett), but the totality was quite unlike anything I have experienced. If it was quieter, I might have heard the angels singing.
This wine is very well balanced, vibrant, smooth, and rounded in the mouth. It had fine silky tannins and a long clean finish that did not reveal the 14% ABV. It continued to open up throughout the meal gaining in both intensity and complexity to the last sip.
If I were tasting blind, I would suspect someone was trying to stump me with a blend of Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Northern Rhone. In frustration, I would probably have guessed it to be a LdH Rioja Gran Reserva Tondonia from the mid 90's. Is this the unique terroir or does Musar have some kind of secret sauce they dose this with?
This elegant wine is much to my liking and should improve for 4-5 years then hold well for another decade at the least. This is one to buy if you are in synch with its unique style.
6/10/2013 Update
From 375 ml decanted and served with a selection of cheeses. This was the first of 6 half bottles purchased online a year ago. It was in excellent condition with no sign of poor storage.
It was very similar to the full bottle a year ago but a bit toned down in comparison. It was still a delight to drink. 91 points for this bottle.
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6/1/2012 - Goldstone wrote: 91 Points
Five Decades of Chateau Musar....with Serge Hochar (Shanghai Room, Langham Place Hotel, Mongkok, Kowloon, Hong Kong): Darker than the 1997 but still a semi-transparent cherry-red. Nose is pronounced oak, vanilla pod, high-toned acetone. Palate is more advanced.....plummy fruit, bright acidity, some incense and nice wafts of a walk through an Eastern spice market. Already has a very heady resonance but still overly alcoholic. This is a great work in progress and I remain convinced that it will become a superlative vintage of Musar in 5-10 years' time. It's like catching up with a teenage niece or nephew you like and looking forward to see who they grow into.
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5/13/2012 - empire80 wrote: 92 Points
Classic musar. Is it a claret, is it a rhone, was that a hint of mature burgundy? Great when opening (quite farmyardy on the nose) but improved with a few hours in the decanter. Lovely rich warm spices, some strawberry, and a long complex finish.
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5/7/2012 - idc2001 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fabulous. Drank after the 2004 and an absolute pleasure after that. Decanted for an hour, colour was muted ruby, and not completely translucent (maybe not enough of a wait after shipping?). Nose was rich, primarily dense red fruit with a bit of savoury funk mixed in, but with an amazing topnote that i kept trying to isolate and could never quite pin down all evening. In the mouth it was clean and fresh, red fruit continuing with cherries and some floral hints offset by a clean acidity and fine tannin structure. Finish maybe slightly shorter than expected. Think this will get better yet, but hard to leave alone in the meantime.
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5/3/2012 - Rupert wrote: 92 Points
Wine dinner with work colleagues (Medlar, Chelsea, London): Rich, exotic, a touch of farmyard, gorgeously expansive on the palate - a spectacular Musar
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4/24/2012 - Bearbus wrote:
actually quite gentle in a nice way, old damp wood, perhaps touch damp leather, even a touch of liqourice, some get earth, stewed red/black/puruple fruits - like gently spiced poached dark plums; smooth, round without flab, chalky tannins with some nice gentle grip, great acidity to savour (not "fresh"), very enjoyable, wood-aged cider finish, not much VA, no Brett, quite elegant actually, great balance. Very good - defo should get more
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4/13/2012 - Rupert wrote: 93 Points
Musarathon (Strictly Rhythm, London): Pongy, ripe, dense and grippy, rich and spicy, this is a classic wild young Musar
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4/13/2012 - cooberp wrote: 91 Points
Musarathon (Strictly Rhythm, London): My WOTN. Nose of red berries, primarily currants, and cinnamon. Full in the mouth, with great tangy acidity as a counterpoint to the sweet fruit. Rich but everything in balance. Power rather than finesse here, but it seems I prefer that in Musar. Remarkable QPR.
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4/3/2012 - DonalOB wrote: 93 Points
I enjoyed this one - less brett and funkiness on the nose than other vintages. Actually relatively clean with strawberries, spice and licorice.
Lovely in the mouth - quite full with good acidity and very nice tannins balancing the fruit.
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3/31/2012 - NiklasW wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for about 40 mins. Lots of sediment. A fine ruby red, no signs of bricking. Fantastic red fruits, barnyard and a slight hint of VA, very Musar on the nose. Supergood on the palate as well, delicious red fruits, some tanins, still going strong. What a beauty.
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3/26/2012 - Mimesis wrote: 90 Points
Back of the label says "Released in 2011 by the winery". Flavors of cotton candy, persimmon and strawberries. Or if you're less poetic: glycerin, old oak and residual fruit. Nice round mouthfeel. Warm finish. A very good Musar, but not a great one.
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3/17/2012 - Impulse wrote: 92 Points
Typical Musar style, with some VA, an impression of worn out leather, cedar, etc. Mouthfeel is nice and fresh, still fruity but with some age showing, very nice for those who like the style. Classic Musar!
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3/15/2012 - Shanta wrote:
Mid brick color. Striking, bold nose of red berries, earth, and lifted resiny aromatics. The same strength of character on the palate, not heavy but pure intense flavors, bone dry but finishing with red fruit sweetness. Distinctive and unusual. Reminded me of the forthright flavors of Hermitage.
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1/24/2012 - Tony Molester wrote:
Trademark low quality cork, at least it didn't crumble. Decanted in a jam jar for about 120 min.
N: Opened on a blast of VA, then some brett, rasperries, damp soil.
P: High acid, yet richly fruited attack. Finish is long and savory, with a bit of VA wafting back on the finish. The 99 left an interesting impression on my taste buds. Its lightness and aerial texture were amazing.
I have little clue as to where this would be going with 10 further years of age. Wait and see.
Had over terrible cold fries, hummus, cake, beer, rope, etc. yikes.
Hold until 2017+.
14% abv.
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1/22/2012 - Kirk Grant wrote: 93 Points
Another wonderful bottle. Brilliant aeromatics with scents of cement floor, dried red fruits, and earth.
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1/22/2012 - blondesnowqueen wrote: 97 Points
Color: Garnet with ruby bricking
Smell: Dirt, dried red fruits, cloves. It's bold, "in your face" floral notes that just smells so good. (5+/5)
Taste: vibrant acidity, bright fruits with a bunch of red fruits..."this is good" even with a fait note of paint thinner that's really interesting. (5/5)
Overall: This is a wine I can't get enough of...it tickles my mouth, invogorates the sides or my palate and just makes me want to drink more...
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12/17/2011 - ChateauTooting wrote:
Just lovely, really delicious at in a great place right now. Give it a few hours to open up though.
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11/26/2011 - ikileo wrote:
Chateau Musar Vertical: Double decanted 5 hours prior
Nose: Similar in style to the '98, just much tighter on the nose. Had a 'baked' aspect to it and some interested notes of nori.
Taste: Rounder on the palate and slightly richer than the '98 yet with a slightly tingling on the top of my tongue as I was tasting it. Long finish. Similar savoury notes with sour cherries at the end. Nice stuff.
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11/21/2011 - Colima74 wrote:
Not as good as previous bottles; LC said it was more muted than other bottles, maybe on the downside?
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10/29/2011 - D Brown wrote: 90 Points
Dark, full round, with a hint of brett that grows more obvious with time in glass. A Musar with the guts to go the long term, with a classic Musar funk that you either love or loath. Certainly not as clean as recent vintages.
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10/17/2011 - tendring wrote: 92 Points
Wine Education Service - Château Musar (LSE): Plenty of age showing.
Initially a leathery nose, then the delicate, intriguing perfume of fruit.
Juicy and moreish, plenty of tannin, a certain subtle elegance, quite long.
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10/7/2011 - eboracum Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was a really lovely bottle. Wonderfully elegant and classically shaped showing the usual complex aromas of red fruit, blood, varnish, leather and oriental spices, all in perfect balance, together with mouth-watering acidity and gentle tannic support for the long finish. This wine would IMO be much diminished if it didn’t flirt with danger in the form of VA and brett but any such elements are perfectly under control, unlike a sample of 2001 where barnyard notes were very apparent. This doesn’t quite efface my memory of the 1988 but excellent; 17.5/20+++.
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9/28/2011 - viadomitia wrote: 88 Points
Good but not excellent like the previous bottles. Some deposit in bottle made the glass slightly cloudy for this ruby red wine with a tinge of orange showing. Bret smell dissipated after abbut an hour to let violet and bruised mint scents emerge. The wine retains a red fruit with solid acid back. I remember more fruit and a richer tasting experience from the previous bottles. Still a good wine but if I had to guess between bottle variation and this wine simply having peaked, i would go for the peak theory. This was my last bottle, so i can't prove myself wrong!! How convenient!!! 88.
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9/23/2011 - grafstrb wrote: 91 Points
Chateau Musar Tasting (Harrogate Fine Wine Company): -- double decanted approximately 2.5 hours before tasting --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 10 minutes --
Garnet color – darker than the ’98. Nose gave the impression of a very young Musar: purple berries, some V/A; no leather/funk. Palate was tart with a hint of leather and oak; red berries; a bit rough right now – could benefit from time in the cellar; bit tight on the finish, which is of medium length and moderate intensity. Seems to be quite nicely structured; if I was buying any vintage tasted tonight with the intention of socking it away in the cellar for awhile, it would be this one. I reckon my score tonight may ultimately prove to be conservative. Continue to hold.
B: 50, 5, 12, 16, 8 = 91
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9/15/2011 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
"Simple" Midweek Dinner (the Gang Goes Spanish) (Bilbao Restaurant, 111 Somerset): Very good indeed. It is quite bemusing how this wine is almost always unplaceable in a blind-tasting, and it was quite unguessable on the night once again. No one got closer than to place it as coming from a Mediterranean climate. It certainly had an intriguing nose, with a dusting of dark plums and cassis, sweet berries, a waft of dried flowers, and then some funky earth and barnyardy scents. There was a bit of glycerol in there, but hardly enough to throw off the overall attractiveness of that nose. The palate was really nice as well. Here too there was a bit oif alcohol at the edges, but I loved the flavours beyond that - sweet cassis, dark berries, nicely melting across the mouth into a slightly earthy, slightly herby, tobacco-touched finish. Nicely balanced with a nice sense of purity in spite of the generous fruit, this was such a puzzle of a wine. It was perhaps just a bit thinned out and metallic at the very end, but otherwise this was a good bottle at a pretty nice place now. On the upside, I can only see it getting better with time. Good stuff.
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9/1/2011 - swyang wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful wine. Just getting into its second phase. Beautiful violet color starting to fade a bit, the nose of violet flowers, small red berries, wet stone, and leather. On the palate, a very intense, yet elegant. Its presence would puzzle anyone tasting it blind, as for me this is very Bordeaux minus the funk, cigar box, and chocolate/vanilla elements, but plus the Burgundy Cote de nuits' purity, mineral and reverberating finish. A beauty to seek for.
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8/11/2011 - manonthemoon wrote: 93 Points
Had this at Firestone's after Volt, which has a very nice wine list and the prices are much more friendly. The first bottle was off so they brought a second and it was excellent. The typical red fruit and funk nose with the same showing on the palate and the structure was excellent. This is gonna be one for the long run as it never really fully opened up due to how fast it was consumed. Good stuff.
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8/5/2011 - elevation02 wrote: 95 Points
All I can say is..."wow". Once you do Lebanon, you'll never go back! This famous wine is a show-stopper. Touch and go these days given the age but when you get a good bottle, it is divine.
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7/28/2011 - leungallan wrote: 82 Points
Pop and drank a bit, smell black fruit, but tanning still quite strong. Decanted for 1 hr, the smell of black fruit fade, plate become smooth. After 2 hours, slight flora smell come out. 3 hours later, smell of mineral and iron. Overall, the body of the wine is very light. Tried 1998 vintage before, 1998 one is far better.
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7/25/2011 - Kirk Grant wrote: 92 Points
Color: Garnet with light bricking
Smell: Cedar, cinnamon, menthol, rosemary, sweet red fruits,
Taste: Plum, cherry, licorice, blueberry, and hints of tobacco, pine sap, and cement.
Overall: Another wonderful bottle of Musar...it's stylistically unique and difficult to describe...but this will be a treasure with more time in the bottle.
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6/25/2011 - smphelps wrote: 91 Points
First experience with this wine. Dark, striking crimson/maroon. Decanted for an hour or so before tasting and it needs it. Extracted and bold, seemingly still on the young side, very aromatic mixture of cherry, plum, shoe leather, faint orange, and blackberry. Round and soft, but with plenty of structure. A wine that cries out for food and is quite interesting. If I had more, which I do not, I would set it aside for 2-3 years and see where this is going.
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6/18/2011 - Michiel wrote: 93 Points
Double decanted in the afternoon. Decanted about 2hrs before serving at room temperature. Nose dominated by cherries and plums with some strawberries as well. Sweet entry, with nice acidity and well developed tannins. Great length with violets and cherries that lasts for at least a minute. Showing better than a couple of weeks ago, so enough air and the right temperature are probably required. Love this wine... Managed to find 6 more bottles. Great quality at a modest price.
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6/11/2011 - Dids wrote: 92 Points
My first Musar, a magnum bought a few years ago, and patiently waiting in the cellar. Musarites would say that this wine is far too young presently, and with the level of tannin showing last night, they are probably right. The wine was double decanted 2-3 hours before serving.
On opening a mixture of horse sweat, leather and sweet muted fruit, after 1/2 an hour the fruit opened up to reveal sweet plum, red cherries and strawberries, herbal notes, In the mouth the fruits are baked, there is definately a feeling of maturity in the wine, but with vibrant acidity and fine medium tannin you sense there is more to come. Spices come and go, cinnamon, cumin. Initially the Cabernet Sauvignon was the dominant grape, but as the night went on the cinsault came to the party.
A wine to enjoy and appreciate but will never astound, but I do not think it was made to do so. I am very pleased with my first Musar, but will not broach the other Mag for at least another 5 years.
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6/4/2011 - manonthemoon wrote: 92 Points
30th Birthday at Palena; 6/2/2011-6/5/2011 (Palena, Washington, DC): N. red raspberry, red cherry, leather, spice
P. red cherry, pomegranite, worn leather, cinnamon
F. was AA to long in length and the mouthfeel was excellent
Overall the wine was great, but still needs time if not decanted as was the case tonight. 91-92
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6/4/2011 - Michiel wrote: 92 Points
Double decanted about 4hrs before serving. At start a little too cold @ 15 degr. Opened up nicely in the next hour. Translucent ruby red colour. Fabulous nose of strawberries and cherries. Smokiness with oak. Good acidity. Great length. Love this wine. Need to get more.
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6/3/2011 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 91 Points
Brett's Epic Birthday Tasting (Palena - Washington, DC): i believe this was my first experience with a red musar, and it was definitely a memorable one. nose of raspberry, cinnamon and braised pork. the palate is lush but powerful. the cherry skins and pomegranate flavors are backed up by white pepper, forest floor. long finish. showing very well and will continue to do so for a long time. i can't imagine what this was like upon release!
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5/29/2011 - presterjohn Likes this wine:
Big, rich, varied fruit, luxurious mouth, with that slightly alcoholic undertaste of Musar. Lovely, very young, needs much more time to develop complexity.
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5/9/2011 - Goldstone wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured...drank two bottles over a Cuaba Salomon cigar on the balcony of the Hong Kong Country Club in 27 degree heat and 80% humididity. Not the respect that this wine deserves but it still delivered its essential quality. This is pretty indestructible in any circumstances. See my tasting note a month ago for a much more considered note when I scored it 93, which I think is a more accurate assessment. It is just so good.....
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5/5/2011 - sayornis wrote:
1001 Wines You Must Taste Before You die. 25.23 pounds / bottle. 14%. Complex. Andrew Jefford, "an enticing, dangerous scent of violets, game and incense, with dense, full0throttle fruit flavours." 5/5
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5/2/2011 - shallIshantI wrote: 93 Points
This is just so yummy. We compared the 1999, 2002 and 2003 together again. The 1999 and 2003 are ready. The 2002 is not. The 1999 packs tons of flavour - think best chocolates, plums, and herbs. Smooth and rounded. Very classy. The 2002 is still sharp. These are the 3 best years in the last 15 and right now, the 1999 edges ahead.
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4/16/2011 - Goldstone wrote: 93 Points
Ch. Musar Dinner with Serge Hochar (Foreign Correspondents' Club, Hong Kong): Deep almost opaque blood red colour. Nose is no brett, deep brooding dark red and black friuts, sweet molasses, red liquorice shoelaces candy, hints of Eastern spices like cinnamon stick and coriander powder...but quite reticent despite around 6 hours' decanting. Palate is round, velvety, tingling tannins and vibrant acidity with a back end finish of deep Turkish coffee grounds which rolls into a slowly mounting and endless finale that is totally resounding. This is still a very young wine by Ch. Musar standards but it is beginning to open up beautifully - especially the length and resonance - and it has put on a lot of weight since I first drank it with Serge Hochar in 2008. This could possibly become the best-ever Ch. Musar in 5+ years' time. Gorgeous.
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4/14/2011 - Dbrane wrote:
Chateau Musar Tasting (Daniel Boulud, Singapore): Good core of sweet fruits and a bold expression of sappiness. I would say this is entering drinking window but definitely need some decanting before serving.
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4/10/2011 - grafstrb wrote: 93 Points
-- decanted immediately before tasting --
-- tasted non-blind over 3 - 4 hours --
-- Cinsault, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon --
NOSE: nice moderately-aged Nose: interesting mix of leather, red berries, maple and cassis; hint of ashy mineral in the background; no perciptible oak or funk; after some time in the decanter an Indian spice note emerged as well. Complex.
BODY: hazy ruby color w/a mahogany wash; sediment present; medium bodied.
TASTE: very well-balanced: good acidity and still some tannic grip; leather; fresh - not heavy; came across as a Cabernet Sauvignon at first, but later presented itself more as a Cinsault; red and purple berries; green streak across the mid-palate; long persistent finish; garrigue note on finish; 14% alc. not noticeable. Very very impressive.
B: 50, 5, 14, 16, 8 = 93
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4/1/2011 - burgburgburg wrote: 91 Points
decanted for 1.5 hour; a little heat from its' 14% ALC; medium ruby red; expressive, long-lasting and balanced aroma; red fruits, cedar, meaty, peppery; velvety tannin; tight acidity and touch of wet leaves in finishing; excellent QPR
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3/9/2011 - avp wrote:
Lifted nose of ripe strawberry and cherry fruit, herbs, manour, leather, spices, sour almond and mushrooms.
Light to medium bodied palate with smooth grip and vivacious acidity. Notes of leather, figgy fruit, baking spice, tomato and sour almond. Good length.
A classic Musar with good potential. Lovely.
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3/3/2011 - DVHK wrote:
The wine shows light orange reflections and a strong nose of black olives. Same on the palate.
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2/21/2011 - shallIshantI wrote: 92 Points
Oh you do have to decant this, or at least open it for a good few hours before you enjoy it. When you first taste it, it's light, a little sharp, but teasing. Then after the first glass, the bouquet really develops. Perhaps it's the warmth. Goes down so easily. Not as strong an aftertaste as the 2002. Absolutely fantastic wine. It is drinking well now.
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2/18/2011 - MonoBlanco wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful wine. I have had about 5 bottles of the one and each time I am as impressed as the next.
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2/9/2011 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
Monthly Tasting Group HWS #055; Chateau Musar Vertical of 9 vintages red, 3 white plus a few extra's. (By DJ): Juicy red and black fruits, still sticky tannin. Some sweetness and herbs and leather. Fairly complex. Medium long finish. Ready now and for 5+ years.
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1/31/2011 - andrew@carvedras.co.uk wrote: 91 Points
Good rim showing, fairly intense colour and a sweetish smell on the nose. Sweet raisiny fruit but gamey in style too. Balanced acidity on the length. This wine leaves a signature.
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1/15/2011 - Alfaro wrote: 94 Points
Very peppery, complex, deep and vegetable
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1/7/2011 - Kirk Grant wrote: 91 Points
Consumed a 375ml of this tonight and this did not disappoint! A wonderful wine that hits all the typical Musar notes on the nose and the palate. I would gladly buy more...
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12/30/2010 - Mile-End Likes this wine: 93 Points
Complex, evolved. Great.
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12/21/2010 - MonkeyBiz101 wrote: 93 Points
Outstanding nose and palate. This has stepped up over the last year no end.
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12/18/2010 - drfischer wrote: 94 Points
This was a tasting of Chateau Musar red from 89, 99 and 01. 01 was still too young and should remain in the cellar for two more years. The 99 was perfect and the 89 already was a little bit old (and also lost part of its taste after staying open for some time.
Also in the tasting was a bottle of Hochar red 2000 (the second wine from Musar). Compared to the Musar the taste was a little bit light (0 views)
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11/15/2010 - NiklasW wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for about 15 minutes, lots of sediment. Fantastic notes of strawberries and barnyard. Went really well with grilled lamb marinated in a Morrocan sauce, delicious.
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9/19/2010 - NickM Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Yes, you love it or hate it. I am the latter, and my wine group agreed, putting it bottom of our tasting. I can't recall the opposition ...
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9/17/2010 - BonaFin wrote: 96 Points
Like nothin else. Love it or hatet it - I loved it.
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9/15/2010 - naina8 wrote:
Drinking great now, but even better 10-15 yrs from now probably. Classic musar - - soil-driven, "barnyard". Decanted for 3 hours.
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9/7/2010 - brubron wrote:
Right away, the nose takes you to a musty old cellar of earth and mold. The slight orange color reinforced the impression of age. The fruit has weakened a bit but on the whole the wine was quite interesting and unique and especially suited with the mushrooms that covered the stake. This is not Musar's strongest vintage, but an exotic delight nonetheless.
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9/6/2010 - jpijg wrote: 93 Points
Exotic nose of confit cherries lace with spices, hints of cedar, dried rose and lychee. In the mouth, the wine is opulent and fat, but remains balanced with no heaviness despite the maturity of the fruits (blackberry, cherry). Spices, chocolate, liquorice and tobacco flavours with earthy hints provide some freshness and a welcomed contrast to the richness of the fruits.
NB : the wine was the last of a marathon tasting which included Remoissenet montrachet, Vega Sicilia, Cheval Blanc 89 etc...Our senses might have been a bit blurred at the end, since I ended up thinking it was a Rayas !
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8/28/2010 - manonthemoon wrote: 93 Points
Notes from day 2. Dark red color. Nose of cherry, red raspberry, barnyard, herb. Palate is amazing with pomegranate, cherry, red raspberry, cranberry, barnyard, red licorice, herb, spice, little chocolate tannin the long it is in the glass. The finish is long and there is good balance with acidity and tannin present. Just rocking on the palate tonight. Hold. 50+5+12+18+8 (92-93)
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8/23/2010 - Kirk Grant wrote: 90 Points
A cork that shows signs of seepage...Yet despite this the wine still shows promise and offeres an interesting nose, vibrant acidity, and beautiful fruit. While still outstanding...it's not as promising as the last bottle I had.
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8/21/2010 - Fur in the glass wrote:
Vibrant red-black color with deep berry, leather and wood aromas. Bright silky fruit on top of an astringent middle then some delicious cherry flavors on the finish.
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7/4/2010 - Dave Canada wrote: 96 Points
Awesome again.....killer wine
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6/30/2010 - Dave Canada wrote: 96 Points
wow...this is so rhonesque...such pure raspberry, strawberry, garrique, earth, minerals, black tea, and cherry with such a long and pure palate and finish....such complexity and depth. I was almost 97 pts.
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5/25/2010 - TheEngineer wrote: 91 Points
Another great wine from Musar. I've been drinking their 01 and 02's lately but had a chance to step back a few years. This wine is more evolved than the other two but had great density. Bordeaux ringer with some additional spicey notes, great balance and wonderful drinking. I drank half bottle before noticing that I had consumed that much. Not the best of deals at $50 but incredible deal at $25.
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5/20/2010 - tendring Likes this wine: 86 Points
Wine Education Service - Château Musar - 80th Anniversary Tasting (Imperial College): A strange nose, starting out like vanilla custard, but patience revealed its complexity with fruit and game aromas.
Sweet and spicy, quite luscious and drinking well but try this again in about five years.
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5/14/2010 - Dave Canada wrote: 96 Points
Wow.....right out of the bottle this is so impressive
Nose has cherry, raspberry, earth, wet leaf, and an almost garrigue like note
Palate has such power yet is still so subtle. Earth, herbs, cherry, strawberry, raspberry, pepper, and cherry
Finish is really long with spice, cherry, raspberry and strawberry in the fore with all of the great tertiary characteristics of the palate comeing back.
Really great wine!
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4/5/2010 - Mile-End Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cherry taste. Very elegant right now. Would be interesting to revisit in 2-3 years.
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4/3/2010 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 93 Points
I don't remember the details of this, but it was beautiful. When you want it to, it can be the center of attention, a swirl of intriguing flavors, with structure so perfect you can't focus on it. Had it with a simple pasta salad with fresh mozzarella. Riveting, and delicious. Drop-dead gorgeous nose with typical Musar Brett and savory character, wrapped around a core of real, true fruit. Didn't quite stop my heart like the 95, but give it 10 years and it might.
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3/31/2010 - Nohedes wrote: 86 Points
Cork. Half bottle. Decanted for 1 hr, tasted and then left for another 4 hrs. Wow this was closed on opening! After an hour in the decanter, the overwhelming bouquet was nail varnish and VERY sour cherry. A bit musty as well on the nose and borderline faulty. Of course this is Musar, so you wait a while and... it improves dramatically. Light red colour with a hint of purple at the edge. Slightly less sour cherry after 4 hrs and the varnish has gone as has (most) of the mustiness. Now you've got fresh fig, mocha and loads of acid, which gives the wine a sharp and long finish - very tasty but this is way behind the 97 and 98 in terms of development, so I think I'll leave the rest of these for a good 5 years. Interesting to try it early though and more evidence that this wine rewards patience over the short and long term!
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3/14/2010 - SimonG wrote:
Half bottle, decanted an hour. Typically musar nose, but this is very spirity and hot on the palate now. Just about drinkable but not much fun. Time to bury it for a decade I think, fingers crossed. *1/2(*)
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2/14/2010 - Bellissimo wrote: 92 Points
Ordered at local restaurant. On the initial opening my spouse turned her nose up at the barnyard smell...it was intense. We let the glass sit and consumed the bottle over 2 hours. After 15 minutes the nose started to show leather, spices and dark fruit. Taste is wonderful with some nice acid and it is completely balanced. You feel the earthy soil, dark fruits, pomegranate swirling around your mouth. Seamless transition to the finish which could be a little longer. Best glass was the last glass which always leaves me wanting more. Extremely satisfying first foray into a wine from Lebanon.
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2/10/2010 - Rupert wrote:
Musar @ Mohsen (Mohsen, Warwick Road, London): Big Musar fragrance, but hot on the palate - not a patch on past bottles
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2/10/2010 - SimonG wrote:
Musar @ Mohsen (Mohsen, Warwick Road, London): Caramel, mildly banana nose. A bit better on the palate. Might pull together. **(*)
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1/31/2010 - FransS wrote: 90 Points
Just after opening a little volatile acidity, that faded quickly.
This bottle showed Burgundian style, with high acidity and a light, ripe colour.
Midtaste and aftertaste were balanced. Went really perfect with magret de canard fumé
(with green tea, that added the perfect minerality to the wine and the wine did the same
to the duck); very well chosen wine by my friend Harry.
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1/23/2010 - Viini-Viren wrote: 93 Points
Amazing concentration. Nose of fig aromas, deep taste of figs. Long aftertaste. brilliant.
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12/28/2009 - viadomitia wrote: 92 Points
drank this a few days ago without taking notes... but... black cherry is very dominant on the palate. a very good wine. I would guess that it is entering its prime. very nicely balanced. Excellent. 92+
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12/13/2009 - Dingo wrote: 88 Points
2 hour decant. Chaged in the glass over the course of the meal. Very 'farmyardy' with some rustic secondary flavours coming through. A slight sweetness on the palate that you do not get on the nose. Still has time.
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12/2/2009 - pulver wrote: 90 Points
It's been a couple of years since I last tried this very promising vintage, and it's finally starting to show some signs of maturity confirming that this is a good cellar investment. Blood red colour, characteristic Musar aromas that fits with my interpretation of 'volatile', 'Bordeaux gone wrong in a good way' sort of fashion. Figs, exotic spices and definitely some chocolate on the nose. Good backbone, smoother tannins than I am able to recall from previous tastings. Fruity enough to follow all the way through, but still young enough to give the impression that this will improve further. If you can't wait there is certainly nothing wrong in trying a bottle now. From here on out it all comes down to one's own preferences. I certainly enjoy this now, but there can't be any doubt that it will improve further during the next ten years or so.
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10/15/2009 - tendring Likes this wine: 86 Points
Wine Education Service - Château Musar Vertical (Imperial College): Rusty translucent ruby.
An interesting nose, sweet cherry, a little animal, crème brulée.
Delicious, fruity, soft tannins, a little rustic, drinking well, chocolate and liquorice in the mid palate, good length.
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10/15/2009 - hadwin wrote: 88 Points
WES - Château Musar Vertical (Imperial College London): Medium intense colour, thinning at the edge with a touch of terracotta. Bold nose leaping up to meet you. Black fruits followed by warm spices with a perfumed top note. Rich full and smooth. Good balance and acidity, a touch of turkish delight sweetness and dark chocolate.
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10/3/2009 - Vegasorbust02 wrote:
Celebration dinner for passing my level 2 sommeleir exam. 14 bottles for 16 people that evening. Opened after a Truchard Carneors 2005 then a Frank Family 2005, this fixed their ass. Loads of body and depth left. Funky and I love it. One of my favorite wineries I like collecting the stuff
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9/27/2009 - manonthemoon wrote: 92 Points
Notes from day 2. Dark red color. A really expressive nose of red cherry, cranberry, pomegranite, barnyard, some herbs. On the palate there is more red fruit, cranberry, pomegranite, still a little melted red licorice that was more prominate yesterday, herbs, spice and maybe a little white pepper on the tail with some good quality tannin. The finish is above average in length and the wine is nicely balanced. Drink or Hold. 50+5+13+16+8
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9/23/2009 - Philippe_C wrote: 90 Points
Nose of mushrooms and dust, looks a little bit closed now... in the month, good concentration and fruit, average langht and almost no tannins, fresh red fruit, less sweetness, still very young
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9/17/2009 - GraemeBell wrote: 85 Points
Didn't decant which I think was a mistake. Colour and consistency of prune juice - unfiltered. Rhone-like barnyard nose of stewed strawberries with cream with a little mint leaf. On the palate it feels as though it is in its secondary phase and has good acidity but the tannins are virtually non-existent and it seems quite thin. Over time in the glass it did develop richness and improved hence the comment re decanting. I wanted to like this a lot more than I did and I wonder if I had a bad bottle. I thought I would be drinking this relatively early but it felt like I had left it too late. It was reminiscent of 20yr old Cahors.
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9/15/2009 - NiklasW wrote: 93 Points
Oh yes, just a wonderful bottle! Decanted for about half an hour, and then I followed the evolution of the wine over a couple of hours during dinner. No VA in this one, just beautiful pure red fruits and really good aromas of leather. The taste was just great, a kind of sweet aspect to it, without being sweet. I love this and I'm glad I still have 8 bottles of this vintage in the cellar.
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9/1/2009 - Viini-Viren wrote: 88 Points
Bad bottle? Hard to say, since this wine is very exentric. This time the smell and taste of acetone was clearly detectable, thus taking away from the tasting experience.
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8/23/2009 - Viini-Viren wrote: 94 Points
Overwhelming as always. Fruit, spices, horse manure, and whatever you can think of in monstrous quantities. Yet, a balanced product, which leaves you yearning for more. Not the elegant sophisticated Bordeaux, but rather a sensual and seductive wine that does not leave anyone cold. Superb!
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8/21/2009 - Topper wrote: 88 Points
Like a blind date with a good personality. This wine was perfectly pleasant, but no knockout. A faint impression of quality bordeax but with a hollow mid-palate and a not completely wholesome finish.
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7/11/2009 - ekenneth wrote: 94 Points
I've had this a half-dozen times over the past year. It's different from bottle to bottle and minute to minute. At it's core, on the palate, there's a mixture or cassis, pomegranate and cranberry. The nose comes on like an old dog, bathed in chateauneuf du pape, or like an aged left-bank bordeaux. There's nothing else quite like this. If you're curious about wine, you need to try this, just don't expect anything else to be quite like it. ...even the next bottle of the same.
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6/18/2009 - bodulations wrote: 93 Points
very nice! Not too "natural" nose or taste. Very complex wine. Needs viande. No doubt will be better tomorrow with lamb. It's all here.
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6/5/2009 - Greybeard wrote: 92 Points
Opened on the spur of the moment after an evening's Spanish tasting, and drank in under 2 hours with friends, so the notes are not as they could have been. A quick decant and pour released some beautiful aromas including smoke and tobacco with a subtle hint of V.A. and barnyard. Sweet and savoury in the mouth and very, very smooth with fine-grain tannins this had a long finish. An excellent wine drinking beautifully, 92-93pts.
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5/22/2009 - brooklynguy wrote: 94 Points
Stop the presses! Not every bottle is going to be like this because the wine is naturally made and there will be variation. This is by far the best one I've tasted. But it was absolutely and absurdly great, with vibrant and fresh fruit, so sweet and refined. Beautifully balanced with great acidity. So nuanced with leathery soil and herbal undertones. Such an elegant mouth feel and such grace for such a deep and powerful wine. Just fantastic, without question the single best bottle of red wine that I've had in the past 3 months. Yes, it will continue to age gracefully based on the acids, but if every bottle were this balanced, fresh, and also nuanced with secondary aromas and flavors, then drink now. Why not - it's beautiful beautiful wine.
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5/8/2009 - drwine2001 wrote:
Half bottle. Medium depth of color. Some funk and low level of VA. Rich core of black fruit, gentle tannins. Very good now and no crime to drink.
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5/4/2009 - Kirk Grant wrote: 94 Points
Just a taste at a trade show...but showing a lovely rusted ruby with a very slight bricking in the glass. On the nose there are lovely cranberry notes among cement, lavender, spice cake, and a mélange of other red fruits. In the mouth it is soft but the body of this wine appears to gain weight as flavors of cranberries, pomegranate, herbs, spices, and strawberries all linger across a long 45+ second finish that seems to come crashing in like the waves of a rising tide.
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4/23/2009 - BailliSacks wrote: 93 Points
Deep cherry nose of left bank Bdx. On palate, lush red velvety fruit, with a big helping of cigar wrapper. Like Bdx with some CdP thrown in. With time, the cigar fades, leaving a gorgeous light bodied but quite intensely flavored fruit-driven wine. On the sweet side. Certainly the most lush, concentrated, decadent Musar I have had, though unmistakably Musar. Stunning.
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4/16/2009 - bjecjohnson wrote: 78 Points
First bottle of Chateau Musar was corked. Great folks at WineLibrary in NJ shipped a new bottle all the way to Hawaii and paid for shipping of first bottle. Second bottle was drinkable, but I think the wine is just past the drinking window. Will have to try a newer vintage next time.
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4/11/2009 - Viini-Viren wrote: 95 Points
Rustic to the extreme. Leather, horse manure and earth flavors. Excellent concentration. Long tannins. Superb!
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3/20/2009 - Viini-Viren wrote: 95 Points
Concentrated, oaky, leather and fig flavors. Just great!
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3/13/2009 - carnyc wrote: 93 Points
Nose: Alluring scents of leather, tobacco leaf, earthy funk, baking spices, red currants and a hint of milk chocolate; a variety of interesting aromas emanated from the glass over the course of dinner.
Taste: Flavors of red currant, leather, coffee, a hint of spice on the mid-palate and subtle milk chocolate surrounded an overall a sweet core. Despite all the complexity and layers, it was notably supple and elegant. As the night wore on, the wine put on some weight and became more fruit driven, but never lost its elegance and balance. Great texture and mouthfeel and fully integrated tannins were accompanied by wonderful acidity leading to a surprisingly long finish. Few wines I've ever tasted paired as well with food as this.
A ringer for left bank Bordeaux with quality to match, it would be very interesting to place this wine in a blind left bank Bordeaux tasting and observe the results. There is little doubt that it would compare favorably. In short, we were surprised and blown away. What a wine!
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2/17/2009 - VinoEmo wrote:
Wow Wow Wow, this reminded me alot of the 95'. Drank from half bottle. Look forward to purchasing several 750's in the future
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2/15/2009 - spacewrangler wrote: 92 Points
Certainly a different but intriguing wine, hint of brett, leather, autumn leaves and red fruits. Tannins are integrated and there's plenty of acidity. Awesome food wine, great match with beef and pork tenderloins.
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2/13/2009 - peetee wrote: 93 Points
Surprisingly light colour compared with another vintages I've had before. Lovely nose of old libraries with a piercing floral and violet aroma. VA noticeable but not off putting. The palate is multi-dimensional with Christmas Cake and cherry and a wonderful sweet fruit note as it slips down the throat. Really enjoyable - with Musar there always seems to be so much going on. I find it's best to just sit back and let it all do its stuff.
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2/2/2009 - mmh wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 1 hour before drinking. Fantastic wine! Lots of different spices mixed with dark fruits in perfect balance. Long and warm finish with great complexity. A real pleasure now, but will definitely improve over the next few years.
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1/27/2009 - vespasian wrote: 89 Points
Lighter colour again. Nose is very high toned. Fruit is totally suppressed. However fruit on palate is lovely. Very tasty and with a great savoury spice finish. Great length. Shame about the nose but this is great on the palate.
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1/24/2009 - andrewstevenson.com wrote: 90 Points
14%
The nose has meaty red and black fruit, accompanied by orange peel, sour cherry and a sweet lift from a hint of volatile acidity. On the palate, this is a lovely, fresh, young Musar. Very fresh and lifted, with flavours of red fruits, cherries, roses and a bit of white chocolate.
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1/14/2009 - mjmal wrote:
This is a lighter ruby color and offers up a very interesting nose of bright sweet liquid cherry, fine herbs, leather belt, soft caramel and just a hint of clean horse hide and loamy earth. It is rather clean and charming, with just gentle hints of the rustic elements one sometimes encounters with this producer. In the mouth, it demonstrates great flow and fine acidic definition, with a purity of medium-bodied red fruit but also soft spices, smoke and cocoa dust accents. The finish is gorgeous, with a real lasting sense of flavor and great balance. This is a delightful bottle and garnered my #3 WOTN vote.
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1/1/2009 - gukarl wrote: 88 Points
Good, but the nose is a bit dominated by barnyard-aromas.
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1/1/2009 - Goldstone wrote: 90 Points
Two bottles opened and decanted for 2 hours before drinking over a long and leisurely lunch with friends at Top Deck in Hong Kong. Deep red translucent colour which belies its age. Rich and rounded nose of camphor, church pews, green peppers and touches of truffle. Deep mouthfilling palate but with quite high glycerin and black and red fruits which are still quite primary for a Musar. Still with too much alcohol. Overall, the palate is great in potential but still rather disjointed at this stage in its life. Good length and some pleasant resonance in your head. Compared to the 1980 Musar we paired it with it is still a baby but with a lot of potential and cerainly with the depth and character to mature into something very nice.
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12/25/2008 - FieldingYost wrote: 89 Points
Plum, cassis, mint, barnyard aromas. This is lithe and light, Bordeaux in its leanings, but not in its dimensions; it is thin in the mid-palate. I like the restraint here, however, and this is not short in elegance.
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12/16/2008 - Kirk Grant wrote: 94 Points
Immediately after pulling the cork and splashing it in the decanter there was lovely lavender, floral note to this wine that was captivating. Now at about an hour in the decanter scents of earth, pepper, wheat crackers, plums and wild strawberries emerge. This wine is just a puppy...and while it is a pleasure to drink now...this has the potential to be in the league of the '95 in another 5-8 years. In the mouth the fruit is so pure and the finish so long that I have found myself swallowing twice as saliva builds after about 30 seconds. Flavors of blue fruit, spice, and black cherries dominate leaving a lingering note of tobacco. This is not a wine of power or force but a subtle whisper in the pitch-black of a moonless night. You must listen and be patient to understand and comprehend all that is there...this sleeping beauty will break hearts and drive men mad as she continues to blossom and mature.
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12/5/2008 - Viini-Viren wrote: 95 Points
Concentrated, powerful, overwhelming. Enjoyable to say the least.
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11/21/2008 - Viini-Viren wrote: 95 Points
Marvellous concentration. Not necessary elegant but the mix of figs, leather, oak and fruit together with silky tannins make it irresistible.
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11/14/2008 - Viini-Viren wrote: 95 Points
Extraordinary. Concentration, oak & figs! A beautiful wine with silky tannins.
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11/9/2008 - rob1869 wrote: 90 Points
Garnet translucent body; usual aromatic ("high") nose of rich herbs (hot nettles, rosemary, mint); darker and lower through the palate; decent length if just a little too funnelled from nose complexity to late palate simplicity. Medium modied, richly alcoholic, smooth with a nice dryness.
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11/6/2008 - MauriceE wrote: 89 Points
Again: very nice fruit, some depth there. Very spicy wine, excellent with spicy dish. It outclasses many Bordeaux-wines that are substantially more expensive!
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11/5/2008 - SAND wrote:
Chateau Musar-smaking i regi av Aperitif (Gamle Logen, Oslo): Farge: Middels dyprød, mindre moden fargetone mot kanten enne 2000 og 2001.
Duft: Plommer, mandler, blyant, bringebær, kirsebær, nyper.
Smak: Søtlig frukt, så kommer fin fruktsyre. En mer moden eleganse enn 2001. Lang ettersmak.
Drikker flott nå, men virker svært lovende. Kveldens nest beste røde (etter 1993).
Laget på Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Carignan, Grenache og Mourvedre.
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10/25/2008 - Viini-Viren wrote: 95 Points
Wonderful taste of figs, earth, leather and oak in an overwhelming package. Best wine I have tasted so far. A full bodied and well balanced great wine.
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9/20/2008 - MauriceE wrote: 89 Points
Very nice fruit, some depth there. Very spicy wine, excellent with spicy dish.
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9/19/2008 - gukarl wrote: 90 Points
A fine Musar. Nose of spice and dried fruit, no volatility. The palate is good, with a long finish.
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8/15/2008 - brooklynguy wrote:
outstanding wine. great interplay of rich fruit, leather, herbs and spice, with prickly vibrant acidity. delicious wine, wonderful with cheeses. the acidity is still strong enough that this wine will improve for years.
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8/11/2008 - acheng wrote: 87 Points
Brought to a restaurant for a get together. Decanted but served in a small generic restaurant glass. An interesting aroma of provencal herbs. A well structure effort with plum, enticing acidity and resolving tannin. Too expensive.
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8/10/2008 - Hank Ringworm wrote: 91 Points
Not entirely open, but damned good and very unique. Spicy, earthy, meaty, leathery, and slightly funky. More Beaucastel than Bordeaux. High acid mars the finish a bit, but this is one I can't wait to come back to.
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7/22/2008 - Mlermontov wrote: 93 Points
BBQ Night at Keith's; 7/20/2008-7/22/2008 (NYC): honestly - here is a wine i must buy. i know i may not...but i should i really should. and more than one bttl. my WOTN
Dusty, funky, leather and spices, rich red fruit in the middle, loooong spicy finish. like drinking an old rioja... this is soooo good. YUM!!!
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7/20/2008 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 94 Points
Deep and rich and already very Musar.
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6/5/2008 - AtlantaBill wrote: 88 Points
Dark garnet with a slightly brown edge. Aroma of dark cherries, blackberries, and leather. Flavor of dark fruit with plenty of acid underneath amd with nicely integrated tannins.
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5/26/2008 - ndeezy wrote: 89 Points
On this showing I can't see the comparison to Bordeaux. VA in spades but settled down, burnt spices and exoticism abound, all that was missing was a belly dancer and a hookah to draw on. Next time eh?
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5/14/2008 - Goldstone wrote: 89 Points
An Afternoon with Serge Hochar, Ch. Musar, China Club, Hong Kong: Lovely Burgundian colour with great clarity. Reticent nose. No VA. Lighter, restrained nearer Burgundian character on the palate. Sweet. Good structure. Very long finish. A bigger, less characteristic Musar that was the product of a very hot year. Serge says that it will need even more cellaring than usual. It certainly seems to have the structure to take very long cellaring.
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5/6/2008 - Double-A Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pale garnet colour. Leather, earth, mineral, vanilla, and mushroom nose. Smooth, elegant and earthy palate; Long, complex, savoury herb, mushroom and toast finish.
4.5/5
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5/2/2008 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Deep ruby/garnet color. Almost Rhone-like, with notes of garrigue - lavender, thyme and fresh herbs. A little swirling brought out dried cranberry, cherry and potpourri aromas. Full-bodied, with dense, chewy red fruit, dark cherry and mint flavors. Red currants come in on the long, balanced finish. Simply wonderful, and a terrific match with the quail. 93-94 pts.
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4/22/2008 - Keith Cooper wrote: 80 Points
This bottle was acquired recently from a less reliable source, so not sure of its keeping. Opened just 30 minutes before tasting, and there was a definite metallic overtone which I've experienced before with Musar - this disappeared after 20 minutes in the glass, but emphasizes the need to decant and open Musar a couple of hours ahead of drinking. One the palate, typical Musar, with an almost port like taste, leading to a reasonable length finish. Went well with moroccan lamb, but I concluded that this bottle was not up to the usual Musar standard, perhaps because it has not been stored well enough.
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3/30/2008 - Dusty Bear wrote:
My wife and I had a bottle of the '99 with Tabil-encrusted lamb.
I splash decanted the wine, had a sip as a sample, then let it sit for about 45 minutes.
There was none of the funk on the nose I usually get with Musar. Instead, we smelled bright red fuits, especially cherries, and floral notes.
I must elaborate that most Musars I've experienced had considerably more age, so take my comments in that context. The flavours of the '99 were mostly primary The palate was very fruit forward with cherries, currants and some earthiness, and it was a bit more tannic than I've experienced with Musars in the past. There was no hint of VA. In fact, I'd say the acid was balanced perfectly for my tastes.
In my experience, I often find a lot of cedar and spice notes in Musar. Those were there in the '99, but in the background right now.
My wife and I both found the wine very easy to drink and we finished it within a couple of hours - no experiments with a long decanting time, sorry. It was a lovely match with the food. The earthiness of the Musar matched the coriander, and the fruit was able to handle the mild spice of the Tabil.
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3/29/2008 - SimonK wrote: 93 Points
Transparent Ruby
In the nose Peanuts, Straberries and Raspberries
On the palate red berries, Cherry, Clover Cinnemon (oriantal spices)
Pleasurable!
Durchsichtiges Rubin
An der Nase Erdnüssem Erdbeere und Himbere
Am Gaumen Rotbeerig, Kirsche, Zimt, Nelke (Orientalische Gewürze)
Ein Genuss!
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3/29/2008 - Ian S wrote:
From a half bottle, base of neck fill.
ON OPENING
Showing some age in appearance already, with a medium to light red core, lightening to mahogany at the rim. Neither especially bright or dull.
The nose initially shows small sweet red-berry fruits and a touch of varnish (not excessively so for Musar). I think there's oak there, but it sits in support. Could fool someone into thinking Italy, even Piemontese Nebbiolo. Swirling reveals a greater depth, more substance.
The palate shows prominent acidity which seems to shout louder than the rest of the wine. On the finish however the complexity comes through and there's a good aged, if slightly baked fruit feel to it, with a faint touch of bitterness on the back of the tongue.
At the moment the wine feels a little disjointed, but the finish is long and complex. Let's see what it's like after 2-3 hours in the decanter.
AFTER 4 HOURS IN THE DECANTER
No discernable change in colour. The nose however is more lively - not disimilar to swirling the wine earlier, though with perhaps a bit more orange-like lift. I sense a hint of vanilla now that I didn't see before. The palate is now more rounded and whilst still having prominent acidity, the rest of the wine seems to be balancing it better. The finish is still excellent and there's more of a progression than before. I hope this shows evidence the wine will come together a little better in time, but still enjoyable where it is now.
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3/27/2008 - jim dixon wrote: 92 Points
Better than average vintage of Musar. Classic flavors but less VA than is sometimes present and slightly more full-bodied. Very reasonably priced for such a unique and compelling wine.
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3/14/2008 - NiklasW wrote: 92 Points
My first Musar experience. On opening a strong smell of vanilla that blew off after some minutes. Decanted and followed over a couple of hours. Appearance: a lovely orange tinge to the edge of the otherwise ruby red wine (5/5). Nose: developed over time. Initially cigar, then barnyard with some fruit in the background. After an hour red berries coming to the fore, rasberry, not very strong, subtle, perhaps a hint of raisin? (11/15). Taste: Wow, smooth, lots of red fruit, just a bit of tannins left. The oak is there, but it doesn't dominate, makes for a well-balanced wine that is a pleasure to drink. Finish is long and pleasant leaving the impression of red fruits on the tongue (17/20). Overall: just a great wine, I have become a Musar fan! Perhaps this vintage will be good for some years to come, but it appears to be good right now (9/10). Points: 50+5+11+17+9=92
The hint of raisiness became more and more evident as the wine aerated. After three hours the wine degraded into a sweet cough syrup that was no longer a pleasure to drink. This wine definitely should not be decanted for long if at all!
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12/8/2007 - Colima74 wrote: 94 Points
Bought at Rosine's to have alongside a 375 ml of 1998 Miner Oakville Cabernet. Light to medium color when first poured in the glass, but over time actually seemed to get darker with refills. Reminiscent of an older Bordeaux, much like the Miner but in a different way, a good way. Lighter in feel, with more hints of flowers and red fruit. A very pretty wine, elegant, balanced, graceful. Lorena said Musar is now in that top list of favorite wines along with Leoville Barton, Miner, and Karl Lawrence. I can not not not do anything but agree. Drinking these two lovely wines tonite, just the two of us, was a special moment...and one that both of us will tie to place, food and wine for a long time.
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11/16/2007 - Keith Cooper wrote:
This was the second in a vertical tasting of four vintages (2000, 1999, 1998 and 1993) at the Chateau Musar tasting held at the Whitewater Valley Wine Society and hosted by Jane Sowter of Chateau Musar (UK). The 1999 had a deeper red colour and browner hints and according to Jane it is a ‘magnum wine’ [requested in magnum size bottles] because it is so good; big power and velvety tannins, elegant and complex.
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11/4/2007 - joni.m.anttonen@gmail.com wrote: 90 Points
Nose: Earth, oak, vanilla, ripe berries
Palate: supple, berries, oak, one of a kind.
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7/7/2007 - chbeaumont wrote:
Edgy, piquant. Not in prime condition?
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5/21/2007 - Rupert wrote: 90 Points
Tart, savoury, spice and violets, not as lush as the previous bottle. A classic Musar
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4/5/2007 - groper1234 wrote: 87 Points
What a strange wine. This is truly a new exprience for me. Taste extremely different from all the reds I have tried. 14 % but dissapointed in concentration. Light to midium bodied. Really strange smell going on. Very high in sugar level. There is some kind of mineral undertone. Quite complex. Dispite the nasty smell, it finishes quite long and suttle. I would like to try again but it is not my thing. Dont like it for me!
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2/20/2007 - runny wrote: 92 Points
Needed about 3 hours to settle, but came out of the decanter ready to fight! A marvelous Musar, with maybe a little less power than other vintages have shown. Balanced fruit and tannins and a really long and luxurious length. Deep colour and not yet showing any signs of aging at all.....
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1/19/2007 - Emma wrote: 87 Points
Spicy nose with oak, leather and dry fruit. Taste was oaky, and also leather and dry fruit but not as strong as the nose. Very nice together with ostrich fillet. This wine should be interesting to give some years in the cellar.
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1/14/2007 - kevin h wrote: 91 Points
Better than the 98. Some volatility showing here. Funky nose with horse shit and red fruits - better than it sounds though some people will hate this (ie it smells a bit bretty but good Musar always does). Quite ripe and rounded sweet fruit flavours, mouthfilling and decent length. A very typical Musar. Worth getting a few bottles to see how it develops.
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12/21/2006 - Rupert wrote: 93 Points
At Incognico: lush, red fruit fragrance, vibrant, lifted with the characteristic Musar medicinal tone - this was absolutely gorgeous, possibly the best Musar I've had
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