Château La Mission Haut-Brion - Pessac-Léognan 2009

Wine Advocate

96 / 100

par Neal Martin le 01/01/2013

Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. The La Mission Haut-Brion '09 has an opulent bouquet, a lot of glycerine - opulent and sensual. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe tannins. Good concentration here with fine depth, a lot of sweet black spicy fruit with a tingling, umami like pepperiness towards the rounded, generous finish. This is voluptuous and irresistible. Tasted January 2013.

Wine Advocate

100 / 100

par Robert Parker le 31/08/2012

The 2009 was not part of this vertical tasting, so I am repeating the tasting note published in issue #199 of The Wine Advocate from a tasting done in January, 2012. A candidate for the wine of the vintage, the 2009 La Mission-Haut-Brion stood out as one of the most exceptional young wines I had ever tasted from barrel, and its greatness has been confirmed in the bottle. A remarkable effort from the Dillon family, this is another large-scaled La Mission that tips the scales at 15% alcohol. A blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (47% of each) and the rest Cabernet Franc, it exhibits an opaque purple color as well as a magnificent bouquet of truffles, scorched earth, blackberry and blueberry liqueur, subtle smoke and spring flowers. The wine’s remarkable concentration offers up an unctuous/viscous texture, a skyscraper-like mouthfeel, sweet, sumptuous, nearly over-the-top flavors and massive density. Perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime La Mission-Haut-Brion, the 2009 will take its place alongside the many great wines made here since the early 1920s. The good news is that there are nearly 6,000 cases of the 2009. It should last for 50-75+ years. Given the wine’s unctuosity and sweetness of the tannin, I would have no problem drinking it in about 5-6 years. The final blend was 47% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

97 / 100

par Stephen Tanzer le 31/07/2012

Bright, deep ruby. Brooding, complex cabernet sauvignon-dominated nose of uncommon depth, offering notes of cassis, cigar box, minerals, cedar and dry herbs. Extremely pure and fresh, with massive but still totally unevolved flavors of blackcurrant, dark plum and minerals. I love this wine's impeccable balance and smooth, tactile finish. A monumental La Mission with outstanding persistence. 97 (+?) points

Wine Advocate

100 / 100

par Robert Parker le 29/02/2012

A candidate for the wine of the vintage, the 2009 La Mission-Haut-Brion stood out as one of the most exceptional young wines I had ever tasted from barrel, and its greatness has been confirmed in the bottle. A remarkable effort from the Dillon family, this is another large-scaled La Mission that tips the scales at 15% alcohol. A blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (47% of each) and the rest Cabernet Franc, it exhibits an opaque purple color as well as a magnificent bouquet of truffles, scorched earth, blackberry and blueberry liqueur, subtle smoke and spring flowers. The wine-s remarkable concentration offers up an unctuous/viscous texture, a skyscraper-like mouthfeel, sweet, sumptuous, nearly over-the-top flavors and massive density. Perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime La Mission-Haut-Brion, the 2009 will take its place alongside the many great wines made here since the early 1920s. The good news is that there are nearly 6,000 cases of the 2009. It should last for 50-75+ years. Given the wine-s unctuosity and sweetness of the tannin, I would have no problem drinking it in about 5-6 years.

Jamessuckling.com

98 / 100

par James Suckling le 15/02/2012

What a gorgeous nose of ripe dark fruits such as bramble berries, blueberries and currants, with hints of orange flowers. This is so tight and focused, with laser-guided tannins. It starts very slowly and then builds and builds and builds on the palate. Currants and blackberries galore, yet a tangy, firm and creamy textured tannin structure. Racy, muscular structure. Try in 2021.

Wine Spectator

96 / 100

par James Molesworth le 11/01/2012

This is forcefully rendered, with dark tar, espresso and chocolate up front, backed by dense layers of fig sauce, currant reduction and smoldering black tea leaves. There's dense flesh and great drive on the finish, with has serious grip. Best from 2016 through 2035.-J.M

Le Figaro

94-96 / 100

par Bernard Burtschy le 30/06/2010

Robe très sombre. Nez intense, superbe, cassis, puis un peu animal. En bouche, belle attaque dense, joli moelleux, tannique, petite raideur. 14°7. 50 % petit-verdot, 50 2V, 47 % merlot, 47 % cabernet-sauvignon, 6 % cabernet-franc.

timatkin.com

96 / 100

par Tim Atkin MW le 30/06/2010

14.7% alcohol. 47M, 47CS, 6CF The Cabernet Sauvignon achieved the same potential alcohol as the Merlot in 2009 – hence the unheard of 14.7% alchol level here. Despite the power, this still has levels of acidity that are more reminiscent of Piedmont than Bordeaux. The oak isn’t integrated yet, adding a touch of bitterness to the wine, but the freshness and fruit richness point to an exciting future. 20+ years.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

93-96 / 100

par Ian D'Agata le 30/06/2010

(Leognan (47% merlot, 47% cabernet sauvignon and 6% cabernet franc; a selection of 50% of the crop; 14.7% alcohol; pH 3.84; 78 IPT)) Deep ruby. Captivating aromas of strawberry and raspberry complicated by strong mineral and tobacco nuances. Remarkably graceful-almost weightless-in the mouth, with very nice depth to the pure red fruit, cedar and mineral flavors. The perfumed, very long finish features some assertive, youthful tannins that will require at least six or seven years of patience after release. This La Mission is closer in style to the La Chapelle than I recall in recent years (perhaps due to the similar blends), though a noticeable step up in precision and concentration. A great if understated wine, it's also completely different from the '05 La Mission, which contained a whopping 69% merlot.

Wein Wisser

19 / 20

par René Gabriel le 28/06/2010

47 % Merlot, 47 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 6 % Cabernet Franc. Extrem dunkles Purpur mit lila und violetten Reflexen. Das kompakte, reservierte Bouquet beginnt kühl, zeigt eine tolle Tiefe mit Trüffel, Zedern und feinen Rauchnoten, dann viel schwarze Beeren und getrocknete Heidelbeeren, insgesamt aber dominiert das Terroir die Frucht. Erhabener, mächtiger Gaumenauftritt, feine Muskeln strukturieren den kompakten Körper, schwarzbeerige Aromen, im massiv konzentrierten Finale dunkles Malz, Dörrbirnen und Korinthen. Eine grosse, mächtige, klassische Mission mit Potenzial für locker 40 Jahre. 2018-2050

La Revue du Vin de France

18-18,5 / 20

le 31/05/2010

Un petit point de moins qu'Hait Brion, du fait d'un équilibre alcool/tanins moins livresque. On se laissera toutefois aisément conquérir par son côté voluptueux (14,7°) tout en admirant la sévérité de la sélection (50% de grand vin). Puissant et charmeur.

Le Point

17 / 20

par Jacques Dupont le 06/05/2010

Réductif, bouche dense épicée, bons tanins volumineux, large, très puissant, long, tannique, des tanins assez accrocheurs, beaucoup de saveur, riche en alcool en finale. 47% merlot, 47% cabernet sauvignon, 6% cabernet franc. O=2016 G=20 ans

TAST

18,5 / 20

par Bettane & Desseauve le 30/04/2010

Étoffe somptueuse, corps imposant mais tanin comme toujours d’une perfection formelle admirable, avec une séduction dans le fruit et une générosité dans son toucher de bouche qui le rendent plus ouvert et attirant pour beaucoup que Haut-Brion.

Wine Advocate

95-97 / 100

par Neal Martin le 30/04/2010

Tasted at the chateau. Delivering a hefty 14.7% alcohol and a pH of 3.84, the ’09 La Mission has a beautiful bouquet with wonderful definition, quite feminine with pure blackberry, raspberry, orange-blossom and a touch of pencil lead. Very focused and lifted. The palate is full-bodied with fine tannins, very good structure but extraordinarily tightly coiled, ready to spring into life in 10-15 years. Hints of tobacco and espresso towards the finish that has a gentle but insistent tannic grip. Saline finish. Excellent. Tasted April 2010.

Falstaff

97-99 / 100

par Peter Moser le 30/04/2010

Konzentrierte reife Zwetschkenfrucht, süße Kirschen, feiner Nougat, Honiganklänge, vielschichtig. Ungemein komplex, mächtige, reife Tannine, süße Frucht, intensive Röstaromen, zeigt eine sehr gute Länge, sehr mineralisch, Vin de Garde.

Wine Advocate

98-100 / 100

par Robert Parker le 28/04/2010

La Mission Haut-Brion has made so many great wines over the last 100 years, it would be stupid to say the 2009 somehow exceeds this estate-s great classics, such as 1929, 1945, 1949, 1953, 1955, 1959, 1961, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1998, 2000, or 2005. Certainly it will take its place in the pantheon of all the great La Mission Haut-Brions ever made. There are 6,000 cases of it, made from a blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc. The natural alcohol hit 14.7%, which far exceeds the perfect wines of 1982, 1989 and 1990. Opaque purple in color, with an extraordinary nose of blueberry liqueur intermixed with camphor, charcoal, hints of burning embers and truffles, and loads of black berry and black currant fruit, the wine has sublime concentration and purity, a finish that goes well past 60 seconds, and not a hard edge to be found in this sumptuous, almost over-the-top, full-bodied wine of enormous power and massive density and richness. An immortal effort, it should drink well for 50-100 years! (Tasted once.) Harvest started around September 9 at La Mission Haut-Brion, and finished almost a month later, on October 6. To get an idea of just how extraordinary all the wines from the Dillon family are in 2009, just consider how phenomenal the second wines are. Drink 2010-2110.

Periodic Review of Wine

95-97 / 100

par Alan Duran le 28/04/2010

This is a big wine of great proportions! The noteworthy La Mission's saturated ruby/purple color is accompanied by fabulous perfumes of spring flower, crushed-stone, blackberries, crème de cassis, and graphite dust. The palate is one of extravagantly concentrated fruit, a full-body, density, gorgeous purity, wet-stone flavor infused with plum liqueur, and blackberry. Apart from its more apparent characteristics, it boasts some sensational ripeness, a precise mouth-feel, and long flavors. This is another 2006 in the making! Maturity period 2017-2042

Anthony Rose

96-98 / 100

par Anthony Rose le 26/04/2010

A blnd of 47% merlot, 47% cabernet sauvignon and 6% cabernet franc, a yield of 47 hl / ha. with 6000 cases in 2009 compared to 5300 in 2008 and 5000 in 2005, 50% of production was grand vin. 14.7% alcohol (!). Deep vivid colour, more ‘elegant’ than the Haut Brion if that’s the word. Fine nose still quite dark and brooding, lovely dark fruits sweetness with quite firm, muscular grip and substantial damsony nip of fresh acidity; much greater concentration and density than the La Chapelle, the tannins continue along a line and becoming more supple and melting in the mouth, all the while as the dark fruits retain their freshness, and even delicacy of texture, with oak contributing to a touch of dryness on the back palate, yet becomes sweeter and fleshier in the mouth. Not the easiest to to taste (well its is 9.30 am and we’ve just been held up for an hour on the rocade) but I have a feeling this could be great. 96-98+

Wine Spectator

94-97 / 100

par James Suckling le 09/04/2010

Shows juicy aromas of ripe Cabernet Sauvignon and currant, with hints of forest fruits and sandalwood. Full-bodied, offering chewy, mouthcoating tannins that are fruit-coated and velvety. Dense and powerful. A little subdued. Could be better than I think

Jancis Robinson

18 / 20

par Jancis Robinson le 07/04/2010

50% of the crop went into this. The alcohol level was 14.2% in 2005 with lots of plump Merlot boosting it but in 2009 the blend is 47% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc and the alcohol level is a record 14.7%. Dark crimson. Scented, pretty, rather haunting aroma. Very rich and caressing – lovely texture. Still very firm and dry. The house signature of those warm bricks even in the super-ripe, super-imposing vintage of 2009! Lovely glow, and quite a bit alcohol on the end, but definitely no sweetness. SO different from the norm on the right bank... Almost inky finish. Seems very Cabernet to me. Fades just a little fast. 14.7% Drink 2020-2040