This has been in my cellar for a long time and to be honest: some earlier vintages have been hit or miss. Some over, some with too much funk to taste nice. But it's that rare Musar bottle that hits just right that makes you remember why you love this house in the first place.
On opening, this was all autumn leaves and leather. The first swirl lifts out sweet dried cherries, figs, and some distant cedar. Then come hints of cumin.
On the palate, it was beautifully resolved. Silky tannins that still carry grip, acidity still very much alive. Then prune, cassis, pomegranate, roasted herbs, even something slightly savory like soy or balsamic reduction. The fruit was still vibrant.
The finish was endless. Smoky, spiced. It’s Musar in perfect balance: eccentric, soulful and so compelling.
I know Musar gets equal love and hate here, but I fell in love all over again. What a wine experience.
by chess_notcheckers
3 Comments
This wine is amazing. Had it three times in the last year. Exact same experience every time. Peak use of oxidation here. Soooooo good. Verve for days! Just a living wine. So fun. Cannot emphasize enough how enjoyable this wine is to experience.
Picked up an 87 recently I’m itching to open. Thanks for the notes
Awesome wine. I just attended a tasting/seminar with the winemaker/3rd generation head of Musar. It was amazing to learn about the wines and story of Musar. One crazy fact he noted that I haven’t been able to test myself is that the wines will last incredibly long after they’ve been opened. He said he recommends tasting the wines over a week long period to see how they evolve, and that he’s once left one of their white wines opened for several months before it oxidized.