Château La Mission Haut-Brion 2011
(Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux, France) - [WA 95] [VM 94] [WE 93-95] [JS 93] [WS 93]

About the Château:
Created and developed in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries by the influential Lestonnac family, Château La Mission Haut-Brion began to achieve wider renown in 1682, when it passed into the hands of the Prêcheurs de la Mission.

In the nineteenth century, a family from Louisiana, the Chiapellas, acquired the property from the missionary order and La Mission’s worldwide reputation grew further. The jury of the 1862 International Exhibition in London, highly attentive to the particular qualities of Château La Mission Haut-Brion’s wines, awarded the estate its Gold Medal. The many achievements of the Woltner family, who held title to the property between 1919 and 1983, would expand the renown of the estate and its wines.

La Mission Haut-Brion is now one of the jewels of the Domaine Clarence Dillon, who totally renovated the château and added state-of-the-art winemaking facilities. Before entering the cellar, a veritable “cathedral of wine”, visitors are now welcomed in the cloister near the small Notre-Dame d’Aubrion chapel built in the late 17th century.

Today many people consider Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion as a “sixth 1855 First Growth”.

Tasting Notes

Very deep, dark red colour with mauve highlights. The intense nose has opened up to reveal hints of black cherry and blackberry as well as spice. The bouquet is very "La Mission". The wine starts out broad-based, soft, and tasty. It then spreads out seamlessly with a show of powerful tannin and a creamy middle palate. The tight tannic structure on the finish is supported by a very fine aromatic persistence. Once again, La Mission Haut-Brion is very open at this stage, very expressive, and quite obviously a great wine.

 

33.7% Merlot 11.3% Cabernet Franc 55% Cabernet Sauvignon

Ratings & Reviews

95 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
"The small production (4,150 cases) of 2011 La Mission-Haut-Brion displays the nobility and complexity of this great terroir. Burning embers, scorched earth, blueberry, black currant, licorice and spice aromas jump from the glass of this dense ruby/purple-colored wine. With full body (atypical for a 2011), but no hard edges, this opulent, multidimensional, fleshy, rich, stunningly long, well-balanced La Mission is another great achievement in what has been nearly a century of producing remarkable wines from this hallowed vineyard. The long 2011 should be reasonably mature in another 4-6 years, and last for two decades. It will always be a revelation in a vintage that is unlikely to receive a lot of exciting press. The final blend was 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and 11% Cabernet Franc." - Robert M. Parker, Jr. (4/29/2014)

94 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2011 La Mission Haut-Brion has a fragrant, perfumed, Margaux-like nose, beautifully defined and revealing hints of cassis and blueberry – a feminine, alluring, very pure bouquet designed to seduce, which it does. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, silky-smooth tannins and near-perfect acidity. The new oak comes on a little strong toward the finish, but it will fully integrate with time. A gorgeous wine in the context of the vintage." - Neal Martin (Sept 2021)

93-95 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"An impressive wood- and tannin-laden wine, with intense, solid fruit. It's powerful, very dry and complex." - Roger Voss (5/11/2012)

93 Points - James Suckling:
"A wine with pretty dark-chocolate, berry and currant character. Stones, too. Full body, chewy but polished tannins and a firm finish. Already showing the sea shell and iodine. Needs at least four or five years to soften. Reminds me of the excellent 1978. Try in 2019." (2/18/2014)

93 Points - Wine Spectator:
"This sports a pleasantly grippy edge of briar and cassis bush notes, with a densely layered core of dark fig, blackberry and black currant fruit that should move to the fore soon enough. The long, mesquite-tinged finish has solid grip. Best from 2016 through 2030." – JM (3/31/2014)