Chateau La Mission Haut Brion Pessac Leognan
From Bordeaux
| Vintage: | 1982 |
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| Winery: | Chateau La Mission Haut Brion |
| Description: | 100 Points | RPâOne of the great wines of the vintage, and the last produced under the ownership of the Woltner family, the 1982 La Mission Haut-Brion remains remarkably youthful, exhibiting a saturated ruby-black hue. Unfurling in the glass with rich aromas of black fruits, cigar smoke, loamy soil, black truffle, peat and pencil shavings, it's full-bodied, broad and concentrated, with a deep core of fruit, ripe tannins and a long, expansive finish. Over the last decade, the wine has become increasingly seamless and elegant, without losing any of its vitality, and it is now clear, if it were ever in doubt, that this wine can stand alongside vintages such as 1961 and 1955 as one of the great La Mission Haut-Brions of the 20th century. Readers should note that the La Tour Haut-Brion of the same vintage performs at a very similar level of quality.â - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (12/2022)100 Points | RPâA monumental wine, this historic La Mission-Haut-Brion was the last vintage made by the descendants of the Woltner family, who had owned this estate for decades prior to selling it to their neighbors, the Dillon family (the American owners of cross-street rival, Chateau Haut-Brion). The 1982 admirably demonstrates the magnificence of La Mission as well as the singularity of this amazing terroir. I had the good fortune of tasting it from barrel (where it was an enormous Graves fruit bomb) and watching it develop more nuances in bottle. At age 30, it remains a majestic, multidimensional, profound Bordeaux with another 20-30+ years of life ahead of it. It's no secret that the great vintages of Bordeaux have levels of fruit extract and depth that go beyond other years. It is this fruit, often referred to as "fat" or "concentration," that takes decades to dissipate and fade. As it does so, the extraordinary aromatic expression of the terroir asserts itself. Remarkably, the 1982 is still in late adolescence and has not yet reached its peak. Early in my career, much of my reputation was established on calling this vintage correctly, but I never in my wildest dreams thought the 1982s would mature as slowly and last as long as some seem capable of doing. One of the handful of perfect wines of the vintage, the La Mission still possesses a remarkably dense ruby/purple color with only a slight garnet and lightening at the edge. The fruit-dominated aromatics reveal lots of cassis, blueberry, scorched earth, black truffle, incense, graphite and high-class, unsmoked cigar tobacco-like notes. Still exhibiting remarkable concentration, enormous body, silky sweet tannin, and no perceptible acidity, the 1982 remains fresh, delineated and super-compelling. A massive La Mission made by the Dewravin family and their winemakers, all of whom were dismissed the following year when the estate was acquired by Haut-Brion, this modern day legend shows no signs of decline. In fact, it may not have yet reached its peak. Anticipated maturity: now-2060+.â - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (8/2012)100 Points | RPâThe greatest La Mission Haut Brion made between the 1975 and 1989, the 1982 is, stylistically, a dead-ringer for the ethereal 1959. One of the most massive wines of the vintage, it remains an adolescent in terms of evolution, but it can be drunk with great pleasure if it is decanted 2-3 hours in advance. A thick, unctuously-textured wine with massive richness as well as abundant notes of black fruits, truffles, creosote, scorched earth, smoke, and camphor, a colossal mouthfeel, a layered texture, incredible depth of fruit and glycerin, and copious, but well-integrated tannins that are largely concealed by the incredible amount of fruit. An old school La Mission, it is a tour de force that should continue to age effortlessly for another 40+ years. A monumental wine!â - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (6/2009)100 Points | RPâThe most powerful, concentrated, and enormously endowed La Mission-Haut-Brion between 1975 and 2000, this wine still seems very backward and yet oh, so promising. I have gone back and forth over its life, wondering whether it is a modern-day clone of the 1959 or 1961, but more and more I am leaning toward the 1959. The wine has a murky, opaque plum/garnet color with no lightening at the edge. With hours of aeration, the wine begins to reveal a prodigious perfume of black fruits, scorched earth, licorice, truffles, and some graphite as well as damp earth. Enormously concentrated, with extraordinary power and depth, this wine continues to remind me of a modern-day equivalent of the 1959. The interesting comparison, of course, is the 1989, and for the future, probably the 2000. The 1989 has sweeter tannin, more finesse and elegance, but perhaps not the sheer power, muscle, and palate impact of this extraordinary wine. Both of them are pure perfection for my palate, but completely different in style. The 2000 has as much extract and power, but tastes slightly more refined. The 1982 still reveals plenty of tannin, which should guarantee it at least another three decades of longevity. This is clearly a 50-year wine. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2040. Last tasted, 1/03.â - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (12/2002) |
| Price: | $ 2375.00 |
| Price in original currency: | None |
Previously available from Porthos
| Address: |
4326 Redwood Hwy #300 San Rafael, CA 94903 United States |
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| Telephone (toll-free): | 866-767-8467 |
| Telephone (regular): | 415-454-2115 |
| Fax: | 415-454-1548 |
First added to 1000 Corks on July 25, 2023.
This product was inactivated April 13, 2024.
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