Chateau Musar White 2016
Tasting Note
One of the most unique and extraordinary white wines you are ever likely to come across, the Chateau Musar White is a blend of ancient grape varieties Obaideh and Merwah, indigenous to the mountains of Lebanon, grown on slopes of over 1400m in altitude. Just like the red, this wine has spent almost 7 years aging before it has been released onto the market. This is a fragrant and highly distinctive dry white, with a dazzling nose of quince, lemon-zest, baked apple, vanilla, honey and nutty sherry-like notes from the oxidative ageing. The palate is rich and intense yet retains great freshness with citrussy notes, grapefruit, honeyed nuances, subtle spicey notes and a creamy, almost buttery finish. Many have tried to liken this wine and its profile to other things. Some say it resembles a ‘dry Sauternes’, others ‘old white Rioja’ and others compare it to Manzanilla. However, honestly this wine is wholly unique, an unapologetically individual wine that we find to be utterly intoxicating and entrancing. Quite the experience!
Cellared well, this wine will keep for decades, however is drinking very well at this moment. Not to be over chilled, this wine sings best around 14-15°, ‘cellar cool’.
At a Glance
One of the most unique and extraordinary white wines you are ever likely to come across, the Chateau Musar White is a blend of ancient grape varieties Obaideh and Merwah, indigenous to the mountains of Lebanon, grown on slopes of over 1400m in altitude. Just like the red, this wine has spent almost 7 years aging before it has been released onto the market. This is a fragrant and highly distinctive dry white, with a dazzling nose of quince, lemon-zest, baked apple, vanilla, honey and nutty sherry-like notes from the oxidative ageing. The palate is rich and intense yet retains great freshness with citrussy notes, grapefruit, honeyed nuances, subtle spicey notes and a creamy, almost buttery finish. Many have tried to liken this wine and its profile to other things. Some say it resembles a ‘dry Sauternes’, others ‘old white Rioja’ and others compare it to Manzanilla. However, honestly this wine is wholly unique, an unapologetically individual wine that we find to be utterly intoxicating and entrancing. Quite the experience!
Cellared well, this wine will keep for decades, however is drinking very well at this moment. Not to be over chilled, this wine sings best around 14-15°, ‘cellar cool’.
