Château La Mission Haut-Brion
Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend
Pessac-Léognan, Graves, Bordeaux, France
The 2005 La Mission Haut-Brion is a wine that I have had the pleasure of tasting on several occasions. The most recent bottle, included in a 2005 horizontal, puts it in a very favorable light even against strong competition. The bouquet bursts from the glass with intense blackberry, cedar and tobacco scents, plus background aromas of fig and damson, as you would expect from a warm summer. The palate is structured, yet the Merlot content (at 69%, the highest in many years) renders this Pessac-Léognan much more pliant than others from this vintage. A mélange of red and black fruits vie for attention, followed by warm gravel and black olives. Quite rich and yet not grippy; with decanting, you could broach this now, though personally I would prefer to leave it for several more years. Outstanding. (Neal Martin, Vinous, September 2021)
The 2005 La Mission Haut-Brion is a wine that I have had the pleasure of tasting on several occasions. The most recent bottle, included in a 2005 horizontal, puts it in a very favorable light even against strong competition. The bouquet bursts from the glass with intense blackberry, cedar and tobacco scents, plus background aromas of fig and damson, as you would expect from a warm summer. The palate is structured, yet the Merlot content (at 69%, the highest in many years) renders this Pessac-Léognan much more pliant than others from this vintage. A mélange of red and black fruits vie for attention, followed by warm gravel and black olives. Quite rich and yet not grippy; with decanting, you could broach this now, though personally I would prefer to leave it for several more years. Outstanding. (Neal Martin, Vinous, September 2021)
The 2005 La Mission Haut-Brion is unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage. Effusive aromatics and bright, red-toned fruit make a strong first impression. A wine of vertical intensity and explosive energy, the 2005 is a towering masterpiece. Today it is just at the beginning of a long drinking window that will last another few decades. Red cherry, plum, leather, spice, gravel, smoke, blood orange and pomegranate infuse the palate staining finish. In 2005, La Mission is a wine that satisfies all the senses, from the intellectual to the hedonistic. Magnificent. Tasted two times. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, April 2021)
The 2005 La Mission Haut-Brion is unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage. Effusive aromatics and bright, red-toned fruit make a strong first impression. A wine of vertical intensity and explosive energy, the 2005 is a towering masterpiece. Today it is just at the beginning of a long drinking window that will last another few decades. Red cherry, plum, leather, spice, gravel, smoke, blood orange and pomegranate infuse the palate staining finish. In 2005, La Mission is a wine that satisfies all the senses, from the intellectual to the hedonistic. Magnificent. Tasted two times. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, April 2021)
Big bruiser. Felt overripe for my tastes.
Big bruiser. Felt overripe for my tastes.
Jan 23rd, 2019
The sister property of Haut-Brion and a wine many consider an unofficial 1st Growth, La Mission was firing on all cylinders this night. The 2000 nose was classic, showing the signature Graves scorched Earth, ripe currants, creme de cassis, and roasted coffee beans. The palate built around a core of earth and rock, with a structured and textural powerhouse that relents in the glass as you taste it further, unwrapping the aroma and flavor kaleidoscope slowly and keeping you coming back for more.
The 2005 was more of the same but on another level of density and strength being a younger wine and also from an excellent vintage worthy of at least 5 -7 more years before I would go at it again. The nose hinted to a deep future, with the palate clamping down and not showing any signs of relenting that night.
#lamission #hautbrion #graves #bordeaux #wine
The sister property of Haut-Brion and a wine many consider an unofficial 1st Growth, La Mission was firing on all cylinders this night. The 2000 nose was classic, showing the signature Graves scorched Earth, ripe currants, creme de cassis, and roasted coffee beans. The palate built around a core of earth and rock, with a structured and textural powerhouse that relents in the glass as you taste it further, unwrapping the aroma and flavor kaleidoscope slowly and keeping you coming back for more.
The 2005 was more of the same but on another level of density and strength being a younger wine and also from an excellent vintage worthy of at least 5 -7 more years before I would go at it again. The nose hinted to a deep future, with the palate clamping down and not showing any signs of relenting that night.
#lamission #hautbrion #graves #bordeaux #wine
Painfully young... potentially perfect.
Painfully young... potentially perfect.
Oct 5th, 2018
Very pure fruit. Pretty with violets and dark black fruit. Killer stuff. Years ahead but glimpses of beauty
Very pure fruit. Pretty with violets and dark black fruit. Killer stuff. Years ahead but glimpses of beauty
Apr 11th, 2018