Chateau La Mission Haut Brion 2001

Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion, Grand Cru Classé de Graves, Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux, France, 2001

Grapes: 62% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc, 27ha vineyard (for red production) on gravel over clay/sand soils, aged 18-22 months in French oak barrels (75% new)

The property has been owned since 1983 by Clarence Dillon and is located on the outskirts of Bordeaux city, immediately opposite First Growth, Chateau Haut-Brion. It's considered to be of the same quality as its neighbour, but was not included in the 1855 Classification, being classified in 1959 as a "Grand Cru Classé de Graves".

Chateau Tasting Note:

This wine has a very rich purple hue, deep and dense. The first whiff emphasizes the scent of the already assimilated woody element. One notes a touch of the bitter sweetness of licorice combined with blackberries, blackcurrants and mulberries. In the mouth one finds an evident harmony which is divulging its structure bit by bit. There is softness with firmness. The vanilla extract slowly oozes from its bean as the succession of flavors meld and contribute to the complexity of the ripe tannin. Finally the aroma of truffle emerges alongside the nuances of licorice and tobacco so typical in this wine. Such complexity along with this sort of tannin is characteristic of great wines of La Mission.

Critics' Tasting Notes:

"Really exciting. Very well balanced – preferable to Haut-Brion itself at this stage. Very glossy and exciting with lift and a good balance."

18+/20 points, Jancis Robinson, JancisRobinson.com, January 2006

"Perhaps one of the more overlooked vintages in recent years, the Château La Mission Haut-Brion 2001 is one of the finest wines of the vintage. Here, one is immediately taken aback by the precision exuded by the nose: small dark cherries and orange blossom still there, perhaps the mineralité more heightened than ever. The palate displays exquisite balance with nigh on perfect acidity, demonstrating more tension, if not the dimension of the 1990 tasted alongside. This is a serious La Mission for long-term aging." Drink 2014-2035

96/100 points, Neal Martin, WINE ADVOCATE, July 2016

This is part of a private customer’s collection. These wines are in excellent condition. We are acting as an agent in the sale and the price is exclusive of V.A.T. which is not due. Our multibuy discounts do not apply.