Chateau Musar, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, 2000, 750ml

A gorgeous bottle of Musar, great things are happening to this vintage. Tonight’s failed Hermitage smelled like smoked bacon; this Musar smells like a Middle Eastern spice market. Garnet. A very complex nose, rose & violet, dates, olives, cardamom, cinnamon, mint, tobacco, milk chocolate. There’s a little volatile acidity, and some mushroomy sous-bois. More fruit on the palate, black cherry and blackberry. Ripe and exotic yet earthy and brooding. Soft palate, very approachable, great for drinking now.

DF, vivino.com, May 2020