Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion (Futures Pre-sale) 2010

"One of the most powerful La Missions ever produced, the 2010, a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, achieved 15% natural alcohol (even higher than the 2009's 14.7%). Nevertheless, the pH is normal which gives the wine an extraordinary precision, freshness and vibrancy despite its massive size. A blue/purple color is followed by a classic nose of blueberry liqueur, creme de cassis, spring flowers and crushed rocks. This monumental, full-bodied, incredibly rich La Mission-Haut-Brion will need a decade of cellaring and should last for 40-50 years. It is slightly fatter and creamier than its sibling rival, the 2010 Chateau Haut-Brion.
Barrel Sample: 98-100 Points "

100 Points

The Wine Advocate

"This is loaded, with a torrent of pastis, crushed plum, blueberry and boysenberry fruit, backed by tarry tannins and a long, spice- and graphite-filled finish. Big, but very, very sleek. Highest percentage of Cabernet ever for La Mission (62 percent).
Barrel Sample: 95-98 Points "

98 Points

Wine Spectator

"A muscular wine, with well-defined tannins. The acidity is high, hiding the power and richness of the fruit behind. Then dark tannins come through, with other ripe fruits, finishing with a mineral character.
Barrel Sample: 95-97 Points "

97 Points

Wine Enthusiast

"Deep ruby-purple. D eep, refined aromas of blackcurrant, cedar, minerals and wet stone on the reticent, cabernet sauvignon-dominated nose. Then very dense and powerful on the palate, with pristine blackberry, mineral and forest floor flavors and a supple touch that Haut-Brion doesn't yet show. The tannins are amazingly fine and polished, indeed among the noblest of the year, but this otherwise great wine lacks the sheer massive concentration of Haut-Brion. At 10,000 vines per hectare, La Mission almost always has 0.2% or 0.3% more alcohol than Haut-Brion, according to Jean-Philippe Delmas. But the exact measure of La Mission's success in 2010 is that its 15.1% alcohol is not at all obvious.
Barrel Sample: 94-97 Points "

97 Points

International Wine Cellar