Originally posted 10/02/02
I've been looking forward to this tasting, held at 11 Madison last night, for quite awhile as La Mission Haut Brion, along with Haut Brion, is undoubtedly my favorite Bordeaux producer.
I won't wax too poetic, but will say that what sets this estate apart from most others is their remarkable consistency. They're in that rare group that in excellent vintages will produce astounding, classic wines that are amongst the greatest wines ever made and in lesser vintages, will almost always offer a wine that is not only eminently drinkable, but is frequently better than what other Chateaux will put out in good years.
Not only are they consistent in their quality, but as this tasting and others show, they're profile is rather easy to recognize. As one taster said yesterday, you can clearly see the similar DNA in every bottle you have. There's that terrific Graves earth that is unmistakable, rich fruit, tobacco/cigar ash with a dollop of herb and often, some tar and meat. But, it's the earth that really gives the wine away.
Wines are in the order tasted.
Brad
1964 Laville Haut-Brion- Blanc, Graves
A bright, youthful color that belied it's age. An ever changing nose that started with floral and herb aromas with a distinct fresh cream note and then shifted to petrol and burning tires before returning to the pear and herb realm of the spectrum. Complex, integrated yet showing no sign of decline on the palate. It has a creamy, rounded mouthfeel that is very enjoyable. Petrol, smoke, herb and light pear flavors. The wine is expansive and has a pleasant grapefruit finish. I've never been a fan of white Bordeaux, but this was a delightful wine. Solid A-.
1987 Spring Mountain- Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
This was supposed to have been a double blind ringer that I wanted to show with the '88 and '85 La Mission, but for some reason the restaurant staff felt that the bottle in the brown bag wrapped very tightly on top with electrical tape should be opened. Thus, there was no surprise. Can't blame the sommelier, as Steve Beckta left the restaurant four days ago to start his own restaurant in Ottawa. That's, without question, New York's lose and Canada's gain as Steve was one of the finest Sommeliers in the city. He'll be missed.
In any case, the wine has a beautiful nose of sweet cassis, licorice, dark chocolate and a touch of mint and herb. I thought this would be a good wine to throw in as a ringer because while ripe, I don't find it to be in an overripe style and previous bottles I've had have shown more of an herbal component than this bottle did. It's also in a chunkier, more tannic and rustic style than the way most California wines are made today. Similar flavors as aromas with rather hard and austere tannins. Drinks well now, especially with rare meat, but still has enough fruit to compete with the tannins for a number of years to come. Rockwell and Gilman enjoyed it, so I took that as a victory. A-.
1988 La Mission Haut-Brion- Pessac-Lognan
Perhaps the best showing of this wine that I've had. It had an open, full nose that screamed Graves earth, black fruit and herbs. While quite enjoyable now, the wine was showing a lot of youth and still seems to be some ways away from peak. Terrific fruit with tobacco coming up with air. The tannins are quite firm and austere. Perhaps a smidge too austere, but the Barolo lover next to me was in heaven with them. Solid A-.
1985 La Mission Haut-Brion- Pessac-Lognan
Hmmm. This bottle is showing quite differently than all the other ones I've tried before. Is that Brett I smell? Quite hard on the palate with none of the lush, almost Californian fruit that I've enjoyed in this wine before. Seems like there's a slight stewed quality. Either an extremely shut bottle, or perhaps slightly damaged. NR.
1978 La Mission Haut-Brion- Pessac-Lognan
On first whiff, I could not believe this was the '78 La Mission. There was a big blast of pure mint on the nose that was completely atypical of my previous experiences with this wine. This oddness was followed on the palate, where one could tell this was an excellent Bordeaux, but it was not identifiable as a La Miss. I put it aside in my glass for a bit and, thankfully, was rewarded as when I went back to it a short while later, it was though someone beamed out the odd wine and replaced it with the '78 I know and love. The fruits blacker than I recall it being, but it's just as brawny as it's been in the past. Well, maybe it's a smidge less brawny. Tar, cedary spiciness, earth, sweet cigar ash and a touch of chocolate on the finish. Low A.
1979 La Mission Haut-Brion- Pessac-Lognan
The weakest wine of the evening, but certainly no slouch. Much more subdued on the nose and palate than the '78. Lacks the richness of the previous wine and has a rather wide austere streak running through it. Still, there's quite nice black fruit, earth and herb flavors, but they're playing second fiddle to the tannins. Slightly volatile, but not too bothersome. Alone, this wine would be very good, but it suffers in comparison to the others and the fact that it was served in between courses. Rare meat would help this wine out a lot. B+.
1989 La Mission Haut-Brion- Pessac-Lognan
There's not much I can add to this wine that I haven't said in the past. This is simply the best Bordeaux I've ever had. It has concentration, depth, complexity, terrific fruit, meat and tertiary elements. What it doesn't have right now is open accessibility. This is the most shut down bottle that I've had, but despite this, it's still an eminently enjoyable wine due to its completeness. I will try my darndest to lose my remaining bottles as this is a classic that I'll want to enjoy when it starts taking on more mature characteristics. Solid A+.
1990 La Mission Haut-Brion- Pessac-Lognan
This is the third time I've had the '90 side by side with the '89 and each time it's over matched. Today, more so than the previous times as it's showing a more overripe character than usual, the wood is sticking out a bit more and there's a certain hollowness in the mid-palate that has never shown itself. Not that this is a bad wine by any stretch. It's delicious. But, it's not showing its best today. A-.
1982 La Mission Haut-Brion- Pessac-Lognan
Wow! This wine really takes your breath away. It's a decadent, sexy and voluptuous drink. It doesn't have the sheer power of the '89, but is sleek and velvety, yet expansive with great depth. Rich, black fruit, tar, licorice with light, spicy cocoa notes. One could get very graphic in describing this wine to its fullest. I won't, but sufficed to say, this wine makes you want to be naughty. Very naughty. Solid A+.
1982 Haut-Brion- Pessac-Lognan
This wine was thrown in for the fun of it. While an excellent wine in its own right, it paled in comparison to the '82 La Mission. Showing a strong herbal tone with black fruit, it's a touch overripe and simple with wet, black earth. Lacks the concentration, focus and depth of the La Miss and the finish falls apart more than I'd like, but it's a lot easier being picky after the wine tried both previously and after. It's better than I'm making it sound. A-.
1961 La Mission Haut-Brion- Pessac-Lognan
A generous addition on the part of Chris Kravitz, a bunch of us were holding our breath when we were first poured this legend as there was a light whiff of mustiness that had some of us fearing it was corked. Thankfully, it did blow off and we all seemed to be in agreement that it wasn't corked, but that due to a loose cork, it may not have been as pristine as it could have been. That said, this was a gorgeous wine. Every once in a while a wine comes along that makes you re-adjust your parameters for what balance means. This was such a wine. It simply felt perfect in the mouth. Seamless, elegant and showing a wonderful mlange of sweet roasted chestnuts, soft red fruit, earth, softly spicy cedar and hints of coffee. More, please! A/A-.
1997 Chteau de Fesles- Bonnezeaux, "Elisabeth H"
A ripe nose of quince, pineapple and nutty oak. Rich and viscous on the palate with enough acidity to handle things, though the wine does need to shed some baby fat. Like flavors as aromas. It's a very tasty wine, but it would be better without the oak. In fact, it is rather Sauternes-like and that's not what I look for in the Loire. A-.
2000 Franz Haas- Moscato Rosa
A fresh and compelling nose of roses, red berries and a touch of honey. Sweet, but not too sweet on the palate. Nicely balanced, though perhaps a little flatter in the acid department than the stellar '99 and overall a bit less vibrant. Lightly spicy red berries and rose water flavors. Very nice. A-.
1970 Grahams- Porto
A good dose of volatility on the nose and palate with burnt sugar, sweet cherries and baker's spices. Nicely integrated and quite harmonious in the mouth. I often find Graham's to show a bit too much heat than I prefer, but while there's a little bit of spirit showing, this is one of the better balanced Graham's I've had. Solid A-.
I've been looking forward to this tasting, held at 11 Madison last night, for quite awhile as La Mission Haut Brion, along with Haut Brion, is undoubtedly my favorite Bordeaux producer.
I won't wax too poetic, but will say that what sets this estate apart from most others is their remarkable consistency. They're in that rare group that in excellent vintages will produce astounding, classic wines that are amongst the greatest wines ever made and in lesser vintages, will almost always offer a wine that is not only eminently drinkable, but is frequently better than what other Chateaux will put out in good years.
Not only are they consistent in their quality, but as this tasting and others show, they're profile is rather easy to recognize. As one taster said yesterday, you can clearly see the similar DNA in every bottle you have. There's that terrific Graves earth that is unmistakable, rich fruit, tobacco/cigar ash with a dollop of herb and often, some tar and meat. But, it's the earth that really gives the wine away.
Wines are in the order tasted.
Brad
1964 Laville Haut-Brion- Blanc, Graves
A bright, youthful color that belied it's age. An ever changing nose that started with floral and herb aromas with a distinct fresh cream note and then shifted to petrol and burning tires before returning to the pear and herb realm of the spectrum. Complex, integrated yet showing no sign of decline on the palate. It has a creamy, rounded mouthfeel that is very enjoyable. Petrol, smoke, herb and light pear flavors. The wine is expansive and has a pleasant grapefruit finish. I've never been a fan of white Bordeaux, but this was a delightful wine. Solid A-.
1987 Spring Mountain- Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
This was supposed to have been a double blind ringer that I wanted to show with the '88 and '85 La Mission, but for some reason the restaurant staff felt that the bottle in the brown bag wrapped very tightly on top with electrical tape should be opened. Thus, there was no surprise. Can't blame the sommelier, as Steve Beckta left the restaurant four days ago to start his own restaurant in Ottawa. That's, without question, New York's lose and Canada's gain as Steve was one of the finest Sommeliers in the city. He'll be missed.
In any case, the wine has a beautiful nose of sweet cassis, licorice, dark chocolate and a touch of mint and herb. I thought this would be a good wine to throw in as a ringer because while ripe, I don't find it to be in an overripe style and previous bottles I've had have shown more of an herbal component than this bottle did. It's also in a chunkier, more tannic and rustic style than the way most California wines are made today. Similar flavors as aromas with rather hard and austere tannins. Drinks well now, especially with rare meat, but still has enough fruit to compete with the tannins for a number of years to come. Rockwell and Gilman enjoyed it, so I took that as a victory. A-.
1988 La Mission Haut-Brion- Pessac-Lognan
Perhaps the best showing of this wine that I've had. It had an open, full nose that screamed Graves earth, black fruit and herbs. While quite enjoyable now, the wine was showing a lot of youth and still seems to be some ways away from peak. Terrific fruit with tobacco coming up with air. The tannins are quite firm and austere. Perhaps a smidge too austere, but the Barolo lover next to me was in heaven with them. Solid A-.
1985 La Mission Haut-Brion- Pessac-Lognan
Hmmm. This bottle is showing quite differently than all the other ones I've tried before. Is that Brett I smell? Quite hard on the palate with none of the lush, almost Californian fruit that I've enjoyed in this wine before. Seems like there's a slight stewed quality. Either an extremely shut bottle, or perhaps slightly damaged. NR.
1978 La Mission Haut-Brion- Pessac-Lognan
On first whiff, I could not believe this was the '78 La Mission. There was a big blast of pure mint on the nose that was completely atypical of my previous experiences with this wine. This oddness was followed on the palate, where one could tell this was an excellent Bordeaux, but it was not identifiable as a La Miss. I put it aside in my glass for a bit and, thankfully, was rewarded as when I went back to it a short while later, it was though someone beamed out the odd wine and replaced it with the '78 I know and love. The fruits blacker than I recall it being, but it's just as brawny as it's been in the past. Well, maybe it's a smidge less brawny. Tar, cedary spiciness, earth, sweet cigar ash and a touch of chocolate on the finish. Low A.
1979 La Mission Haut-Brion- Pessac-Lognan
The weakest wine of the evening, but certainly no slouch. Much more subdued on the nose and palate than the '78. Lacks the richness of the previous wine and has a rather wide austere streak running through it. Still, there's quite nice black fruit, earth and herb flavors, but they're playing second fiddle to the tannins. Slightly volatile, but not too bothersome. Alone, this wine would be very good, but it suffers in comparison to the others and the fact that it was served in between courses. Rare meat would help this wine out a lot. B+.
1989 La Mission Haut-Brion- Pessac-Lognan
There's not much I can add to this wine that I haven't said in the past. This is simply the best Bordeaux I've ever had. It has concentration, depth, complexity, terrific fruit, meat and tertiary elements. What it doesn't have right now is open accessibility. This is the most shut down bottle that I've had, but despite this, it's still an eminently enjoyable wine due to its completeness. I will try my darndest to lose my remaining bottles as this is a classic that I'll want to enjoy when it starts taking on more mature characteristics. Solid A+.
1990 La Mission Haut-Brion- Pessac-Lognan
This is the third time I've had the '90 side by side with the '89 and each time it's over matched. Today, more so than the previous times as it's showing a more overripe character than usual, the wood is sticking out a bit more and there's a certain hollowness in the mid-palate that has never shown itself. Not that this is a bad wine by any stretch. It's delicious. But, it's not showing its best today. A-.
1982 La Mission Haut-Brion- Pessac-Lognan
Wow! This wine really takes your breath away. It's a decadent, sexy and voluptuous drink. It doesn't have the sheer power of the '89, but is sleek and velvety, yet expansive with great depth. Rich, black fruit, tar, licorice with light, spicy cocoa notes. One could get very graphic in describing this wine to its fullest. I won't, but sufficed to say, this wine makes you want to be naughty. Very naughty. Solid A+.
1982 Haut-Brion- Pessac-Lognan
This wine was thrown in for the fun of it. While an excellent wine in its own right, it paled in comparison to the '82 La Mission. Showing a strong herbal tone with black fruit, it's a touch overripe and simple with wet, black earth. Lacks the concentration, focus and depth of the La Miss and the finish falls apart more than I'd like, but it's a lot easier being picky after the wine tried both previously and after. It's better than I'm making it sound. A-.
1961 La Mission Haut-Brion- Pessac-Lognan
A generous addition on the part of Chris Kravitz, a bunch of us were holding our breath when we were first poured this legend as there was a light whiff of mustiness that had some of us fearing it was corked. Thankfully, it did blow off and we all seemed to be in agreement that it wasn't corked, but that due to a loose cork, it may not have been as pristine as it could have been. That said, this was a gorgeous wine. Every once in a while a wine comes along that makes you re-adjust your parameters for what balance means. This was such a wine. It simply felt perfect in the mouth. Seamless, elegant and showing a wonderful mlange of sweet roasted chestnuts, soft red fruit, earth, softly spicy cedar and hints of coffee. More, please! A/A-.
1997 Chteau de Fesles- Bonnezeaux, "Elisabeth H"
A ripe nose of quince, pineapple and nutty oak. Rich and viscous on the palate with enough acidity to handle things, though the wine does need to shed some baby fat. Like flavors as aromas. It's a very tasty wine, but it would be better without the oak. In fact, it is rather Sauternes-like and that's not what I look for in the Loire. A-.
2000 Franz Haas- Moscato Rosa
A fresh and compelling nose of roses, red berries and a touch of honey. Sweet, but not too sweet on the palate. Nicely balanced, though perhaps a little flatter in the acid department than the stellar '99 and overall a bit less vibrant. Lightly spicy red berries and rose water flavors. Very nice. A-.
1970 Grahams- Porto
A good dose of volatility on the nose and palate with burnt sugar, sweet cherries and baker's spices. Nicely integrated and quite harmonious in the mouth. I often find Graham's to show a bit too much heat than I prefer, but while there's a little bit of spirit showing, this is one of the better balanced Graham's I've had. Solid A-.