Château La Mission Haut Brion - Pessac-Léognan 2003 4df5d4d9d819b397555d03cedf085f48

Wine Advocate

93 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe8/29/2014

The 2003 La Mission Haut-Brion shows more creme de cassis, plenty of cedar wood, melted licorice and charcoal in a medium to full-bodied wine. It is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc. Rustic tannins in the back knock down the ultimate pleasure, and the point score, ever so slightly, but there’s no doubting the complex, perfumey, noble aromatics this wine has managed to attain despite the staggering heat and drought in June, July and August. This has reached full maturity, but should hold nicely for another 7-10 years.

Here’s a case where the second wine comes very close in quality to its bigger sibling, possibly because it is showing great complexity and is even more evolved than the Mission Haut-Brion. 2003 was tough in the Pessac-Leognan because of the lighter soils and the enormous heat and drought. Hence, the harvest here started in mid-August, which was historic.

Wine Advocate

93 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe8/31/2012

The top wines of this vintage tend to be from St.-Emilion’s limestone hillsides and the corridor between St.-Julien and St.-Estephe, but the 2003 La Mission-Haut-Brion is a very successful effort from the south. Roasted herb, scorched earth, sweet black currant and tar-like aromas jump from the glass of this evolved, mature effort. While copious tannins are still present, the acid is low and the wine is loosely structured, complex, seductive, fleshy and full. It seems to be aging quickly, so owners are well-advised to check a bottle or two as it appears to be close to full maturity. The 2003 is unlikely to last as long as more classic vintages.

Wein Wisser

17 / 20

byRené Gabrielthe6/28/2010

Pflaumenmus, Rauch, Malagatouch. Mehlige Tannnine.

Wine Advocate

94 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/24/2006

The 2003 La Mission Haut-Brion is a large-scaled wine offering a distinctive bouquet of scorched earth, black cherry liqueur, and hints of blackberries, blueberries, graphite, and smoke. Ripe, heady, full-bodied, soft, and revealing considerable complexity, low acidity, and a broad, expansive mouthfeel, it should drink well in 2-3 years and last for two decades. Its 13% plus alcohol is normal for this hot year.

Wine Spectator

94 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe3/31/2006

Aromas of blackberry, tobacco and hints of oak. Full-bodied, with lots of silky and round tannins and a long finish. Lots going on here. Layered and powerful. Best after 2010.

Wine Advocate

91-93 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/29/2005

A blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, this 5,000 case cuvee tips the scales at a relatively lofty 13.25% alcohol. Gravelly, smoky, scorched earth, and sweet berry fruit (black currants and blueberries) characteristics as well as surprisingly delicate nuances are followed by a layered, medium to full-bodied wine with sweet fruit, low acidity, fine power, and a luscious texture (the pH is a high 3.9). Anticipated maturity: 2007-2018. A small, 17-acre vineyard located near the classified Margaux estate of Giscours, Mille Roses merits a look by serious consumers.

Wine Advocate

90-92 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/29/2004

Like its renowned sibling, Haut-Brion, the 2003 La Mission Haut-Brion tips the scales at 13.25% alcohol, and 60% of the crop was used in the final blend. Although firm, powerful, and closed, with a dense purple color, high tannin, and a tight personality with some austerity to shed, there is plenty of size and depth to this 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 8% Cabernet Franc blend. There is nothing about this 2003 that reminds me of either the 1989 or 1990. In fact, it comes across like a more obviously tannic vintage such as 1995, and seems completely dominated at this stage of its evolution by its first growth brethren, Haut-Brion. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025.