Wine: Musar Red
Winemaker: Chateau Musar
Vintage: 2004
Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan & Cinsault
Price: £27
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As with many other 04's I've enjoyed, this example had the same youthful nose, not something one can often associate with Musar; very Bordeaux in style: blackcurrant and blackberry, with earthy notes and a subtle hint of leather. In the mouth: sweet raspberry, sour chalky cranberry, developing into sweet blackcurrant and bitter blackberry, rounded off with a heavily spiced finish.

A full bodied wine, with a healthy, but linear acidity, moderate intensity and fine silky tannins. All in all lacking the intensity of other 04's I've enjoyed, but bottle and vintage variation is common in Musar and for me, one of the many reasons I adore the uniqueness of the geniuses from Lebanon.

This wine is developing nicely and should evolve to it's peak sometime between 2020-2024. Will accompany fillet of beef or roasted shoulder of lamb beautifully and should be served around 18'c and decanted a couple of hours prior to consumption.

Enjoy!

Wine: Musar Red
Winemaker: Chateau Musar
Vintage: 2009
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan & Cinsault. Approx 1/3rd each.
Price: £22.00

As with the previous two vintages (07&08) this is immediately approachable, not something one can often say about latest release wines from Musar.

Plenty of barnyard funk on the nose, or brett (brettanomyces) as it is more commonly referred too, something that IS common in Musar reds. Blackcurrant, blackberry, leather, vanilla and pipe tobacco all playing a part, in what is a rich and diverse bouquet. Very elegant and incredibly alluring: In the mouth, Cabernet dominates at first with tarte dark fruit and menthol quite striking, then the fiery spice and sweet red fruit of the Carignan and Cinsault take over. Plenty of liquorice, clove and vanilla. A real crowd pleasing palate!

Medium to full bodied, a linear acidity, supremely refined and silky tannins, moderate intensity and a finish fit for a king (and Queen!) A truly great vintage, but possibly not with quite the same longevity in terms of ageing some other vintages can boast. A good decant is necessary, serve at 18-19'c.

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