Bekaa Valley Obaideh Merwah

My first experience with the 2013 Musar Blanc. I opened this bottle about an hour prior to service and enjoyed over the next three hours. Served at cellar temperature. The wine pours a bright golden color with medium, almost medium+ viscosity. The nose is…fascinating. Notes of lemon, herbs, marigolds, honey, marmalade, cloves, bandaid, and something that reminded me of an old rail yard. No cap. On the palate, lemon curd, slightly underripe star fruit, green herbs, a bitterness that reminds of walnut skin…the wine is really wooly, with a long smokey and rather saline finish. Medium+ acid that builds with air. This is about as Musar as it gets. Rustic, wild and irresistible all the same. I’m sure this bottle isn’t without flaw but that’s sort of what you get with Musar. Anyway, we had no trouble finishing off the bottle. It should be noted that the wine improved with air. I’ll hold my remaining bottle until at least 2028.

Vintage 2000 | a bit Rhône oriented, lots of power

Vintage 2012 | well balanced

Really opened up and showed lots of different layers as I thought it was served a bit too cold. Had so much life left to it.

As odd and funky as expected.

A tad funky, oxidative style. Sherry-like briny, nutty character on mid palate. Very herbal aromatics- chamomile tea really coming through. Interesting to finally taste one of his white blends.

Vintage 2000 - lots of character, unique wine, a bit sherry-alike. Glad to taste this.

So expressive and unique

Charleston #odetoserge

Opened and poured into a ship decanter for two hours before being returned to the bottle another couple of hours prior to dinner at Le Bouillon. A golden color that seem lighter on the rim. On the nose, this is eminently rustic with stone fruits, wild flower honey, echinacea and butterscotch. On the palate, not nearly as oxidative as the nose would suggest. In fact, this is remarkably fresh with bright apricot and nondescript tropical fruits. Medium-plus acid. The finish is long and somewhat saline. A wine of brilliant texture. A stunning pairing with marinated octopus and was delightful with the other courses of our meal as well. A small portion was left for further evaluation the following day. I am happy to report that it held up very well indeed. The late Serge Hochar once said that his white wines seem to gain freshness with age. The 2005 vintage shows there is likely truth to his assessment. Well cellared examples should drink well for at least another decade. I, for one, look forward to checking in on these for many years to come.