WTN: Musar and Blackjack

[Jenise]

With garlic lamb chops with braised greens, I served this souvenirs of our 2000 trip to Oz, this '98 Blackjack Shiraz from Victoria's Bendigo region. Rich 100% ripe and concentrated black currant and blackberry fruit on the nose and palate with tar and grilled meat flavors. It's so ripe you steel yourself for that squirt of jam on the midpalate, but it never happens. Still mostly primary development-wise, with low-but-okay acidity and soft tannins. Drinks very well, and a good choice for the dish.

To go with a grilled ground beef patty salad and George Clooney's movie Syriana, we opened a 98 Musar from Lebanon. Surprising bricky orange color and rather simple flavors. Better on the nose than on the palate, but entirely drinkable if a bit simple flavors of cherry and dried dates.

To go with a grilled ground beef patty salad and George Clooney's movie Syriana, we opened a 98 Musar from Lebanon. Surprising bricky orange color and rather simple flavors. Better on the nose than on the palate, but entirely drinkable if a bit simple flavors of cherry and dried dates.

Jenise, I am not Otto, nor do I play him on tv, but where Musar, either red or white, I listen to his wisdom. He says and I have found it to be absolute, that the 98 Musar white NEEDS 12 hours of decanting. I have drunk Musar straight from the cellar many times, but until I started to give the white serious time in the decanter, I pretty much thought of it as you do. Even the whites from the early to mid 90's need several hours of airing to bring out their goodness.

[Jenise]

Bob, I'm sorry, I must not have been clear. This is the red, not the white, about which I also listened to Otto. Drink soon, and don't expect to get the whole enchilada.

Sorry Jenise, from the 98 vintage I guess I naturally assumed that it was the white. That might be because I have about two cases of the white. funny how that has risen in price too. I think I paid $16 for the 1996 and the 1998 is $26. I have some 94 and some 97 red, but no 98.

It seems I liked the red '98 a bit more than you: it is not a great Musar, but it does have the Musar imprint, albeit in a less arresting form. I think the red '98 shows very well with just a couple hours decanting.

[Jenise]

I may not have given it enough time, Otto, or I may have had one of those inexplicably lesser bottles. It was only in decanter about an hour before we started gnawing on it.

Hey Guys and Gals,

I have become very intersted in Musar after reading your posts over the last few weeks. I even listened to the fasinating interview on graperadio and am totally inspired to buy a bottle tonight. One of my girlfriends (a friend, not trying to act like a playa) is from Lebanon, and I'd like to surprise her.

For a red, where should I start?

[Jenise]

John, good inspiration, it's a wine you should know. As for where to start, find out what's available to you. Then have Otto guide you on which one to buy for drinking now, and follow his recco for decanting.