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Looks like it's going to be a Musar oriented evening.
Very nice Kathleen. Lynn just brought over a 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon too. Check out the Armenian cheese.
Grilling the lamb chops now. Both wines are very good, and both exhibit a peppery taste that you might associate with Cabernet Franc.
The '15 Musar Jeune is fairly tasty for an entry level Musar. This is a blend of 50% Cinsault, 30% Syrah and 20% Cab. There's some nice perfume notes with a bit of ripe red fruit on the nose. A bit rustic/old world on the tongue with black/blue fruit, a touch of earthiness, fairly well integrated tannins and medium acidity. Not overly complex but definitely quaffable. This went well with pizza (but I'd rather have had some of Al's lamb).
After decanting the flagship Chateau Musar 2014 (old label) about 90 minutes ago, I re-tasted and am not at all disappointed. This wine is ready now, throwing a goodly sediment. You can find the entire product line here: https://chateaumusar.com/musarwines/
The wine description from the site is:
"Seven years in the making, Chateau Musar Red is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsault from vineyards near the Bekaa Valley villages of Aana and Kefraya on gravelly soils over limestone. Planted from the 1930s onwards, yields are low from these mature bushvines (average age: 40 years): Between 15 to 35hl per hectare.
Winemaking
The varietal components in Chateau Musar Red undergo lengthy fermentations in cement vats at temperatures below 30°C. 6 months after the harvest they are transferred into French barrels (oak from the forest of Nevers) for one year.
Blending
The varietal components are brought together two years after the harvest; the resulting blend is then placed back in cement tanks before being bottled 12 months later. Each wine is blended to reflect the character of the vintage. After 4 years’ bottle maturation in the deep stone cellars of Chateau Musar, the finished wines are released a full seven years after the harvest."
Tasting results to follow shortly...
Some lovely wines you guys. I was really impressed by the two we tasted. Definitely a 4 glasses assessment for both. They had a characteristic pepper taste from Cabernet Franc, yet the 100% Cabernet Sauvignon had the same taste. What gives?
I look forward to some wine tasting notes and descriptions. My remarks for the Chateau Musar are as follows:
The 2014 Chateau Musar is completely opaque cherry red in the glass. As the bottle was left standing for about 48 hours prior to uncorking, clarity is also good. There is just a hint of sediment and lace on the glass rim. With a high component of Cabernet Sauvignon, one might be predisposed to think Himalayan Blackberry, but the nose is dominated by cherry and certain je ne sais quoi consisting perhaps of desert sage and Mediterranean garigue-like notes. Musar reminds one of certain Peloponnese wines of souther mainland Greece, Nemea, in particular. The entry is fat with plum and evergreen or cedar overlay. Very unique. Finish is medium long and satisfying. Anyone who likes the wines of Paso Robles (California), the Peloponnese (Greece), the Boot of Italy (especially Calabria), or perhaps Corbières (Languedoc, France) will love this very well-made wine. 92 4.0+ Glasses.
We need to select a date in November 2021 and a wine region for the next International Wine Night. Suggestions on one or both?
Which countries have we done so far?
I think Bulgaria may be next
Bulgaria is OK for most people, I think.
Sounds like a winner. We’ll pick a date soon.
I have my eye on a Melnik region Keratsuda white from Melnikon, if Bulgaria is in. On the other hand, there is Croatia...
I would like to hear from Kathleen before we commit to a date.
I shall meditate transcendentally in the meanwhile.
Bulgaria is good for me - - last Tuesday of November?
Croatia is hard - please provide link to Croatia wines
Ok, 30 November 2021 it is. Start looking for your bottles.
As soon as the stores open. It is 7:00 AM here at the moment. Al and Sandra have probably had their bed AND breakfast by now...
I picked up a couple of Bulgarian wines today from Total Wine. The prices were right and these boys look familiar.
Amazing values at times.
Well, I remember when I travelled extensively to Bulgaria between 1994 and 1996, the bottles there were US$1 to US$2 retail, and good wines.
That is an amazing price. We won't see that out here in the US.
You can still get wine in the Balkans (less so in Greece these days) for 3-5 euros that is drink-worthy, if not memorable. In the middle 1970's, you could get the export wine from the Soviet Bloc for about 1.50 US a bottle. This was Gamza, usually, but not a bad medium-bodied wine with lots of cherry flavors. Romania also has very cheap and often quite good wine. A French company (SERVE, de Poix Family) has made considerable investment in the Dealul Mare region, and I have had some Pinot Noir and Bordeaux examples fairly recently, although these are still hard to obtain here.
Count Stephan von Neipperg, owner of Château Canon La Gaffelière and La Mondotte, was one of the first people to invest in the wine sector in Bulgaria. This was in the Bessa Valley, in the Pazardjik region, 135 km southeast of Sofia. Premium Bordeaux grape and local varieties were planted. The wines, ENIRA and ENIRA Réserva, have met with enormous success.
The ancient, still wild and beautiful country of Bulgaria has some good locations for wine. It is just a matter of time before these off-the-beaten-track wine regions begin to assert themselves.
The email reminder was sent out this morning. I hope we have a good online attendance.
There is a lot of Bulgarian wine - although higher-end product may be a difficult find. Still, the regular fare is cheap and very chug-worthy.
My Bulgarian wine is a relatively rare Melnikon Keratsuda (orange-white) wine from 2019. Should be interesting. Comes from a single valley near the Macedonian border.
Looks interesting. I’m not a fan of orange wines but I heard some are pretty decent.
Normally, I am not either, but this is not an overly oxidative wine, so I am advised, and it received good reviews. I have had a lot of Gamza and Melnik, so wanted something different as well.
Well, folks, once again, I am going to be the stick in the mud and won't be drinking a Bulgarian wine, tonight.
Going with an old reliable.