La Mission Haut Brion

Burg Staufeneck
Tasted Friday, March 9, 2012 - Saturday, March 10, 2012 by mwanasheria with 1,848 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.

  • 1973 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/9/2012)

    From magnum, top shoulder. Sweet and earthy in the nose. On the palate forest, sweetness, unbelievably silky and elegant finish. A great bottle.

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  • 1976 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/9/2012)

    From magnum, top shoulder. Earth and cedar in the nose. Notes of chocolate, forest, earth on the palate. Still drinking very well.

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  • 1978 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/9/2012)

    Perfect magnum. Green notes, eukalyptus, nice sweetness. Bouquet of tobacco, some cassis, licorice. Really very good if not as great as I had expected it.

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  • 1988 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/9/2012)

    Perfect magnum. Bouquet of herbs, earth. Dense and powerul on the palate with notes of smoke, some cassis, malt. Great.

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  • 1994 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/9/2012)

    Perfect magnum. Quite attractive for a 1994. Nose of herbs, pepper, some greenness. On the palate somewhat rustic and still quite tannic and and high acidity but not in a bad way.

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

More recent LMHBs.

  • 1998 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/9/2012)

    A great bottle of LMHB. Forbidding and young but destined for great things. Bouquet of moccha. Quite tannic, but nice sweetness of cassis, vanilla.

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  • 1999 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/9/2012)

    A very attractive wine to drink right now. Sweet, elegant, mature and long sappy finish.

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  • 2000 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 97 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/9/2012)

    Nose of truffles, cinnamon, provencal herbs. Cassis, tobacco, chocolate. Elegant and perfectly integrated and lots of power. Long opulent finish. Truly great and will probably appreciate further.

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  • 2001 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/9/2012)

    Very elegant yet quite powerful. Nose of cassis, dark fruits. On the palate sweetness, silky tannins, nice finish.

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  • 2003 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/9/2012)

    Dense and powerful, opulent palate of black cherries, cassis, vanilla. It does have a certain core of freshness, so this is balanced.

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Flight 6 - Day 1, Dessert (1 Note)

  • 1999 Château d'Yquem 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

    (3/9/2012)

    Honeycomb, peach, quince, nice balancing acidity of lemon. Very elegant.

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

Two very nice impériales so nobody needed to leave thirsty.

  • 1983 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/9/2012)

    From impériale, perfect bottle. Dense, dark und useful. Nose of Graphite, tobacco, leather, herbs. Sweet and luscious on the palate. Spectacular.

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  • 2000 Château Smith Haut Lafitte 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/9/2012)

    From impériale. Sweet cherries, cassis, lots of unresolved tannins. Good but too young.

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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.

  • 1943 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    High shoulder. Light sweet nose. On the palate herbs, mushrooms, peppermint, elegant.

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  • 1945 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 98 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    Spectacular bouquet of herbs, cedar, coffee. This is followed with an elegant palate, opulent sweetness, tea, truffles and a very long finish. Really extraordinary.

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  • 1947 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 100 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    Sweet nose of raisins, port, Madeira, coffee. Unbelievable sweetness on the palate, silky, elegant, dancing with herbs, smoke. Sappy core and long long finish. This is unbelievably good and on this evening a notch above the legendary 45.

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  • 1948 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 88 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    Reconditioned bottle. Slightly reduced and oxidized nose. The bottle was not quite right with a musty palate, leather, wet leaves.

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  • 1949 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    Mid-shoulder. Nose of leather, tobacco, forest fruit. On the palate, milk chocolate, roasted coffee, long finish. Great.

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  • 1952 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 86 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    Sour nose, but better palate with some residual sweetness, leather, musk. Not very compelling.

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

More great LMHB from the fifties.

  • 1953 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    Captivating nose of herbs, leather, tobacco, malty sweetness. On the palate very balanced with some earth, dried fruit, sweetness, long finish. Very very good.

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  • 1955 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 97 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    Top shoulder. Nose of cedar, mint, herbs. Fresh on the palate, nice bitterness and acidity perfectly balanced by the residual Cabernet sweetness.

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  • 1957 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    Slight notes of cork. This could have been a spectacular wine. It was better on the palate, so still drinkable with a nice sweet core.

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  • 1959 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 97 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    Top shoulder. Great nose with malt, cocoa, peppermint. On the palate an enchanting sweetness, and a long silky finish.

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  • 1961 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    Top shoulder. Probably not a perfect bottle. But still nice with leather, tobacco in the nose. Slightly dry on the palate and a bit rustic, but long long finish.

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  • 1964 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    Slightly green on the palate, but not in a bad way and very agreeable. Nose of spices and herbs and again slightly green.

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

A flight of magnums.

  • 1920 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 81 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    High-shoulder magnum. Volatile acidity, oxidative notes, not good.

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  • 1962 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    From magnum. Something was not quite right, not sure whether it was cork, but it got worse over time. Initially light but pleasant and round.

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  • 1970 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    From magnum. Not spectacular but quite appealing. Nose of cedar, herbs. On the palate nicely integrated and elegant with a sappy core.

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  • 1974 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    From magnum. I thought this was a nice surprise. Nose of eukalyptus and peppermint, on the palate rustic but not unpleasant.

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  • 1975 Château La Mission Haut-Brion

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    From magnum. Unfortunately not all it could have been. Slightly wet nose with mushrooms, damp earth. On the palate attractive herbs and spices, but no sweetness. Strange.

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  • 1979 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    From magnum. Nose of cassis, tobacco, chocolate, wood. On the palate dense with dark fruit, vanilla. Quite tannic and for the long run.

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

All rounded off by a great flight from the eigthies.

  • 1981 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    Bouquet of spices, herbs, cedar, mint. Slightly dry and rustic on the palate but very nice.

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  • 1982 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 96 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    Fruity, young bouquet. Opulent on the palate, fat, round, sappy, almost hot. A great 1982.

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  • 1985 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    A big structured wine, with a typical noise of herbs, mint, eukalyptus. A nicely mature palate with good Cabernet sweetness and balance.

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  • 1986 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 87 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    This was not a good bottle, slightly maderized, even though it improved after half an hour in the glass and showed the typical 86 wildness. Too bad, because I heard this is supposed to be good.

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  • 1987 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    This was not heavy, even thin, but very pleasant. Slightly green nose, but sweet on the palate.

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  • 1989 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 96 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (3/10/2012)

    Nose of candied fruit, raisins, herbs. On the palate thick and rich, with lots of life in it. Great.

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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 Haut-Médoc 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, Saint-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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