Winery - La Mission Haut-Brion
* Expert NoteAugust 11, 2010
Perfumed and aromatic fruit, softly scented with hints of violets, sweet herbs, earth and stones, touch of wood smoke; light and somewhat vague in the mouth, but there is ripe fruit with a solid structure; not too much depth or complexity here, but a solid working class wine; good earthen and citrus notes at the end.
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* Expert NoteAugust 11, 2010
Sweet and very ripe nose, but intensely concentrated, aromas of black pepper, coal tar, but also chocolate and sweet black fruits; the same in the mouth, sweet and ripe with powerful flavors; layers of black fruits, but at the same time earthen and elemental; very refined; finish shows finely grained tannins that blend harmoniously with the fruit.
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June 4, 2008
The wine offers a sweet, smoky, melted road tar, black currant-scented nose with toasty oak in the background. It has put on weight as it has evolved in the bottle, and appears to be better than ever, with copious quantities of lush, jammy black fruits intermixed with the smoky, roasted character so prevalent in this appellation.
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* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Funky nose, grassy and herbal, the aromas are pretty much gone now, leaving some earthen and smoky hints; grassy and with light citrus fruit flavors, but pretty much dead now. (NR)
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* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Sweet and rich nose, intensely dark and ripe with spicy fruit aromas, caramel and earth; sweet, rich fruit, quite intense in the mouth; earth and citrus fruit, olives, balanced; overripe fruit at the finish; surprisingly good from an overlooked vintage. (17/20)
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* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Perfumed and sweet nose, lots of perfumed aromas, but never losing sight of the terroir, producing aromas of leather, cedar, earth and black pepper; sweet and smooth in the mouth with that wonderful richness that ’61 can produce; very pronounced cacao flavors; still with powerful acidity that focus the flavors; finish has more dusty tannins that create an earthen and somewhat spicy finish; no sign of fatigue in this wine. (19/20)
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* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
ag.) – Wonderful nose, sweet and perfumed, chocolate and caramel, peppery, touch of sour mash, ripe and rich, deep and intense aromas; sweet and focused on the entry; becomes a bit more diffuse in the mid-mouth, but keeps its sweetness and suppleness; gains moiré strength as the tannins emerge and bring the elements of the wine back together at the finish; long elegant flavors at the end, clean and fresh, excellent. (18.5/20)
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* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Often viewed as the wine of the vintage, this bottle served to reinforce that conclusion; powerful and sophisticated nose with deep and complex aromas bringing together chocolate, tar, licorice, earth, spiced apples, and cassis; sweet and rich in the front of the mouth, almost unctuous; layered with flavors of ripe plums and quince, ripe figs; the tannic underbody of the vintage asserts itself at the finish, but it still cannot override the fullness of the wine. (19/20)
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* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
A typically big and robust nose, loaded with cedar, minerals, gravel, and black fruits, smoke, aggressive aromas with an edgy feel; big and powerful in the mouth, this is a wine with big-boned structure and powerful fruit, big tannins, a somewhat dry finish, but this is because of unresolved tannins, not faded fruit; probably needs to have more time to show its full potential. (18/20) Another bottle served at the annual Tuft wine dinner proved to be quite similar, with perhaps more sweet fruit than the initial bottle tasted this year; the finish remains a bit rough though and may improve with more time; no need to change the rating.
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* Expert NoteDecember 19, 2005
Very sweet and aromatic nose, lots of cedar and oriental spice, smoke, and earth, complex and intense; sweet concentrated fruit in the mouth; spicy and quite hot; more aggressive than I remember this wine with an acidic bite in the back of the mouth that borders on over-balanced; this bottle came straight from the château and seems less friendly than others that I have had recently. (17/20) Served again at the Commanderie’s Edwardian dinner; this bottle seemed more opulent and ripe, with more emphasis on strawberry and cedar flavors, silky and rich and while I would not change the score higher, this bottle seemed more appealing.
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