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97 By Robert Parker
96 By Vinous
18 By Rene Gabriel
94 By James Suckling
93 By Wine Spectator
As for the 2012 La Mission Haut Brion, this wine (41% of the total production) continues to perform as it has for nearly a century. At first-growth levels of quality, this is s stunning wine that is full-bodied and very concentrated with notes of graphite, subtle charcoal embers, crème de cassis, blackberry and underlying subtle earthiness. The wine is full and powerful, rich and concentrated. And sure enough, the alcohol level tips the scales at 15% from a blend 62% Merlot and 38% Cabernet Franc. This is a big, blockbuster La Mission Haut Brion that should age effortlessly for 30-40+ years. However, the tannins suggest that this wine should not be touched for another 5-6 years, as its one of the more backward of the 2012 Pessac-Léognans. Bravo!
Producer
Château La Mission Haut Brion
Similarly owned by the Dillon family, Château La Mission Haut-Brion is certainly the second best producer in the Pessac-Léognan appellation, after its neighbor and Graves greatest producer, Château Haut-Brion. With a history beginning in the early 16th century, La Mission Haut-Brion now justly rivals its sister winery in more than just select vintages, the estate has actually been raised to a comparable First Growth rank in 2009. While the Pessac-Léognan Cru Classé’s La Tour Haut-Brion, used to be La Mission’s second wine, it is now a separately owned brand, however still managed by the Dillon family. The 29-hectare property is planted primarily to the production of their first-rate reds. Their La Mission Haut-Brion is the flagship wine, it is exemplary of their house style - rich, barrel-fermented, dense, and powerful. The château also produces La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion, a second wine that is riper but nonetheless arousing.