2011 Massaya Gold Red

The 2011 Gold Reserve is a 50/40 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvèdre, plus 10% Syrah. All of the grapes were sourced from Haddath Baalbeck vineyard, at 950 meters, with vines varying in age (the Cabernet being the oldest at 30 to 40 years, the Mourvèdre at 18 to 30 years and the Syrah the youngest at ten to 18 years). It was aged for 16 months in an equal mixture of new and used French oak and comes in at 14.5% alcohol. When last seen a couple of years ago, this looked potentially impressive, but the oak was intrusive and the wine was pretty hard. It lacked expressiveness and it was difficult to read. Let's check in. It seems pretty brilliant now, perhaps the best wine I've ever seen from Massaya. It is fair to say I was unkind to it. It opens with some velvet. The oak certainly affects the texture. Then the wine becomes intense and largely pulls in the wood with a half hour in the glass. It shows some hints of beef and game on the gripping finish. The Syrah and the Mourvèdre add welcome complexity on the nose and palate. It's focused and powerful, with a lot of tannic pop. It is notably better the next day. This is beautiful—and very young. Another year or two of cellaring wouldn't hurt, but it's not mandatory. This is built for the long haul. It's clearer now that it will age well, perhaps better than anticipated. Let's remain conservative, though. I won't be surprised if this again exceeds expectations after it has a few more years in the cellar. It is certainly still on the upswing.