1994 Château La Mission Haut-Brion

Community Tasting Notes (117) Avg Score: 91.9 points

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  1/17/2024 - Jake Barnes Likes this wine: 91 Points

  Small pour at a walk-around tasting hosted by a local specialty retailer. This was the only truly interesting Bordeaux on offer and also WOTN for me. Not because it was especially good but because it was was my first LMHB.
  
  Like the other Bordeaux offered (mostly 2012s), this was lean by more recent standards, but it had decent concentration in the context of the vintage and was very well balanced and pleasant. It was still showing quite dark for its age, and though there was perhaps a touch of brett on the nose, which blew off in the glass, it proved to be very a charming, soft wine in which it was easy to find sous bois, cigar wrapper, and a bit of unresolved tannin. This was, perhaps, in the back nine of its life but definitely not in decline and a reminder of what great wine makers can do in less than stellar vintages.
  
  Unfortunately, at $245 bottle, it was also a reminder that there is no reason (barring a birth year or anniversary, perhaps) to buy wines like this from such a forgettable vintage when much better wines, such as the ‘96 Montrose and Pichon Baron, can be had for the same money. Unknown ABV (very good/***/16/91)

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  1/17/2024 - acyso wrote: 88 Points

  Flickinger Tasting at The Casino (Chicago, IL): Structural with heavyset tannins, this isn't a particularly open or inviting bottle right now. The large-grained tannins are backwards, and there's a hint of brett to go alongside. A fine bottle of wine, but not at the level I expect from the estate; then again, who is trying to find cases of 1994 Bordeaux to cellar?

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  6/30/2023 - RockinCabs wrote: 93 Points

  Light and airy LMHB that exudes sweet cherry and pipe tobacco on the nose. Cassis, Blackberry, leather and gravel offer a fresh opening on the palate, and as it grows smokey embers and brick emerge.
  
  Finishes off with nice red cherry, and an imprint of warm stones that is classic LMHB.
  
  Not the biggest or deepest LMBH, but it sure is a pleasure in this airy and lighter package.

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  4/16/2023 - MJReb wrote: 93 Points

  Chez JPL: nose has some animal notes, I suspected that they come from the Cabernet Franc (10%) part of the assembly. Concentrated, tannins and with good length.

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  12/25/2022 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 91 Points

  Christmas Gathering at Daniel's Place (Daniel's place): Deep garnet. A big blast of BBQ smoke upon the first nose and first sip, which later mellows down to ripe blackberry and cranberry fruits, then fern and cloves. Medium on finish

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