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Mission Haut Brion 2005

Pessac-Leognan, Grand Cru Classé

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Tasting Notes
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. Score: 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025 - 2060 01 September 2021
The Château La Mission Haut-Brion 2005 has a really quite fabulous bouquet with powerful, very well defined blackberry, cedar, tobacco, fig and menthol scents that jostle for attention. The palate is medium-bodied with fine and supple tannin. This is becoming quite a savoury La Mission with savoury elements infusing the red and black fruit, touches of sage and juniper flourishing on the finish that is so refined you could actually drink hits now. This is a quite brilliant La Mission Haut-Brion that will cruise at a rarefied height. Score: 98 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2020-2060 01 February 2015
Tasted single blind at Southwold. A deep limpid garnet core. This has a very deep, concentrated nose with blackberry, plum, black olive, smoke with a touch of graphite. Brilliant definition and with aeration: a faint touch of damson. The palate is full-bodied with immense concentration, layers and layers of black fruits, cedar, graphite, a touch of spice. Incredible precision and the tannic, muscular finish goes on and on. Close to perfection. Score: 99 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2012-2040 01 July 2009
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. Score: 100 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2021 - 2055 01 April 2021
This is very rich and layered for La Mission with ultra-polished tannins yet velvety and beautiful in texture. It's fully-bodied and full of character that shows plums, berries, wet earth and oyster shell flavors that are so unique to reds from this estate. Superb quality. Better to drink this in 2020 but try now to feel the greatness. Score: 99 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Maturity: 2020+ 15 October 2015
The Indian spices and blackberry on the nose are so enticing and inspiring, leading to a full-bodied palate, with very polished tannins that caress. Goes on and on as this builds on the palate, with a mineral and berry aftertaste. For long-term aging. Best after 2015. 5,665 cases made. Score: 97 James Suckling, Wine Spectator Maturity: 2015+ 31 March 2008
Loads of crushed berries and flowers on the nose. Very sweet dark fruits. Full-bodied, with amazing concentration of fruit. Big, silky tannins. The depth of fruit is there. Dig down and find it. The richest La Mission ever. Score: 95 - 100 James Suckling, Wine Spectator 01 April 2006
The 2005 La Mission Haut-Brion is pure perfection. It has an absolutely extraordinary nose of sweet blackberries, cassis and spring flowers with some underlying minerality, a full-bodied mouthfeel, gorgeously velvety tannins (which is unusual in this vintage) and a long, textured, multi-layered finish that must last 50+ seconds. This is a fabulous wine and a great effort from this hallowed terroir. Drink this modern-day legend over the next 30+ years. Only 5,500 cases were produced of this blend of 69% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc. Score: 100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2015-2045 01 June 2015
Another massive effort, the inky/purple-colored 2005 La Mission-Haut-Brion is broodingly backward and foreboding. The aromatic profile offers hints of charcoal, freshly laid hot tar, truffles, graphite and black fruits. Full-bodied, powerful, tannic and almost painfully extracted and concentrated with tremendous structure, good acidity and a massive finish, this infant wine is largely unchanged since I first tasted it from bottle. If everything comes together in 10-15 years, this brilliant 2005 should merit a triple digit score. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050+. (98+ Points) Score: 98 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2020-2050+ 01 August 2012
There are slightly more than 5,000 cases of the 2005 La Mission-Haut-Brion, a blend of 69% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and a touch of Cabernet Franc. While there is little difference between La Mission and Haut-Brion’s terroirs (their vineyards are only separated by a two-lane road), La Mission possesses more fat, texture, and intensity. An enormously endowed wine with huge tannin and structure, the 2005 offers a quintessential Graves bouquet of burning embers, charcoal, blackberries, truffles, black currants, and a meaty character. Reminiscent of the 1989, with more structure as well as a longer window of drinkability, the 2005 may be a modern day, improved version of a vintage such as 1955, which was well-endowed, very tannic, and took a long time to come around. While fabulously full-bodied and unctuous, the 2005 will not provide much charm in its youth. It needs 8-10 years of cellaring, and should age effortlessly for 30-40 years. Score: 97 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2016-2048 30 April 2008
The 2005 La Mission-Haut-Brion is even more impressive this year than it was in 2006. There are approximately 5,500 cases of this blend of 69% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Cabernet Franc. Jean-Philippe Delmas told me that for the first time in this vineyard’s history, the entire vineyard was seriously crop-thinned. The result is a wine that is reminiscent of the 1989, but with more structure, muscle, and tannin. However, the tannin is sweet - a good sign in a wine with such extraordinary power and richness. Scorched earth, blueberries, blackberries, and a hint of truffles appear in the staggering aromatics. The wine is massive in the mouth, with incredible fat and richness as well as mouth-searing levels of velvety tannin in the finish. Even though the fruit is wonderfully ripe and the texture is unctuous, this stunning offering will not be drinkable for 6-7 years, and should keep for 25 years thereafter. Score: 96 - 100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2013-2038 30 April 2007
The deep ruby/purple-hued 2005 La Mission-Haut-Brion is the finest offering from this estate since the 2000, a vintage it resembles in power, muscle, and structure. A gorgeous perfume of creosote, blueberries, and black fruits is followed by powerful, full-bodied flavors with great purity as well as remarkable freshness. Already revealing a certain unctuosity and thickness, it should continue to put on weight and develop magnificently for 25-30+ years. La Mission’s staff believes it is more similar to the 1990 than 2000, but it is too early for me to agree or disagree. Nevertheless, this is a profound La Mission-Haut-Brion. Score: 95 - 97 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2012-2030+ 30 April 2006
Very dark healthy crimson. Very sweet plus mineral. Very fine and glorious and flattering and lovely - the sort of wine you would expect Margaux to taste like. Lovely length and completeness. Still lots of fine tannins on the finish. Score: 19 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2014 to 2024 01 August 2009
Deep ruby-red. Black raspberry and licorice on the nose. Dense and sweet but youthfully tight; a serious young wine with terrific verve and the acid/tannin backbone to support a long and glorious evolution in bottle. Very long on the back end, with mouth-saturating fruit and tannins. Like La Chapelle-and in direct contrast to Bahans and Haut-Brion-this is quite backward today, and almost certain to merit a higher rating in the future. (94+ points) Score: 94 Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar 01 May 2008
Often rivalling Haut Brion, La Mission often provides First Growth quality at a more accessible price. This year the high proportion of Merlot (69%, with 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc) has produced a wine of fabulous opulence. On the nose it is subtle, sexy and exotic with terrific lift. Very rich fruit, dense and richly textured with a velvet mouthfeel. Enormous texture, depth and power with well-toned tannins and a finish that endures for minutes. This will be very long-lived. A powerhouse and one of the great La Missions for sure. Score: - Albany Vintners, - 10 April 2006

Tasting Notes

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.

Score: 97

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025 - 2060 01 September 2021

The Château La Mission Haut-Brion 2005 has a really quite fabulous bouquet with powerful, very well defined blackberry, cedar, tobacco, fig and menthol scents that jostle for attention. The palate is medium-bodied with fine and supple tannin. This is becoming quite a savoury La Mission with savoury elements infusing the red and black fruit, touches of sage and juniper flourishing on the finish that is so refined you could actually drink hits now. This is a quite brilliant La Mission Haut-Brion that will cruise at a rarefied height.

Score: 98

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2020-2060 01 February 2015

Tasted single blind at Southwold. A deep limpid garnet core. This has a very deep, concentrated nose with blackberry, plum, black olive, smoke with a touch of graphite. Brilliant definition and with aeration: a faint touch of damson. The palate is full-bodied with immense concentration, layers and layers of black fruits, cedar, graphite, a touch of spice. Incredible precision and the tannic, muscular finish goes on and on. Close to perfection.

Score: 99

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2012-2040 01 July 2009

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.

Score: 100

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2021 - 2055 01 April 2021

This is very rich and layered for La Mission with ultra-polished tannins yet velvety and beautiful in texture. It's fully-bodied and full of character that shows plums, berries, wet earth and oyster shell flavors that are so unique to reds from this estate. Superb quality. Better to drink this in 2020 but try now to feel the greatness.

Score: 99

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Maturity: 2020+ 15 October 2015

The Indian spices and blackberry on the nose are so enticing and inspiring, leading to a full-bodied palate, with very polished tannins that caress. Goes on and on as this builds on the palate, with a mineral and berry aftertaste. For long-term aging. Best after 2015. 5,665 cases made.

Score: 97

James Suckling, Wine Spectator Maturity: 2015+ 31 March 2008

Loads of crushed berries and flowers on the nose. Very sweet dark fruits. Full-bodied, with amazing concentration of fruit. Big, silky tannins. The depth of fruit is there. Dig down and find it. The richest La Mission ever.

Score: 95 - 100

James Suckling, Wine Spectator 01 April 2006

The 2005 La Mission Haut-Brion is pure perfection. It has an absolutely extraordinary nose of sweet blackberries, cassis and spring flowers with some underlying minerality, a full-bodied mouthfeel, gorgeously velvety tannins (which is unusual in this vintage) and a long, textured, multi-layered finish that must last 50+ seconds. This is a fabulous wine and a great effort from this hallowed terroir. Drink this modern-day legend over the next 30+ years. Only 5,500 cases were produced of this blend of 69% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc.

Score: 100

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2015-2045 01 June 2015

Another massive effort, the inky/purple-colored 2005 La Mission-Haut-Brion is broodingly backward and foreboding. The aromatic profile offers hints of charcoal, freshly laid hot tar, truffles, graphite and black fruits. Full-bodied, powerful, tannic and almost painfully extracted and concentrated with tremendous structure, good acidity and a massive finish, this infant wine is largely unchanged since I first tasted it from bottle. If everything comes together in 10-15 years, this brilliant 2005 should merit a triple digit score. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050+. (98+ Points)

Score: 98

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2020-2050+ 01 August 2012

There are slightly more than 5,000 cases of the 2005 La Mission-Haut-Brion, a blend of 69% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and a touch of Cabernet Franc. While there is little difference between La Mission and Haut-Brion’s terroirs (their vineyards are only separated by a two-lane road), La Mission possesses more fat, texture, and intensity. An enormously endowed wine with huge tannin and structure, the 2005 offers a quintessential Graves bouquet of burning embers, charcoal, blackberries, truffles, black currants, and a meaty character. Reminiscent of the 1989, with more structure as well as a longer window of drinkability, the 2005 may be a modern day, improved version of a vintage such as 1955, which was well-endowed, very tannic, and took a long time to come around. While fabulously full-bodied and unctuous, the 2005 will not provide much charm in its youth. It needs 8-10 years of cellaring, and should age effortlessly for 30-40 years.

Score: 97

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2016-2048 30 April 2008

The 2005 La Mission-Haut-Brion is even more impressive this year than it was in 2006. There are approximately 5,500 cases of this blend of 69% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Cabernet Franc. Jean-Philippe Delmas told me that for the first time in this vineyard’s history, the entire vineyard was seriously crop-thinned. The result is a wine that is reminiscent of the 1989, but with more structure, muscle, and tannin. However, the tannin is sweet - a good sign in a wine with such extraordinary power and richness. Scorched earth, blueberries, blackberries, and a hint of truffles appear in the staggering aromatics. The wine is massive in the mouth, with incredible fat and richness as well as mouth-searing levels of velvety tannin in the finish. Even though the fruit is wonderfully ripe and the texture is unctuous, this stunning offering will not be drinkable for 6-7 years, and should keep for 25 years thereafter.

Score: 96 - 100

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2013-2038 30 April 2007

The deep ruby/purple-hued 2005 La Mission-Haut-Brion is the finest offering from this estate since the 2000, a vintage it resembles in power, muscle, and structure. A gorgeous perfume of creosote, blueberries, and black fruits is followed by powerful, full-bodied flavors with great purity as well as remarkable freshness. Already revealing a certain unctuosity and thickness, it should continue to put on weight and develop magnificently for 25-30+ years. La Mission’s staff believes it is more similar to the 1990 than 2000, but it is too early for me to agree or disagree. Nevertheless, this is a profound La Mission-Haut-Brion.

Score: 95 - 97

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2012-2030+ 30 April 2006

Very dark healthy crimson. Very sweet plus mineral. Very fine and glorious and flattering and lovely - the sort of wine you would expect Margaux to taste like. Lovely length and completeness. Still lots of fine tannins on the finish.

Score: 19

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2014 to 2024 01 August 2009

Deep ruby-red. Black raspberry and licorice on the nose. Dense and sweet but youthfully tight; a serious young wine with terrific verve and the acid/tannin backbone to support a long and glorious evolution in bottle. Very long on the back end, with mouth-saturating fruit and tannins. Like La Chapelle-and in direct contrast to Bahans and Haut-Brion-this is quite backward today, and almost certain to merit a higher rating in the future. (94+ points)

Score: 94

Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar 01 May 2008

Often rivalling Haut Brion, La Mission often provides First Growth quality at a more accessible price. This year the high proportion of Merlot (69%, with 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc) has produced a wine of fabulous opulence. On the nose it is subtle, sexy and exotic with terrific lift. Very rich fruit, dense and richly textured with a velvet mouthfeel. Enormous texture, depth and power with well-toned tannins and a finish that endures for minutes. This will be very long-lived. A powerhouse and one of the great La Missions for sure.

Score: -

Albany Vintners, - 10 April 2006

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