2005 Chateau Musar Blanc (Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, like you know where that is…)
I’d had the '04 Blanc recently and was floored by its beauty and depth. The 05 is certainly a little tighter and restrained, lighter on its feet compared to the unctuous 04. The '04 was all wax, honeysuckle and chamomile; the '05 is fresh honey and a touch of beeswax. A slightly golden yellow hue, no heat on the nose, and not a touch of Brett in this bottle. The citrus is pure lemon, with a touch of pith. Only a medium acidity and medium body, but that light waxiness coats the mouth and gives this wine a persistent finish. Had the Steelers not lost, this bottle might have lasted much longer. There shall be no Day 2, alas.
I find some parallels between the Musar and a few other wines, some Rous/Mars Rhone blends on the more austere side, and some riper Chenin Blancs and even Semillon. Maybe I’m crazy. When I see somm’s trying to blind guess and always associating “waxy” with Semillon, I feel like they’re missing a lot of wax in other grapes…