I received the 1998 and the 2000 as a Christmas gift from my brother Joe. The 1998 was great; the 2000, pretty spectacular.

The color is garnet with a medium-plus concentration and highly viscous; I decanted the wine to remove sediment; so, the visage was clear, and the robe displayed a clear color to red brick to brown brick to its garnet core.

The nose is as complex as it gets. The non-fruit nuances jump out at you first; you have to dig in to pinpoint the fruit of baked cherry, Maraschino cocktail cherry and red currant. The non-fruit nuances are candle wax, potpourri, cinnamon stick, cinnamon gum, star anise, dried blood meets dried rose petals, licorice, wet Saltillo tile, barnyard, duxelle, dried mint and dried thyme, incense shop, vanilla bean and Poblano pepper.

The palate shows firm, medium-plus tannins [felt in the gums and sides of the cheeks], with medium to almost medium-plus acidity; it’s full-bodied with a silky mouthfeel, and the finish is long; the abv is 13.5%. The varietal composition for Musar is typically Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Carignan [I’m not sure exactly the cépages here]. The most striking standout on the palate from the many nuances of the nose is a fresh blood [like having a cut in your mouth] meets vanilla and clove. Maybe this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I found it remarkable.

I love Chateau Musar. When you see it around town, buy it and drink it.

Anthony Garcia
www.wineisdivine.com
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