I am looking to try Mission Haut Brion.
What vintage do you recommend since 1994?
Should be open enough to drink now and less than $200.
I am looking for a vintage that represents what mission has to offer well…
thanks,
Scott
I really love the 98 La Miss.
'98 should turn out well but no where near ready to drink. Recent '99 was disappointing. No input to give on others.
I think '98 is great too but I would bet you have some trouble finding for the price you want. To me, if you want the biggest steals you should try the '01 and '04 vintages. Both of these wines are spectacular versions of this wine. If you want something with a little more maturity then search out the '95, which I just had a week and half ago (notes to come). This is a an excellent wine. With the exception of the '00, '05, '06 and '08 vintages recent vintages (post '94) have been criminally underrated by Bob. I think the '05 is even underrated at 97!
98 and 01 are vintages to seek out, but you need to offer more about your stylistic preferences
Since we are on the topic, how are the 02 and 04 vintages?
I just purchased a few of those and waiting to experience them.
I had the 02 recently and thought it was pretty good and it was priced far less then the neighboring vintages. I personally don’t think that the 02 has the stuffing to be a long term wine.
You’ll need an older vintage to really get what the wine is all about, but fortunately those should cost you less than the younger ones. '70 and '71 are good candidates.
You don’t need an older La Mission to “know what its about.” For a fledgling taster a young vintage of this wine can be just a inspiring, or off-putting.
The '94 La Mission Haut Brion, as well as Haut Brion itself, are, to my mind, very underappreciated and, happily, under-valued (very easily US$130-US$150 only). I last had the '94 LMHB on the 30th September 2009 and it was very, very good. My notes of the '94 LMHB from that evening:
…darkly reflective deep ruby-red, the Doc asked me to guess what it was. I sniffed deeply in the decanter and in glass: mildly truffled, touches of dried herbs and sweet cedar to its dark cherry/raspberry-laced cassis and dark fruit. Before I could hazard a guess, he showed me the bottle. That was when I decided on a crispy goose leg confit for my main course. In the mouth, the wine had an elegantly lithe, silken medium-body that mirrored its nose with subtle “tarry” undertones and perfect acidity which lent it precise balance. The finish had adequate length.
I thought it was elegant, the fruit was clean, pure and honest, not over-ripe/sweet/pruney or obvious like many these days. I know it sounds trite, but this was truly classic Bordeaux - properly reserved, yet not at all stingy with its charms. Along with Angelus, this is one of the best '94s from Bordeaux I have ever had.
Color me surprised, after reviewing the above old notes, this wine hasn’t seemed to have changed - and that’s a good thing. It’s probably on its plateau. Not as sweetly perfumed in bouquet as the '94 Haut Brion, but excellent as well. Very harmonious, very nice.
I had a better experience with 99 La Mission last month.
It was served blind at a tasting dinner.
It was very powerful, which is good to know with regard to what food you are intending to prepare.
Good to drink now, but still a (little) while away from its peak.
Alex R.
I liked the '99 LMHB well enough last I had it (but much prefer the '99 Haut Brion). Very pleasant though. That said, the last time I had the '99 LMHB was over a year ago, over dinner on the 8th August 2008, so I’ll have to try it again soon:
1999 Château La Mission Haut-Brion > (Pessac-Léognan) - Feli’s bottle. Seeing it reminded me of the wine-and-lauriat dinner hosted by Bernie almost 2 years ago at Lili - all the pairing reds were from Pessac-Léognan.
Though many Bordeaux reds I’ve tried are already drinking quite nicely, I suspected this big-name wine would be less ready than it turned out to be, and I’m glad I was wrong.
I enjoy '99 Bordeaux, they generally mature faster (hence, I can enjoy them sooner), are not over-the-top-ripe/extracted (only so much manipulation can be performed without churning out a Frankenwine monster), and not as “thin” as many have written. True, they may not age as long as “stronger” vintages, but, then, I don’t care - I’ll just drink them earlier.
This is an understated, dignified wine with good typicity (which is important to me) in its slight roast herbs (think dried thyme and marjoram), mild/earthy tobacco, small red berry highlights over a dark sea of cassis and, to a lesser extent, plum. This wine discreetly beckons, rather than openly allures (like the above-mentioned Ostertag does) one to explore its secrets. Demure, discreet, seductive. I liked it like that.
Not rich or luxurious like the '89 (Doc’s) or '90 (the Stockbroker’s) or as well-structured as the '94 (the Doc’s) I’ve tried in the past, but a definite pleasure in its own right.
From Wine-Searcher Pro:
1994 (Avg: $141)
1995 (Avg: $241)
1996 (Avg: $199)
1997 (Avg: $163)
1998 (Avg: $242)
1999 (Avg: $166)
2000 (Avg: $894)
2001 (Avg: $173)
2002 (Avg: $141)
2003 (Avg: $225)
2004 (Avg: $155)
2005 (Avg: $694)
2006 (Avg: $641)
2007 (Avg: $295)
2008 (Avg: $176)
So realistically, it looks like your choices are 1994, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, and maybe 1996. Wine-Searcher Pro has a few USA hits for the 1998 at below $200, but at tiny little shops that I have never heard of [so questionable provenance?].
BTW, I had the 2000 La Chapelle de LMHB last year, and it is a very, very nice drink. It seems to be available around the country in the $70 to $80 price range, and it’s difficult for me to imagine that you could get a nicer young-ish Bordeaux at that price.
PS: Just glancing at Wine-Searcher Pro indicates to me that LMHB has a very strong presence in the state of Florida [of all places - go figure]. Is it a favorite on the SW&S line card? Or is that just a statistical anomaly?
How 'bout the 83 LMHB? Anybody drank one of these lately?
I heard some good reviews on the other board which prompted me to pick up 4 btls at auction for $85 per.