La Mission Haut Brion

Burg Staufeneck
Tasted Friday, March 9, 2012 - Saturday, March 10, 2012 by mwanasheria with 1,693 views

Introduction

This was one of the rare occasions where one could taste through many years of LMHB. Because of the much smaller production than the first growth, these bottles are difficult to find. I drank many of these wines for the first time.

Flight 1 - Day 1, Apéritif (2 Notes)

Two older Laville Haut-Brion blancs. They are holding out pretty well.

Flight 2 - Day 1, Flight 1 (6 Notes)

Less prestigious vintages from the sixties to get started.

Flight 3 - Day 1, Flight 2 (5 Notes)

And from the nineties ...

Flight 4 - Day 1, Flight 3 (5 Notes)

Magnums from smaller years.

Flight 5 - Day 1, Flight 4 (5 Notes)

More recent LMHBs.

Flight 6 - Day 1, Dessert (1 Note)

Flight 7 - Day 1, Table Wine (2 Notes)

Two very nice impériales so nobody needed to leave thirsty.

Flight 8 - Day 2, Lunch (3 Notes)

While waiting for more LMHB in the evening.

Flight 9 - Day 2, Dinner, Apéritif (3 Notes)

Warming up with younger Lavilles.

Flight 10 - Day 2, Dinner, Flight 1 (6 Notes)

Old LMHBs perform wel..

Flight 11 - Day 2, Dinner, Flight 2 (6 Notes)

LMHB in the forties - flat out spectacular.

Flight 12 - Day 2, Dinner, Flight 3 (6 Notes)

More great LMHB from the fifties.

Flight 13 - Day 2, Dinner, Flight 4 (6 Notes)

A flight of magnums.

Flight 14 - Day 2, Dinner, Flight 5 (6 Notes)

All rounded off by a great flight from the eigthies.

Flight 15 - Day 2, Dinner, Table Wine - big bottles with flaws (4 Notes)

Two flawed impériales. It would have been better to sell them ...

  • 1990 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Flawed

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    From impériale. The wine tasted of damp earth, musty cellar. I don't think this was corked, but it was undrinkable regardless. What a shame.

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  • 1996 Château Pape Clément Flawed

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    The second impériale in a row that was corked, after I did not have any big bottle corked for years.

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  • 2000 Château Mille-Roses 86 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc

    (3/10/2012)

    From impériale. I did not like this too much. Maybe it was because of the other wines (LMHB) and because the two previous impériales were flawed. Cassis, vanilla, short finish.

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  • 1999 Château Monbousquet 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    (3/10/2012)

    From impériale. A real fruit bomb. Slightly overripe nose. On the palate, cassis, black cherries, vanilla, oak. Not a bad drink by any means, I am just not sure how this is going to integrate.

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Closing

This event showed that the best LMHBs are from the fourties and fifties with a return to great form from the late nineties. This has been a memorable two days.

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