WTN: Chateau Musar 1977

A friend of mine will turn 30 soon. I thought this was a very good opportunity to try out Musar 1977, as a birthday gift to him (and myself ;). I bought the bottle a week ago, and have left it standing since then, to let the sediment sink. The shop assistant almost didn't let me buy it, he thought I should spend my money on something "better"...

I double decanted it a day in advance, and let it stand with the cork in it, to
let it breath veeeery slow. On opening, the nose as very exciting in that homemade, oldfashioned Musaresque way that I love so much. Small amounts of Musar funk was present, but not very much. I tasted just a small sip; good and earthy, but a little flat and short, it needed air. The colour was a fascinating hazy brick.

My friend tried it blind: "Nose of Bourdeaux... no, Barolo... no Rhône??? The palate is... Burgundy, fruity, almost Musarlike?". Very good guesses indeed. The deeper I put my nose in the glass, the more I thought the Barolo reference was spot on. Very much earth and damp cellar (maybe this is this mouldy scent that you have written about Otto?), paired with old apples, bitter almonds (!), sweet Musar-perfume and maybe just a hint of (good) vinegar. The palate is long and warm, earthy with some tannic bite still present. And again red apples, and black plums. Nice fresh acidity too. I can't really find the barnyard funk though.

A wine that feels both old and young at the same time, and a really exciting experience. I'm not sure however if I should have opened it so long in advance. Sure, it gained length and body, but maybe it lost just a little freshness and nice funk on the way?

Your friend is one lucky person to have you for a friend. I have never had the 77, but have had the 70 some years ago, and though then that I might could die happy for the experience. If you search this forum, you will find a thread on some Musar some of us opened at Mo'Cool 2006, which is worth reading too. As Otto says, Musar Rocks! and I am not so sure that the red Rocks any more than the white.

Double decanting would allow the wine to absorb oxygen in large quantities, and then leaving it for a day, even with a cork fully in, would give plenty of time for the oxygen to react. Am I the only one that finds this treatment of a 30 year old wine a rather surprising? Or would others give 77 Musar a similar treatment. I think I would open, decant, and start serving within an hour.

I can see why it seems surprising to treat the wine this way. But then again, Musar is not a wine that should be treated in the same manner as e g an equally old Bordeaux, in that case I would rather do just what you described Steve. I based my decision on my own experience with Musar, and on testamonials on the internet. And I actually think it was the right thing to do, the wine was much more open when we had it than when I opened it.

I will search for that thread Bob. And yeas, the white Musar is one different beast. I've had the 93 and the 99, and they were both fantastic in different ways, I love them. I had the 99 again just the other day, and it was actually very different from the last 99 I had a couple of months ago. This one felt much older, a little too much oxidation, very sherryesque and nutty. Still highly enjoyable though.

Can't argue with personal exerience, I guess! Would you give younger Musars the same treatment?

I'm not sure however if I should have opened it so long in advance. Sure, it gained length and body, but maybe it lost just a little freshness and nice funk on the way?

What bothered me about all four bottles I've had is the corked-like, wet cardboard scent. I suppose damp cellar is similar.

I think the 1977 needs only about two hours to show well (if you like the wine, that is). Twice I've saved some for the next day and it hasn't declined by being open for so long, but neither has such a long air exposure done anything for the wine. I wouldn't have been so extreme about opening it, but I'm glad it worked well. Musar (young and old) really has astonishing staying power once opened.

-O-

Well said Otto. I have the same experience: air simply can't ruin a Musar. It's a mystery. Or maybe not; maybe it's the fact that Musar gets so much air when it's born, that it is simply immune to it... I tried a 98 a while ago. Not very interesting when I popped and poured. I had it in the fridge for more than a week, and every small glass I had during that time just kept on getting better.
And Ok, I hate to admit it (newbie on the forum and all ;), but maybe I should have opened it later than I did. The thing was that my choices was to open it like I did (a day in advance) or just before the "event", I didn't have the opportunity to open it like I would have done under perfect conditions; a couple of hours in advance (I had to be at work...).
All in all, it was a marvellous experience. I am eager to try the 78 that I have available (quite expensive though). Or even the 79 that I haven't heard anything about (have anyone tried it?)