Mission Haut Brion - Pessac-Léognan 2008 6b11bd6ba9341f0271941e7df664d056

Wine Advocate

95 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe8/31/2012

Like a lot of wines in this underrated vintage, the 2008 La Mission was one of the great bargains of recent vintages. Its healthy blue/purple color is followed by aromas of blueberries, black raspberries, licorice, truffles, underbrush and forest floor. The scorched earthy/smoky character of this estate’s terroir has not yet emerged. Medium to full-bodied and concentrated with good acidity, freshness and delineation, this is a big wine for the vintage, but also very classic in its balance of tannin, acidity and extract. It will benefit from another 5-7 years of cellaring and should keep for three decades. The final blend was 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc.

Jamessuckling.com

93 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe12/20/2011

Fascinating aromas of crushed berry, plums, sweet tobacco and stones. Full bodied, with chewy and velvety tannins and a long, long finish. This is very structured and rich with a bright and tangy acidity. Needs time to come together, obviously. Try after 2015.

Wine Advocate

94 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe5/31/2011

This glorious offering possesses sweet tobacco leaf, black currant, mocha, white chocolate, scorched earth and burning ember-like characteristics. Full-bodied, stunningly rich and exceptionally well-endowed, this blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc demands 2-3 years of additional bottle age. It should age gracefully for 35-40 years.

Wine Spectator

90 / 100

byJames Molesworththe12/15/2010

Tangy and lightly firm, with cherry pit, pomegranate and blackberry notes, followed by sage and tobacco. There's nice focus, with a tarry hint for added length on the finish. Rather tight now, with the edgy feel holding sway, but this should settle into itself nicely enough. Best from 2013 through 2018.-J.M

Falstaff

91-93 / 100

the6/30/2009

(43% ME, 53% CS, 6% CF) 13,8% dunkles Rubingranat, jugendliche Reflexe, zarter Wasserrand. In der Nase feine dunkle Beerenfrucht, zart tabakig-blättrig unterwürtz, feine Röstraromen, zarter animalischer Hauch, etwas Pfeffer, vielschichtiges Bukett. Am Gaumen saftig und elegant, angenehme Extraktsüße, die von einem reifen, präsenten Tannin gehalten wird, feine Karamell-Röstaromen im Abgang, perfekt augewogen, sehr harmnisch, gutes Entwicklungspotenzial, ein Wein mit Klasse.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

90-92 / 100

byStephen Tanzerthe5/28/2009

(a blend of 51% cabernet sauvignon, 43% merlot and 6% cabernet) Deep ruby. Pretty floral nose combines spicy blackcurrant and smoky plum aromas with a hint of black pepper. Sweet and fairly deep, with brooding, slightly aggressive flavors of dark cherry and blueberry. Finishes with dusty, broad tannins and a note of austerity that I did not find in the young '06 or '07 La Mission. As La Mission's terroir is slightly cooler than Haut-Brion's, a warm August is generally a requirement for success. That was lacking in 2008; on the other hand, the wonderful '06 benefited greatly from heat in August. Similarly, I did not find La Mission's second wine, La Chapelle, up to the level of the past four or five years.

WeinWisser

18 / 20

byRené Gabrielthe5/6/2009

40 % Grand Vin. 51 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 43 % Merlot, 6 % Cabernet Franc. Dunkles Rubin- Granat mit lila Schimmer. Delikates Bouquet, Kirschschalen, Tabak, zeigt eine wunderschöne florale Note als mitteltiefe Würze. Recht fest und fleischig im Gaumen, zeigt Muskeln, eine gut stützende Säure sowie ziemlich markante Tannine, noch etwas aufrauend in der Textur, Baumnussschalen, im Nachklang mit terroirtypischer Bitternote. Ein männlicher, etwas asketisch wirkender Mission im Stil von 1988 und 1994. 2016 – 2030

Wine Advocate

94-96 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/2009

Another property that is harvested very late (September 23-October 17), the 2008 La Mission-Haut-Brion is a powerful, backward effort that is not yet fully expressing itself. A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc, it reveals a deep blue/purple hue in addition to sumptuous aromas of melted asphalt, graphite, blueberries, and black currant liqueur. Dense, with high but velvety tannins, top-flight purity, and a full-bodied, backward, formidably endowed style, this beauty seems to be set for a long life. It is difficult to compare 2008 with any other recent vintage, but the closest would probably be 1998. A La Mission made for four decades or more of cellaring, it is a top-notch effort that should improve during the elevage in barrel. 94-96+

La Revue du Vin de France

17,5-18,5 / 20

the4/29/2009

La mission qui semble d'habitude toujours plus "body-buildée" que Haut-Brion, se range cette année du côté du raffinement. Nez très élégant, largement fruité, tout comme la bouche ample, dense, offrant une texture pleine et une grande fraîcheur. Une mission superbe et subtile.

TAST

18 / 20

the4/23/2009

Réussite stylistique comparable, on s’y attend, à celle de Haut- Brion, ensemble ultra classique, un rien plus moelleux et sensuel dans les sensations tactiles, un rien moins strict et autoritaire dans la finale. Les amateurs de Pessac vont se l’arracher ! Le second vin, Chapelle, malgré toutes ses qualités, ne peut se comparer en rectitude et en vinosité à Clarence.

Wine Advocate

92-94 / 100

byNeal Martinthe4/22/2009

A blend of 43% Merlot, 51% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc. This is more conservative on the nose than the Chateau Haut-Brion, but with time it begins to unfurl (at least ten minutes in the glass.) Blackberry, cedar, a touch of sandalwood – very tight, but it begins to blossom, developing hints of boysenberry and wild nettle. The palate is like a tight fist, austere and introverted, a moody bugger but there are some very fine tannins and structure towards the finish. A dark horse. Tasted April 2009. 92-94+

Jancis Robinson

18 / 20

byJancis Robinsonthe4/21/2009

Dark crimson. Lightly fragrant with a hint of tea leaves. Now this is elegant! But it’s rather different from old La Missions. Much more polished and suave. Once this puts on weight it should come into better balance. At the moment it’s perhaps just a little too light, but is certainly marvellously pure and has a wonderful line along the palate. Drink 2015-29

Decanter Magazine

18 / 20

bySteven Spurrierthe4/15/2009

Dense plummy red, elegantly concentrated nose with briary spice, fine density of fruit with firm precision and classic La Mission concentration. Drink 2019-35.

Wine Spectator

91-94 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/6/2009

Bright and perfumed, with mineral, hot stone, fresh currant and blackberry on the nose. Full-bodied, with firm, silky tannins and a long, caressing finish. Layered, chewy and structured. Solid for the vintage.