Château La Mission Haut-Brion 2011

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 leap from the glass of this dense ruby/purple-colored wine. With full body (atypical for a 2011) and 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 unlikely to receive a lot of exciting press. The final blend was 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and 11% Cabernet Franc. Jean-Philippe Delmas continues to quietly and authoritatively turn out one great wine after another at La Mission-Haut-Brion and Haut-Brion.

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.

A wine with pretty dark-chocolate, berry and currant character. Stones, too. Full body, chewy but polished tannins and a firm finish. Already showing sea-shell and iodine notes. Needs at least four or five years to soften. Reminds me of the excellent 1978. Try in 2019.

Sweet, dark and spicy. Smells rich and robust and quite oaky. Lovely dark power with firm but refined structure. Dense and unyielding at the moment but a glorious dark promise. (JH)

The 2011 La Mission Haut-Brion is well defined and very focused on the nose: blackberry, briary and graphite, quite mineral-driven with an impressive sense of energy. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, good tension, quite precise with attractive black pepper and graphite notes, poised and showing good breeding on the finish. This is excellent. Tasted blind at the annual 10-Year-On tasting.

Smoky, dark berries, medium to full-bodied, with a polished feel to the tannins that carries through to the fresh, dark, smoky, plum finish. This will be better with 3–5 years of age.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, subtle ochre rim. Notes of blackberries and liquorice, some suede and nougat, fine oak spice, tobacco nuances. Complex, taut, pleasant sweetness, vivid tannins, elegant and fresh, has good length and very good ageing potential.

Compact, spicy bouquet with black mountain pepper, cardamom and dark graphite, followed by delicate red-berry contours, sandalwood, lovage and milk-chocolate notes. On the concentrated palate, a tightly knit, densely packed tannic framework, fine-grained extract, supporting verve and a well-trained body. In the multilayered finish, deep-seated terroir spice, black olives and a full charge of graphite; everything in its right place, with tremendous ageing potential.

55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc. Deep purple-garnet, dense at the core, with lilac highlights at the rim. The bouquet is restrained, with notes of tar, licorice, black truffle, little sweetness; on a second pass, Brazilian tobacco and yet a subtle sweetness, with some cassis at the core. It feels fleshy, with a healthy Cabernet swagger, plenty of walnut shells, powdery extract, good backbone, and a demanding astringency. Definitely not a quick starter and firmly rooted in classicism. (18/20). 19: Tasted on a mission and compared directly with Haut-Brion. There, Haut-Brion has the edge on the nose.

Dense, velvety, deep, dark bouquet: black berries, prunes, dried fruits, mint, tobacco, truffle. Dense, multi-layered, powerful, and velvety palate with a tightly woven, silky structure, plenty of fine tannins, compressed aromatics, and a very long, dark, weighty finish. Can improve further. 18/20 2020 - 2035

Smoky, spicy nose, silky texture, a hint of firmness in the tannins compared to 2014, but plenty of character and a long follow-through on the palate.

A dense, austere, tannic wine, fine, very elegant, with great length.

A multifaceted bouquet marked by notes of licorice and dark berries such as blackcurrant and blueberry. Very elegant on the palate, with a superb structure that ideally supports the whole. Lots of finesse. Balanced, elegant character. Fruity, persistent finish.

Dark, intense, and beautiful color. Fruity nose with a delicate creamy touch. Very fruity on the attack. The wine unfolds rounded, juicy, broad, and flavorful, with wrapped tannins. It finishes on a cherry note typical of this estate. The barrel aging should give it structure. We’ll have to see how the 11% Cabernet Franc in the blend expresses itself over time.

A more refined expression than in La Chapelle, but I would strongly recommend going for La Chapelle right now, as these tannins remain fairly closed at the moment. Great future ahead, a sculpted and finessed expression of La Mission, classical, with seductive smoky notes emerging after a few minutes in the glass alongside waves of violet and tobacco. 72% new oak.

93-95. Barrel sample. An impressive wood- and tannin-laden wine, with intense, solid fruit. It's powerful, very dry and complex.