Musar red 2005 and Musar white 2001

I've written so many notes on these two wines that it's pointless to do more. I just thought I'd give a brief update. The '05 red is still very impressive. Since it's price hasn't yet gone up, if you like red Musar: buy! Lots of it. And with 24h air, it's amazingly lovely for a very young red Musar even now.

The white 2001 is atypical in being a little bit more ripe and full bodied than usual for white Musar, but it also drinks surprisingly well now with as little as 4h air. White Musar itself is pretty exotic, but the 2001 is exotic for a white Musar. If you like white Musar, the 2001 is a must and even if it costs more than the current release, you must get some.

In other words, my weekend drinking has been exceptionally wonderful! I hope all others here have also had such wonderful wines.

[David M. Bueker]

Sounds like fun!

I have forgotten, do you have an opinion on the '04 Musar red?

The ´04 is good, but not great. I'd rather buy the '03 or '05 since both (at least on this side of the ocean) are similar in price.

We are currently paying $55 Cdn for the `05 .

[Robin Garr]

I've written so many notes on these two wines that it's pointless to do more. ...

And yet, isn't it amazing how - for excellent wines, anyway - no two bottles are ever quite identical? Sort of like Monet's paintings of Rouen Cathedral in differing light, only easier to drink.

[David M. Bueker]

We are currently paying $55 Cdn for the `05 .

$49 US for the '04, so it's not a Canada thing.

We have Middle Eastern émigrés in our lake association, so I bought some 2005 Chateau Musar to share at our annual end-of-summer picnic, figuring it would lubricate conversation. I also supply stems for everybody. Of course nobody had ever heard of Musar. But several folks surprised me when they asked for seconds, and thirds, and fourths. I ended up liking it too, so I bought more for my cellar. With its funky aroma, it drinks more like Bordeaux to me than New World wines, except it seemed to have a lot of residual sugar. But I read it has less than most Bordeaux. So maybe it has some different alcohols that make it taste sweet. Or maybe the hotdogs with relish threw my taste off.

I also brought some Finger Lake reds, thinking them appropriate for reasons as obtuse as the Musar being apt. I was traduced for being obtuse and nobody touched them.