La Mission burnishes its first growth credentials
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2022 5:48 pm
Unlike Ch. Haut-Brion, Ch. La Mission Haut-Brion is not in the 1855 classification. Last night in the sixth of our series of ‘first growth’ dinners at La Trompette in Chiswick, West London, the theme was Ch. La Mission Haut-Brion.
The evening amply demonstrated that La Mission is easily equivalent to first growth in quality based on vintages we tried from 1961 to 1995. Last year the 1996 was third placed in our 25th anniversary 1996 dinner behind Lafite and Margaux.
Just based on last night and the other five dinners we held, La Mission is also in the top three quality wise along with Lafite and Margaux more generally and above Haut-Brion, Latour and Mouton. This is worth noting because La Mission generally trades at prices more in line with Ch Palmer than the other first growths.
With canapés
Pol Roger Winston Churchill 1999
This was a delightful sharpener. Quite light and quaffable for a Winston, but beautifully balanced, rich, and light in its feet. In a really good place now - 93
With roasted beetroot, smoked eel, taramasalata, sweet mustard dressing
Laville Haut-Brion 1982
This had a timeless light colour, lighter than its flight mate 22 years it’s junior; a brilliantly complex multi-faceted wine with lime citrus cocooned in lanolin constantly changing and evolving with grapefruit, stone fruits, floral, herb and mineral notes. Thrillingly good - 96 - my fourth placed wine, group fourth equal
Laville Haut-Brion 2004
Not only was this darker than its older flight mate it had an off putting oxidative note. It was not clear if this was oxidised or premoxed; at the least it was annoyingly oxidative - shame because the raw materials underneath were good - 85/NR
With grouse breast, crushed roots, blackberries and bacon
La Mission Haut-Brion 1961
Opened but not decanted by Howard in the afternoon this opened up gloriously well in the glass for an imperious 45 or so minutes. It was so good that it towered over everything else we drank last night. Perfumed, complex nose, with tertiary notes of old leather and dusty library; vibrant, taut, rich red and black fruits; it had such energy, fantastic structure, intensity and drive like other great 1961s, overlaid with kaleidoscopic complexity with earth and tobacco, and after half an hour sweet red fruits and molasses - a tour de force. After an hour it retreated somewhat then waxed and waned - at its pinnacle for those glorious 45 minutes it was a 100 point wine - I wrote down 99 - my wotn, group third
La Mission Haut-Brion 1978
Super soil nose overlaid with a refreshing green note; it conspicuously lacked the intensity and the high-wired drama of the 1961; by contrast it had a much more laid back persona but this is a beautifully resolved La Mission with really complex smoky and earthy volcanic mineral overtones - 96 - my second wine, group fourth equal
With venison saddle, potato galettes, chanterelles, peppercorn sauce
La Mission Haut-Brion 1983
Came across as dark and austere compared to the previous two, with dark chocolatey notes but much less expression; quite austere and backward for a 1983, it did open a bit more over the evening; good but the least impressive of the reds; I am sure an evening with this on its own would give ample pleasure, however - 92
La Mission Haut-Brion 1985
Similar to the 1983 with dark matter notes, a little bit more expressive and giving than the 1983 especially as it opened over the evening; menthol notes emerge with tobacco and cigar box in low key. A classy wine - 93
La Mission Haut-Brion 1988
Surprisingly the 1988 was by far the the most impressive wine in this flight of three - a wine which was cloaked in austere tannins a decade or two ago. While it lacked the full-bodied rock star flamboyance of the 1989 and 1990 in the following flight, in an important way it was a more satisfying experience because it was unadulterated classical La Mission, beautifully poised and nuanced, with nothing hanging out, with compelling cool notes of tar with a enthralling tension and nervosity - the surprise package of the night, just brilliant - 96 - my third placed wine, group sixth
Next flight
La Mission Haut-Brion 1989
Big, brooding, dense, mouth-filling with richness and power. Clearly a superstar with a glorious future ahead. My guess it will be at its peak in 20-30 years from now. Bottle number eight from a case purchased soon after release, and all consumed too early, I wish I had purchased the Haut-Brion 1989 instead, despite it being less reliable, because when it is on form it is the more thrilling wine. I think the genuine 1961-like thrills are some way ahead for the 1989 La Mish, but you can’t help but admire this titan of a wine. But for current drinking give me the 1978 or 1988 over this any day. I am going to put my last three bottles away for several years, sorry - 96 - group wotn, my sixth placed wine
La Mission Haut-Brion 1990
More flattering and hedonistic than the 1989, the 1990 has a gorgeous scorched earth entry into a lux palate; the most sybaritic La Mission, but I would not list decadence and hedonism as La Mission’s most endearing traits. So wonderful as this 1990 La Mission is, like the 1989 it did not make my top five - 96 - group runner up - my seventh placed wine
La Mission Haut-Brion 1995
While most of the table thought the 1989 and 1990 were the clear stars of the show, and clearly they are spectacular wines, I found the less exuberant 1995 ultimately more satisfying for similar reasons as to why I was so enthralled by the 1988. This is nevertheless quite a weighty, chewy and rumbustious wine - a bigger wine than the 1988 - but already delivering great pleasure with a terrific future ahead of it. It was the star of our Nov 2019 1995 dinner along with Haut-Brion and last night reminded me why - 96 - my fifth placed wine, group seventh placed
With passion fruit Alaska, mango, kiwi, lime and mint
Ch Tirecul La Graviere Cuvee Madame 2001 and 1996
Both very sweet, the 2001 was the better wine as it had good balancing acidity which the 1996 lacked; matched well with the dessert - 93 (2001) and 90 (1996)
The evening amply demonstrated that La Mission is easily equivalent to first growth in quality based on vintages we tried from 1961 to 1995. Last year the 1996 was third placed in our 25th anniversary 1996 dinner behind Lafite and Margaux.
Just based on last night and the other five dinners we held, La Mission is also in the top three quality wise along with Lafite and Margaux more generally and above Haut-Brion, Latour and Mouton. This is worth noting because La Mission generally trades at prices more in line with Ch Palmer than the other first growths.
With canapés
Pol Roger Winston Churchill 1999
This was a delightful sharpener. Quite light and quaffable for a Winston, but beautifully balanced, rich, and light in its feet. In a really good place now - 93
With roasted beetroot, smoked eel, taramasalata, sweet mustard dressing
Laville Haut-Brion 1982
This had a timeless light colour, lighter than its flight mate 22 years it’s junior; a brilliantly complex multi-faceted wine with lime citrus cocooned in lanolin constantly changing and evolving with grapefruit, stone fruits, floral, herb and mineral notes. Thrillingly good - 96 - my fourth placed wine, group fourth equal
Laville Haut-Brion 2004
Not only was this darker than its older flight mate it had an off putting oxidative note. It was not clear if this was oxidised or premoxed; at the least it was annoyingly oxidative - shame because the raw materials underneath were good - 85/NR
With grouse breast, crushed roots, blackberries and bacon
La Mission Haut-Brion 1961
Opened but not decanted by Howard in the afternoon this opened up gloriously well in the glass for an imperious 45 or so minutes. It was so good that it towered over everything else we drank last night. Perfumed, complex nose, with tertiary notes of old leather and dusty library; vibrant, taut, rich red and black fruits; it had such energy, fantastic structure, intensity and drive like other great 1961s, overlaid with kaleidoscopic complexity with earth and tobacco, and after half an hour sweet red fruits and molasses - a tour de force. After an hour it retreated somewhat then waxed and waned - at its pinnacle for those glorious 45 minutes it was a 100 point wine - I wrote down 99 - my wotn, group third
La Mission Haut-Brion 1978
Super soil nose overlaid with a refreshing green note; it conspicuously lacked the intensity and the high-wired drama of the 1961; by contrast it had a much more laid back persona but this is a beautifully resolved La Mission with really complex smoky and earthy volcanic mineral overtones - 96 - my second wine, group fourth equal
With venison saddle, potato galettes, chanterelles, peppercorn sauce
La Mission Haut-Brion 1983
Came across as dark and austere compared to the previous two, with dark chocolatey notes but much less expression; quite austere and backward for a 1983, it did open a bit more over the evening; good but the least impressive of the reds; I am sure an evening with this on its own would give ample pleasure, however - 92
La Mission Haut-Brion 1985
Similar to the 1983 with dark matter notes, a little bit more expressive and giving than the 1983 especially as it opened over the evening; menthol notes emerge with tobacco and cigar box in low key. A classy wine - 93
La Mission Haut-Brion 1988
Surprisingly the 1988 was by far the the most impressive wine in this flight of three - a wine which was cloaked in austere tannins a decade or two ago. While it lacked the full-bodied rock star flamboyance of the 1989 and 1990 in the following flight, in an important way it was a more satisfying experience because it was unadulterated classical La Mission, beautifully poised and nuanced, with nothing hanging out, with compelling cool notes of tar with a enthralling tension and nervosity - the surprise package of the night, just brilliant - 96 - my third placed wine, group sixth
Next flight
La Mission Haut-Brion 1989
Big, brooding, dense, mouth-filling with richness and power. Clearly a superstar with a glorious future ahead. My guess it will be at its peak in 20-30 years from now. Bottle number eight from a case purchased soon after release, and all consumed too early, I wish I had purchased the Haut-Brion 1989 instead, despite it being less reliable, because when it is on form it is the more thrilling wine. I think the genuine 1961-like thrills are some way ahead for the 1989 La Mish, but you can’t help but admire this titan of a wine. But for current drinking give me the 1978 or 1988 over this any day. I am going to put my last three bottles away for several years, sorry - 96 - group wotn, my sixth placed wine
La Mission Haut-Brion 1990
More flattering and hedonistic than the 1989, the 1990 has a gorgeous scorched earth entry into a lux palate; the most sybaritic La Mission, but I would not list decadence and hedonism as La Mission’s most endearing traits. So wonderful as this 1990 La Mission is, like the 1989 it did not make my top five - 96 - group runner up - my seventh placed wine
La Mission Haut-Brion 1995
While most of the table thought the 1989 and 1990 were the clear stars of the show, and clearly they are spectacular wines, I found the less exuberant 1995 ultimately more satisfying for similar reasons as to why I was so enthralled by the 1988. This is nevertheless quite a weighty, chewy and rumbustious wine - a bigger wine than the 1988 - but already delivering great pleasure with a terrific future ahead of it. It was the star of our Nov 2019 1995 dinner along with Haut-Brion and last night reminded me why - 96 - my fifth placed wine, group seventh placed
With passion fruit Alaska, mango, kiwi, lime and mint
Ch Tirecul La Graviere Cuvee Madame 2001 and 1996
Both very sweet, the 2001 was the better wine as it had good balancing acidity which the 1996 lacked; matched well with the dessert - 93 (2001) and 90 (1996)