Chateau Musar Red 2015
Description and tasting notes
The 2015 vintage is our traditional blend of approximately one third each of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carignan.
Just released, the Chateau Musar Red of this year is a dark blood red colour with a rich, fragrant fruit nose; mulberries, black cherries, plums with a hint of mocha. The palate is very intense and concentrated, it’s full of volume and characterised by forest and black fruits with elegant spice.
The tannins are soft and juicy and it has a lengthy finish. Chateau Musar Red 2014 is a vibrantly powerful vintage and cellared well it will keep for decades. A great match for red meats, especially game, seasonal casseroles and mature cheeses.
Chateau Musar 2015 is one of the most challenging vintages in a generation.
A good start to the year with plenty of rain and snow, then temperatures rising toward the end of March, however between 10th and 18th April, night-time temperatures fell to between -8°C and -12°C which destroyed buds that had started to open.
By early May, we were looking out on hectares of blackened vines and the situation looked catastrophic but, gradually, like
a phoenix rising from the ashes, green shoots emerged from the stems of the vines.
A humid June and mild July were followed by rising temperatures throughout August and a heatwave into September which resulted in further losses in the vineyards by the time it came to harvest. Cabernet Sauvignon was picked on 3rd September with 65% losses to the crop; Cinsault started on the 8th of September with losses of 70% in the vineyards of Aana and 40% in the vineyards of Kefraya. Finally, Carignan picked on 11th September which was 50% down.
An equal blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Carignan
Deep ruby color and an aroma of fresh hedgerow berries - bramble, blackcurrant and cherry, also more complexity coming through later with leather and delicate, peppery-spice notes. The flavors are similar, with some soft vanilla, warming spice and a cocoa note. Fresh acidity and supple tannins make the wine a perfect accompaniment to richer, fattier
meats like duck or a ribeye steak.
It’s a beauty of course, a blend as of yore of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsault. It was fiendishly tricky vintage with a frost in April and a heat wave in September, threatening local disaster. Indeed some 65% of Cab. Sauv. was lost. What little wine that was made though, is glorious – Jonathan Ray, The Spectator, July 2021
Alcohol
14% Alc./Vol
