Château La Mission Haut Brion - Pessac-Léognan 2006

Wine Advocate

94 / 100

par Neal Martin le 31/05/2016

Tasted at Bordeaux Index's annual 10-Year On tasting in London. The 2006 Château La Mission Haut-Brion has a very attractive, captivating bouquet: red berry fruit, warm gravel, Hoisin and a pinch of truffle all beautifully conveyed. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin that lend this La Mission such symmetry and detail. It is not a powerful wine, never pressing its foot down hard on the accelerator, but that is one of it strengths, and those black truffle and mineral notes surfacing towards the poised finish are entrancing. Classic from start to finish, the only facet that is missing is that peacock's tail on the finish. Tasted January 2016.

Wine Advocate

94 / 100

par Robert Parker le 31/08/2012

A somewhat under-the-radar La Mission, the 2006 was generally overlooked following the brilliance of the 2005. A young, dense purple-hued wine that is developing beautifully, it exhibits notes of Asian plum sauce, charcoal, barbecue smoke, roasted meats, graphite and background oak. Full-bodied with good acidity, moderate tannin and a vigorous, powerful youthfulness, the 2006 will age more quickly than the 2005, but it still requires another 5-8 years of cellaring. Anticipated Maturity: 2014-2035.

Wein Wisser

18 / 20

par René Gabriel le 28/06/2010

Toskanatouch, viel Pflaumen, Rauch. Fleischig, verschlossen.

Jancis Robinson

18.50 / 20

par Jancis Robinson le 27/01/2010

Dark and mysterious-looking. Aromatic and very sweet on the front palate with some spice and minerals. Very distinctive and ambitious. Super lively. Lots tucked in there. Very impressive. Drink 2015-2030

Wine Spectator

95 / 100

le 31/03/2009

Almost jammy, with vanilla bean and coffee undertones. Full-bodied and very powerful, with big, juicy tannins and a long finish. Very big and generous for the vintage, showing exceptional quality. Best after 2015. 6,000 cases made. –JS

Wine Advocate

95 / 100

par Robert Parker le 01/02/2009

One of the vintage-s top wines is the 2006 La Mission-Haut-Brion. From bottle, it reminds me of the 1998, given its structure and backward style. Dense ruby/purple-colored, it possesses a boatload of tannin, but with coaxing, tobacco leaf, sweet black currant, burning ember, and blue fruit characteristics emerge. While thick and full-bodied, the tannins seem more elevated than I remember from barrel. It is going to be a beauty, but like many of the top 2006s, considerable patience is required. Only 55% of the production made it into the grand vin as Jean-Philippe Delmas made a severe selection. The final blend was 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the 2006 has one of the highest natural alcohols ever achieved at La Mission, averaging around 14.3%, which is astonishingly high for a Graves. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2035.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

94-96 / 100

par Stephen Tanzer le 30/06/2008

(a relatively high 14.3% alcohol) Saturated ruby-red. Knockout nose melds black plum, minerals, hot stones, tobacco and caramel. Lush, sweet and stuffed with fruit; a round, utterly seamless wine that offers superb palate coverage and an impressive mounting finish featuring sweet, fine-grained tannins and wonderful fullness of texture. This is remarkably explosive today considering that the 2006s here have recently been fined. Interestingly, enologist Jean-Philippe Masclet noted that the pHs of La Mission and Haut-Brion were higher in 2006 than in either 2007 or 2005-a testament to the advantages of the warm microclimate here and the ability to pick ripe fruit early. Even better than I thought it was a year ago.

La Revue du Vin de France

17-18 / 20

le 05/07/2007

La Mission se différencie de son voisin Haut Brion par un style plus flamboyant et par un côté légèrement décadent. Elaboré avec 59% de merlot, ce vin se montre très riche et opulent en bouche, avec ses notes intenses de fruits noirs et de réglisse. On perçoit cependant une petite chauffe en finale, témoin de la très grande maturité des merlots et de leur degré alcoolique important.

Decanter Magazine

18,5 / 20

le 30/06/2007

Dense, inky purple/ruby. fresh, blackcurrant and cherry-scented nose, with hints of coffee and spice. A weight of rich, crunchy fruit and fine-grained mouthfilling tannns. Very good. Lovely balance and weight. Elegant, fine, delicious. 2007-37

Le Point

17,5 / 20

par Jacques Dupont le 24/05/2007

Fruits rouges, nez très charmeur et très pur, bouche ronde, élégante, tanins fermes, structure solide, un fruit très enjôleur, un vin avec beaucoup de charme reposant sur une bonne texture.

Falstaff

92-94 / 100

le 24/05/2007

Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, jugendliche Reflexe, violetter Rand. In der Nase konzentrierte dunkle Beerenfrucht, zart rauchig, mineralische Noten, feine tabakige Anklänge. Am Gaumen sehr stoffig, extraktsüße Kirschenfrucht, perfekte, seidige Tannine, salzige Extrakte im Nachhall, feiner Bitterschokotouch, sehr elegant und lange anhaften, tolles Potenzial, reicht fast an den Vorgänger heran. Sicher einer der Jahrgangsbesten. Vermittelt großen Charme.

Wein Wisser

18 / 20

par René Gabriel le 07/05/2007

2015-2030. Recht dunkles Granat mit violetten und purpurnen Reflexen. Nobles, fein rauchiges Bouquet, viel Lakritze, Brombeeren und Brombeerstauden, schwarze Hölzer, kühl wirkend, aber einen doch fast ausgereiften Cabernet zeigend. Im Gaumen viel Saft, deshalb anfänglich etwas leicht erscheinend, im Innern eine recht ungestüme Säure mit sanft metallischer Verbindung, dieselbe kapselige Note aufweisend wie schon der Zweitwein, trotz einer ersten Spontaneität sehr reserviert wirkend, eher hart und pelzig in der Textur, momentan eher vordergrüngid und ziemlich bourgeois. Alles andere als ein Charmeur, also ein typischer Mission eher artisanalen Stil, an den 1986er erinnernd.

Wine Advocate

96-100 / 100

par Robert Parker le 03/05/2007

This superb effort rivals La Mission’s 2005. There are 6,000 cases of the 2006, and general manager Jean-Philippe Delmas told me that the Merlot came in at a natural alcohol that exceeded 15%. The final alcohol is a whopping 14.3%, the pH is 3.8, and the blend is 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. This utterly profound, exceptionally rich, full-bodied, thick La Mission is undeniably one of the candidates for the “wine of the vintage.” It possesses a dense ruby/purple color followed by sweet blue and black fruit notes intertwined with notions of burning embers and flowers. Unctuous, massively fruity, and thick, this is a great La Mission! Anticipated maturity: 2012-2035+. With the elimination of La Tour-Haut-Brion from the Dillon estate’s portfolio, the production of La Mission’s second wine, La Chapelle de la Mission, has dramatically increased to 4,000 cases. I rated the 2006 La Chapelle de la Mission (89-90).

Wine Advocate

92-94 / 100

par Neal Martin le 01/05/2007

Tasted at Haut Brion. Picked at 43hl/ha (44ha/hl for the 2005). Deep black/purple colour. The nose has good intensity with blueberry, raspberry, a touch of sea salt. Good definition, no greenness. Good lift. Full-bodied, grippy tannins, very solid and cohesive. Fine acidity, a real mass of black fruits, infused with black olives. Very tight, very focused, this is not a flamboyant La Mission, it does not have the persistency of a truly great vintage like the 1989 or indeed 2005, but there is a wonderful purity and beguiling reserve. Very harmonious, minerally finish. It needs a year in bottle for its true pedigree to show.

TAST

18 / 20

le 30/04/2007

Malgré la similitude de note, voici un vin très différent de Haut-Brion, plus immédiatement accessible, suave, velouté et doté d’une persistance impressionnante. Le cadastre du cru a désormais été agrandi par celui de La Tour Haut- Brion qui, désormais, disparaît de la production des domaines Dillon.

Vinum

17 / 20

le 30/04/2007

Beginnt satt und frisch, zeigt viel raffiniertes, dichtes Tannin, wirkt wuchtig, feurig und doch elegant, endet ohne Bitterkeit. 2014 bis 2022

Jancis Robinson

17.50 / 20

par Jancis Robinson le 17/04/2007

Deep crimson with strong purple notes. Fairly mild nose and rather voluptuous palate entry. Very fine tannins but with pretty rigid backbone. A certain velvetiness. Round and fine. But muted. Certainly refreshing but there is a little green streak on the finish. Seems weaker than I would have expected. Too much Tour in here? Opened up in the glass – more aromatic and playful than the Haut-Brion. But lighter and therefore apparently skinnier.

Wine Enthusiast

94-96 / 100

le 15/04/2007

A smooth rich wine, with delicious, opulent soft fruit. Spice and tobacco along with acidity and great freshness. It is dense and concentrated, but like velvet. —R.V.

Wine Spectator

95-100 / 100

par James Suckling le 29/03/2007

This is so perfumed and pretty. Classy and elegant on the nose, with currant, light vanilla and a hint of lilac. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and a long, long finish. All in finesse. Very impressive for the vintage; could be the wine of the vintage.