2005 Chateau Musar Blanc, Serge Hochar, Bekaa Valley

"The Chateau Musar White 2005 is a beautiful honey gold colour with a nose and palate of orange blossom, honey, wild flowers and tropical fruits – guava, banana and passion fruit. A very well balanced wine with good acidity and a long finish of pears and honey. The style is reminiscent of a dry Sauternes or a mature white Graves: rich and intensely zesty, with very complex, long-lasting flavours. As such, the wine benefits from decanting and is best served at around 15° C (‘cellar cool’ rather than chilled) with fine foods of similar richness: foie gras, rillettes, roast duck, spicy Asian dishes and goat cheeses."
Chateau Musar Tasting Note

"There are dark veins of smoke and flint that highlight the rippling minerality in this fascinating Lebanese white. It's made in a deliberately oxidative style, and it offers a slight baked-apple flavour that slowly opens to reveal fresh citrus and honeysuckle notes. It's not for everyone, but it's a fascinating wine to enjoy over a long meal."
Anna Lee C. Iima, Wine Enthusiast, April 2013