WTN: Musar 1989

TN: Musar 1989 (2 hour decant + 3 hours drinking it) Most times I've tasted this, I've thought it very fine if not at the same level as the '88.

I encrusted a chunk of lamb with herbs and spices and stuck it in the oven until well done (many, many hours). The lamb was so juicy and ripe that the knife melted into the meat. I'm not much of a cook but this was just wonderful!

Musar '89 was perfect with it. It seems to have entered early maturity since my last bottle of it almost two years back. The nose is incredibly complex with a high toned spicy and cedary note that isn't all Bx like despite my use of "cedar". It is unique in its scents. The fruit is very sweet, not very funky in the sense that there isn't much shite to it, but it is very personal.

The palate has much fruit. The acidity is harsh and rasping as good Musar should be. The aftertaste is very fresh.

The wine is very lively and it dances on the tongue. It is not the greatest Musar ever made, but it is a dashed fine one.

-O-

TN: Musar 1989 (2 hour decant + 3 hours drinking it) Most times I've tasted this, I've thought it very fine if not at the same level as the '88.

Musar '89 was perfect with it. It seems to have entered early maturity since my last bottle of it almost two years back. The nose is incredibly complex with a high toned spicy and cedary note that isn't all Bx like despite my use of "cedar". It is unique in its scents. The fruit is very sweet, not very funky in the sense that there isn't much shite to it, but it is very personal.

The palate has much fruit. The acidity is harsh and rasping as good Musar should be. The aftertaste is very fresh.

The wine is very lively and it dances on the tongue. It is not the greatest Musar ever made, but it is a dashed fine one.

-O-

Thanks for the report Otto. I have one bottle of the 89 left and it should go well with my Christmas rib roast of beef. I suppose I should stand this bottle up for a week or 10 days prior to Christmas to allow any sediment to settle. My last bottle was at Mo'Cool in August, and it was a murky color due I suppose, to suspended particles of sediment. Of course the wine had been transported from Kentucky to Michigan (about 300 miles) just couple days before opening, and the particles were very fine.

I think that a day or two upright and a careful decanting should be perfectly enough. But do give it two or so hours in the decanter before you start drinking it - it really needs the time. Let us know how it is!

-O-(unfortunately also down to the last bottle of the '89)

My last bottle was at Mo'Cool in August, and it was a murky color due I suppose, to suspended particles of sediment. Of course the wine had been transported from Kentucky to Michigan (about 300 miles) just couple days before opening, and the particles were very fine.

Hi Bob. I ran across Robin's notes of that tasting when I was looking for the name of a wine we had at MoCOOL last year, and it brought back fond memories. Robin thought the wine had gone past prime, based on his notes. I thought it was less than desirable because of the massive amount of suspended particulate. And I wonder why your other bottle of Musar didn't suffer the same fate if it was attributable to your 300 mile trip. Very strange. I look forward to your notes on your '89 shortly after Christmas. And, by the way, have a great one.

[quote="OW Holmes"]
Robin thought the wine had gone past prime, based on his notes. I thought it was less than desirable because of the massive amount of suspended particulate. And I wonder why your other bottle of Musar didn't suffer the same fate if it was attributable to your 300 mile trip. Very strange. I look forward to your notes on your '89 shortly after Christmas. And, by the way, have a great one./quote]

I agree 100% with your assessment of the 1989, and hope my last bottle at Christmas is much better. I attributed the condition of the '89 to travel, without considering that the 94 did not suffer the same malady. Taking a stab at it though, it might just that the 94 was more filtered? I don't know. Could the 5 additional years of aging have contributed? I don't know, and that bottle was the only bottle of the 89 I have had, so I am blind in my experience too. I will likely stand up a bottle of 12-15 year old Bdx as a backup for the Musar on Christmas day.