Vanessa

9.3

This is the BEAUTIFUL 2018 Chateau Musar Gaston Hochar made from a blend that includes Obaideh and Merwah, indigenous white grape varieties, with a touch of Cinsault for color.

It has a deep salmon hue with complex aromas & flavors including expressive notes of licorice, anise, fennel, bruised apple, honeydew, Smarties®, dried chamomile, white tea, baked peach, lily, menthol, mint, mandarin peel, orange pith, almond skin, hazelnut, honeycomb, crushed stone, pool toy, vanilla, & acrylic paint.

On the palate this wine is dry, with crisp acidity, a creamy and textured mouthfeel, medium alcohol (12.5% ABV), and a persistent finish.

With each sip, it reveals layers, dimension after dimension. It’s a lovely, cerebral, and gastronomic wine. The culmination of history and artistry in the glass; a testament to the enduring passion, resilience, and soul of the Hochar family. — 7 months ago

with Deked1

Martijn

9.0

Red transparant.
Right after opening it showed very little strength. Muted, some wood and wet forrest.
But today on day two it did a full 180.
Great combination of dark ripe fruit, candied red and pepper. Also some burn of the 14,5%…
Personally I like it a bit younger but once you treat it like they tell you at Chateau Musar (old wines decant and open long before drinking) it is very enjoyable. — 3 years ago

M

9.0

2010. Very solid. Old nose and flavor. Really enjoyable. — 4 years ago

S.R.Alexander

9.1

One of the darker, more skin “extracted” roses I’ve had. Delicious, but not as funky as the rouge. — 5 years ago

Doctor No

9.4

Wow, this is exceptional. All the bright and deep red fruit and subtle bretty notes of a great Musar but with a juicy acidity that surprises one on the palate. — 6 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

In some ways, Chateau Simone reminds me of some of the more austere vintages of Musar. Always a head turner due to its class. Lovely. — 6 years ago

Richard Hunt

9.2

So smooth and velvety. Best wine I’ve had to date. — 7 years ago

Christian Fischer

9.3

Usually not a huge fan of Italian wines, but yeah, have been buying some Sassicaia over the years. As I put away some wines I stumble across this 2012 that should be ready to drink, so I bring it upstairs to decant it. Great nose and typical flavor profiles emerge. Nice acidity and a some background menthol flavors that remind me of some great Chateau Musar vintages. This is a vibrant wine with tannins still strong, but integrated; better on day 2.
Not one of my favorite wines, no surprise, but a solid well-made enjoyable Bordeaux blend — a year ago

Aaron Tan

9.1

“Remarkable when good. Almost always rustic. Let’s see how the bottle opens up tonight.”

DC’s comment pretty much sums up my somewhat limited experience with the wines of Lorenzo Accomasso, and evidently this bottle has done little to change our opinion. While it was certainly the most complex number of the night as it was constantly evolving with air, the level of volatile acidity in the 13’ Riserva Rocche dell’Annunziata was really testing my limits. Having said that, if my more extensive experience with the wines of Musar is of any relevance, this is bound to do a Benjamin Button and freshen up with another decade in the cellar.

Opened some 5 hours before our tasting session, it was all dark and brooding in the first pour. Plums, mocha, spiced meat, and leather aromas, all enveloped in a rather pesky sheen of acetone. Subsequent pours seemed to bring more elegance with aromas of dark red cherries, licorice, dusty rose petals, and even hints of iodine developing. The acetone note was somewhat tamer later in the night, though still very much discernible. The palate mirrors the nose - all dark fruits, leather, tar, sweet spices, and a touch of VA warmth at the start; more red-fruits, licorice, and heaps of black tea by the end of the night. Concentrated and beautifully textured, with fine yet austere tannins. Overall, a bottle I’m grateful to drink and ponder, but best to keep others under locks for another decade. — 2 years ago

The Geek

8.9

Really, really savory and tasty. I can see why some call this the Chateau Musar or South America. Nothing like a normal Malbec...nor is it particularly similar to Cahors. It’s in a league of its own.

Body: Medium+
Acidity: Medium-
Tannin: Medium+
Typicity: Low

millennialwinegeek.com — 5 years ago

Scott C

Founder / Co-director SR Wine imports

9.2

Beautiful !!! This will be Chateau Musar of Syria one day . Stunning wines , a little too much oak for personal taste but fruit quality and complexity . Spices , dark fruits and not stewed fruits ! — 6 years ago

Michael Hildebrand

9.1

Smoked meat and jam on the nose. Chewy firm tannin and pure red fruits on the palate. Awesome drinking!! — 7 years ago

Maggie Thompson

9.0

Tastes of apple, cherry, and tobacco blossoms anchor this delightful off dry blend. — 7 years ago

DCH

9.0

Cinsault heavy blend that conveys Beqaa Valley terroir well. Tasty. — 2 years ago

Austin Hohnke

9.2

Dried, desiccated fruit. Juicy but not fruity. Fig, carob, baking chocolate. Dusty. Substantial VA on the nose makes you work for it. For Musar lovers. — 2 years ago

Marc Ouellette

9.0

50% Cinsault, 35% Syrah and 15% Cab - A lovely nose, vibrant cherries, soft spices, smooth at first, medium body, bountiful and ripe tannins. Stunning! — 3 years ago

Scott G

9.5

It's sherry. Basically sherry. Or a vintage Musar white. Very nutty and oxidized on the nose, sharply metallic on the palate with a big squeeze of lemon/lime rushing over salty salty river rocks. Lush and opulent and mouth coating. It's great if you like olorosos, and went great with a very garlicky Basque bread soup. — 5 years ago

David Koenen

9.3

Amazing stuff. Cinnamon, ripe orange, cloves, barnyard, ultra smooth, almost Pinot Noir like. Long and velvety, balsamico and strawberry, black tea, a touch of leather and funk. WOTN. — 6 years ago

Deni

9.2

Really good. It has a unique flavor that reminded me so much of Chateau Musar. Delicious — 6 years ago

Jeremiah Allen

9.1

Maybe not the perfect time to drink this 76 normale, I did find it to radically improve with air and delivered on its price. Very lifted, volatile and that old leather Bretty musky socks and saddles style. (Drink Lopez or Musar?). This being my first Antoniolo, I now believe there are some great bottles with serious age out there calling to me. I will seek to answer this call. 📣 🙋🏽‍♂️ — 7 years ago