Musar Jeune

(2025) The blend here is 40% Chardonnay, 30% Vermentino and 30% Viognier. Once again it is very unlikely Musar's grand vin white, clean, fruit-forward and relatively 'easy drinking'. The Viognier gives plenty of juicy peach and apricot aromatics, the Vermentino freshens the palate with citrus and herbs, and the Chardonnay rounds the whole picture finishing fresh and spicy. Orthodox and very enjoyable.

Musar Jeune is a range of youthful, oak-free wines from Lebanon's iconic producer, Chateau Musar. This is organically farmed viognier, vermentino and chardonnay from limestone and silty soils of the Bekaa Valley, fermented in concrete and released the following year. Youthful vines they may be, but no less striking on the textural palate, confidently taking its time to sidle along the length, yet tightly strung with tension. Spiced anjou pear, elderflower blossoms, light white honey, meadow herbs, yellow apples, tangerine pith, on a dry, cleansing, oil-slicked palate to a toasted pine nut finish. The dichotomy here between fuller bodied and cleansing lightness is appealing, glass after glass. Now four years along, this shows even better after a decant (yes, you can decant whites) or on the second day, when all this density has time to relax. Mussels, salty mezze, tabbouleh sing with this.