I recently located a bottle of ’77 Musar that my wife and I thought would be perfect for our Christmas dinner of Dijon and rosemary encrusted rack of lamb (I’ve had far too many dry holiday turkeys).
Otto had suggested I decant this for two hours, but I played it safe and opened the bottle five hours before dinner and decanted it off the sediment. The cork had a layer of mould on top, but was otherwise in good condition.
The wine displayed a brilliant red brick colour. I sampled a bit right away to track its evolution. The nose had that funkiness I’ve experienced with other Musars and the wine had a mouthpuckeringly bright acidity. Still, it wasn’t off and it gave exciting hints of the flavours underneath.
I took small sips over the next few hours and it seems I timed it perfectly - by the time dinner was ready the wine was singing. The nose was plummy, with light herbal, tobacco and strawberry notes. The palate was complex, with cloves, cinnamon, cocoa, coffee, and too many other flavours I just don’t yet have the ability to identify. That bright acidity had subsided and all the elements were well integrated.
My wife and I marveled over the Musar and how well it matched the food. One of the best pairings I’ve made, in my opinion.
This vintage was in far better condition than the ’89 I tried a few months back. There are a few more ‘77s left and I’m planning to scoop them up shortly and put them away. Just to think, it’s only a couple of years younger than me (I’m 31). And like me, this vintage still has many years left in it.
