February 4, 2024 - 2006 La Mission Haut-Brion. 59% Merlot, 40% CS, 1% CF. B2L2I2C2. 96+. 18 years old. Deep Garnet. Plenty of red and black fruits (plum, dark cherry, raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, ripe strawberry. Rose, violet and geranium flowers. Bell pepper and liquorice. Iodine, chalky and wet stone. Black pepper. Vanilla, chocolate, cedar, nutmeg, cinnamon and toastiness. Buttery. Dough, biscuit and yeasty. Tobacco, coffee, leather, cigar and mushroom. Plenty of richness and tannin on the palate. Sweet with mineral undertones. Expansive wine in the mouth. Full-bodied, concentrated with fine silky tannins. Still very strong, young and fresh. Required 3 hours of decanting before it started to show its true potential - incredibly balanced, great intensity, long finish and complex. An excellent wine indeed.
December 11, 2023 - Struggled to identify blind - guessed right bank. Good wine probably limited by the vintage.
December 4, 2023 - this was drunk alongside the 2004 La Mission Haut-Brion and was much the better of the two although neither are really ready to drink - this has quite some substance to it and should be excellent in time - I would leave this for at least a couple of years
October 25, 2023 - Wow, this is a really good wine already showing great depth and balance with a thick, savory texture and fabulous flavors of dark red fruits, smoky gravel and sweet tobacco. Rich but not over the top and just a fabulous La Miss that can be drunk now but will obviously age gracefully for decades. The wine of the vintage in Bordeaux? 95+
July 25, 2023 - Brought to Gather with the Fosters
May 5, 2023 - Really beautiful wine and a much needed change up after touring Australia wine country (which was great!).
Classic dark fruit, cassis, and earthy profile, bit of tobacco, some good tannin structure still. Very classy wine.
Quite good now with a decant but I can see this blossoming a bit more still.
May 5, 2023 - Drank at a steak restaurant. Decanted briefly before drinking over 1.5 hours. Silky and resolved tanins, but will likely improve. Ready from the get go. Would love to try again in 5 years.
November 30, 2022 - Clear deep ruby; clean medium minus nose of cassis and graphite; dry; high acidity; high tannins; high alcohol; medium plus body; pronounced flavour intensity; palate is tarter with addition of cocoa; long finish; muscular wine with enough tannins and structure to develop for decades; drink now if you like power or wait if you don’t; tasted at Haut Brion LCBO dinner
June 27, 2022 - Excellent wine. Complimented Steak Diane very well.
April 22, 2022 - The Four Seasons Tasting 2006 Bordeaux First Growths (Aubergine Restaurant): Deep garnet-coloured wine with lifted fruit aromas of cherry, red & blackcurrant, bitter chocolate, beef stock and bay leaf. It is medium to full-bodied on the palate with a luxurious combination of cherry, liquorice, wet tobacco and dark chocolate flavours, balanced by firm but dense, chewy tannins. Hints of liquorice, spice cake and tobacco are present, balanced by lingering, fresh acidity. The wine is almost 'showy', utterly appealing with a linear but powerful finish. There is an athletic muscle yet elegance here, which still needs more time in the bottle to reach its full potential for complexity and balance. An outstanding example of quality winemaking!