Musar Rouge 2009 was wonderful. I double decanted it in the morning. It was very open and expressive once it was evening and it had been open for some 12h or so. I was busy talking about the sad state of Syrian archaeology and all the looting and smuggling taking place so I didn't pay as much attention to the wine as I should have. But in those brief interludes I concentrated on the wine, it smelled nice and typical. A big step up from the rather weak 2007 and a slight step down from the seemingly superb 2008. I hate Alko for skipping the 2008. Any Musar fans yet tried the 2009? Is it as good as the few sips I concentrated upon would suggest?
Domaine Trealoar Tahi 2011 was the next I opened. Jonathan suggested only an hour decanting was needed. And an hour did clear most of the off aromas like new oak that I don't like
But the wine didn't really open up otherwise. It was nice enough: clean and pure aromas with good bite. Plenty of richness but nothing oversized and no excess heat on the finish. Best to forget in a cellar for a while IMO.Three archaeologists open only two wines? Hahahah! Funny. Of course I bought a third bottle because archaeologists are well known to be thirsty people. Domaine Treloar Le Secret 2013 is the Syrah. And since an "extra" bottle we didn't decant, but it didn't matter. This was much more open than the Tahi. It was obviously Syrah with that lovely black olive and dark fruit profile. It's nothing at all like N. Rhône Syrah that I love nor like the stereotype of Aussie Shiraz that I loathe, and that's good since Roussillon is neither of those regions. Instead it is kind of the N. Rhône stereotype of pepper and olive but in a plumper style but with none of the structure missing. I like it. One might easily assume that a Syrah from so south must be heavy but it is actually quite refreshing. All Treloars seem to be quite refreshing despite Roussillon supposedly being a super-hot area. Kind of like Musar in that sense; though of course Treloar isn't so funky and shitty.