Wijnen

La Mission Haut Brion 2006 heeft iets van een Pomerol met 59% Merlot in het assemblage. Er is 40% Cabernet Sauvignon en 1% Cabernet Franc. De aromatische en complexe neus vertoont typische kenmerken van geroosterde koffieboontjes, tabak en mineralen, over zacht en genuanceerd rijp fruit. Zeer verleidelijk. Intens op de tong, met een prachtige zoete aanval, gevolgd door een zachte textuur en florale tinten, tabak en kersen, die naadloos verweven zijn doorheen de rijpe en verfijnde tannine en een stevige mineraliteit. Dit is één van de grote wijnen van 2006. La Tour Haut Brion werd vanaf het millésime 2006 ingelijfd in La Chapelle de La Mission Haut Brion.

IN DE PERS

94 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate (Issue #202 - Augustus 2012) - erobertparker.com - 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.

95 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate (Issue #181 - February 2009) - erobertparker.com - 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.

96-100 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate (Issue #170 - April 2007) - erobertparker.com - 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).

95 Neal Martin - Wine Journal (Juli 2010) - eRobertParker.com - Tasted blind at Southwold ’06 Bordeaux tasting. This is rich and decadent on the nose with blackberry, damson, fruitcake and Asian spices: complex and well defined, very generous at the moment. Violets developing with further aeration in the glass. The palate has great weight and density, firm, sturdy tannins, good definition, assertive and perhaps even brash with confidence, leading to a chewy, reticent finish that shuts up shop and says come back later...in about 10-15 years. Almost Pauillac-like in style at this early juncture, but the La Mission has the upper hand over Haut-Brion at the moment. Tasted January 2010.

94-96 Neal Martin - Wine Journal (Mei 2008) - erobertparker.com - This has a great nose of blackberry, sandalwood, raspberry and red cherry - very harmonious with great delineation. The palate is very harmonious, brilliant definition and tension, lovely poise with bright black fruits, minerals, limestone, hints of violets and bilberry towards the finish. This is much better than I recall at en primeur and shows great potential. Tasted February 2008.

92-94 Neal Martin - Wine Journal (April 2007) - erobertparker.com - 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.

17,5/20 Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com (April 2007) - 59% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc. 55% of total production. 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.

95-100 James Suckling, WineSpectator.com (Maart 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.