1993 Chateau Musar- Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (1/4/2015)
Aromaticly this is very much in the Rhone with notes of warm strawberry jam laced with leather, game, dried flowers and thyme. On the palate there’s fine balance and a sense of restraint to the wild berry and cherry fruit that shows flashes of licorice, bitter herbs, and a little bitterness lingering on the long, very bitter cherry toned finish. Showing just a hint of VA, though less than previous bottles, particularly on the finish, this is rather seamless in the mouth with supple tannins and bright, lively acidity that is well balanced by the faint dash of RS. This is slightly rustic but doesn’t suffer from it at all. Complex and captivating. (92 pts.)
In tribute to Serge. Took awhile to get to the cellar but I certainly chose a fitting wine for this complex and captivating man. Fortunate to have met Serge on severally occasions, from sharing a bottle of 67 with him in the mid 1980s to seeing him this past March when we shared some older whites that further cemented his reputation as a man built to defy the odds. I will’ miss not having the chance to meet him one last time.
The best Musar I’ve had was the '89; subsequent bottles of various vintages could have been better but for the VA, which eventually made the wines tiring to drink. They have an intriguing mix of grapes, and clearly a site that works well for those grapes, but a bit less slapdash behavior in the transportation of the harvest and winemaking (and maybe a bit less chaptalization) might do wonders for the wines, IMO.
Or, perhaps better put, if certain practices were adopted that resulted in wines with the same flavors but fewer “eccentricities”, then I’d be back on board.
The (now deceased) producer believed that VA was a feature of his wine, not a flaw. In fact, he said many times that if you had a Musar wine without VA, it was a mistake. He was entitled to this view, and those who like the wines are of course, welcome to them. I think this is a ridiculous idea, have never had more than a sip of any Musar I have been offered, and will never buy any of the wines. I’m entitled to my opinion too.
What he did creating a flourishing winery in the midst of a war zone dominated by Muslims who believe that wine is a sin is nothing short of astounding though. Very admirable.
I had the privilege of spending time with Serge on numerous occasions. Always so full of energy, I cannot imagine him being gone. His wines are, no doubt, controversial. I will miss his infectious personality.
Jay, yes, of course, the Hochars; I just realized my senior moment when I saw your correction.
My question wasn’t about religion, as such, but about cultural tolerance for alcohol.
Senior moment? I don’t know what you’re talking about. No seriously, I’ve forgotten what we were talking about. What was it again? Something about culturing yeasts for alcohol?
I haven’t had it for a few years, but I think it’s up in the top echelon of wines I’ve had in my life. I haven’t had that many old vintages of Musar, but I’ve got to believe 91 is one of the great or maybe greatest vintages of the wine.
I asked this in the other thread but didn’t see an answer - what is next for Chateau Musar? Is there a child or relative or someone who is squarely in place to take the helm?
Or is there a giant pharmaceutical or private equity firm ready to step it in and make it the next RP 100 pointer?
