WTN: 2003 Chateau Musar Cuvee Blanc & a question about M

[Jenise]

TN: 2003 Chateau Musar Cuvee Blanc
Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

In a little Mediterranean market yesterday, I discovered a trove of Musars including this wine and a red version. I know this isn't the premium white, but I bought a bottle to try anyway. I found floral notes on a dry white wine with good acidity and some very slight oxidative notes of the kind that's so slight it can be deliberate/natural to the wine. Funny, I like sherry and don't mind that element in full force but I don't care for it in wines like this one; conversely, a friend dropped by who hates sherry, but who loves a slight oxidative note like this one. She liked the wine better than I did.

But re the big red Musars: this store had the 95's for $59 and the 97 for $38. Is that a typical price difference between those two vintages?

Jenise
From my Uk experience, the market does tend to work out the better years and aged Musar (from a good vintage) might gain 20% over current release prices after approx. 4 years and maybe 10% again each year after. All very rough and ready (wine-searcher may throw up more precise market differences). Both seemed a little pricey, with the 95 especially so. Apparently the 99 will be excellent (indeed the Hochar was), so it might be worth waiting for that later this year.

Thanks for the TN: - I haven't tried either of the Cuvee's yet

regards

Ian

It's very curious: almost always if I like the first wine, I will to some extent enjoy the "lower" cuvées. Musar is an exception. They've always just seemed a little simplistic - but I guess almost all second wines are so, so I can't really put my finger on the reason why I don't like them.

The prices do seem rather high for the 95 - a bit less so for the 97. Having said that, if you have no other source for Musar close by, I would by both - they aren't that outrageous (if I've done the math in my head correctly!). The 95 is one of the greatest Musars and with the 1991 I would buy every bottle I find. I used to like 97 almost as much, but I'm finding it a little too port like now. A good wine anyhow.

Ian, I tasted through some unreleased samples when I last visited Musar. The 1999 did seem supremely good. I hope to taste it soon again. 2003 barrel sample wasn't bad either.

Otto

[Jenise]

Otto, thanks for the comments. And...port like? I've had a few Musars and none I've ever had got even close to that kind of a description. Certainly not the 91. I do already own one bottle of the 97 and was tempted by these for one to taste now (while I continue to cellar my more-pristeen bottle)--the price is about right for where I've seen this wine in the past at least hereabouts, though I don't often run into it.

Simplistic? I would expect that from a second (that isn't a separate property). I'm putting the Musar Rouge as a ringer into a tasting of Greek wines tomorrow night.