Pinotman /// Andreas

9.4

At some point i had to show off my Frankensteinian Argon line with a 50L tank below hahaha. This 14.6%‘er needed to settle down after opening and the system allowed me to taste this over 5 days+++. Waxy, viscous and super rich. Jasmine galore, white flowers, honeysuckle, honey, waxy, pretty herbaceous and touch bitter. Fantastic with the right food. Some dish with sprinkled blue cheese would be a match made in heaven. On its own just over the top. — 5 months ago

with Dustin

Delectable Wine

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9.3

The bottle of 1982 Léoville Las-Cases was sadly out of condition, though fortunately I tasted another example at a private dinner in Bordeaux a few weeks later. To be honest, I have always preferred the 1985 or 1986 to this vintage, and this gives me no reason to change my mind. It has a surliness on the nose that is uncharacteristic of this vintage, tightly wound tertiary scents, melted tar and pencil shavings. The palate is full-bodied with fine grip, dense and quite powerful, yet it is more impressive than pleasurable. The aforementioned vintages have pulled away from the 1982 in recent years, though it remains a very fine Saint-Julien. It just needs to turn its frown upside down. Tasted at the 1982 Dinner at Hatched. (Neal Martin, Vinous, September 2022)
— 4 years ago

Ericsson

9.5

This bottle takes me straight back to some of the highest quality red Burgundies I’ve ever tasted. Where the focused and seductive ripe red cherry note is the protagonist. The insaciable and provocative tartness is the antagonist. And the alluring earthiness provides the most perfect backdrop with layer over layer of drama unfolding. Stellar wine on the pallet.

PS & note to self: this is a pop n’ pour kinda wine that only needs five or ten minutes of aeration at the moment. After opening, re-cork and enjoy until the very last drop; it will oxidize rapidly {turn from the purest ripe red cherry notes to predominately acidic ones}. — 4 years ago

J Chechik

9.3

My buddy, Ash, gave me this many yes ago & suggested i hold it til 2008. I never listened to him (except he did turn me on to Zichichi wines...). Can kind of see the amount of sediment this had - like a pound of soil in the bottle! Still had great, chocolate, anise, black cherry tones & great lasting finish. If you have one of these - keep it for a few more yes! So far beyond my expectations! — 5 years ago

Ellen Clifford

9.1

I love Madeira. I don’t know if it loves me but it is at least on friendly terms with my taste buds. My taste buds like dessert. Even if you think you don’t like sweet wine the acidity on this may turn your head. It is a nuts cutting down molasses mountains carpeted in trees loosing glazed nuts. Malmsey. Definitely my friend. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

So, if it’s my birthday celebration, there is a juicy ribeye & some old(er) Claret.

My only disappointment with this bottle is as good as it is, there are better things still down the road.

The nose reveals classic Claret. There are earthy, funky fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, baked strawberries with shades of raspberries. Steeped fruit teas, limestone minerals, dry crushed rocks, stones, black, rich earth, clay, dry herbs, dark berry cola, cedar, leather, not quite fresh tobacco, underbrush, graphite, gentle, dark spice, slight peppery notes, clove, touch of nutmeg & cinnamon & vanillin, anise to black licorice, eucalyptus notes with fresh & slightly candied florals of, red, dark, blue, purple & violets.

The body is medium full with rounded, nicely resolved, tarry tannins. The structure, tension, length and balance are really singing. It would be good to have another 2001 LMHB in ten years. While 2001 wasn’t a critically acclaimed vintage, I think LMHB over performed the vintage. As well, it followed a grand 2000 vintage which, handicapped it from the start. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, baked strawberries, bright cherries, rhubarb, figs, with shades of raspberries. Steeped fruit teas, limestone minerals, dry crushed rocks, stones, black, rich earth, clay, dry top soil, dry herbs, dark berry cola, cedar, leather, not quite fresh tobacco, underbrush, graphite, gentle, dark spice with soft heat, slight peppery notes, clove, touch of nutmeg & cinnamon & vanillin, anise to black licorice, eucalyptus notes with fresh & slightly candied florals of, red, dark, blue, purple & violets. The acidity is excellent...like a gentle rain shower. The long finish is elegance defined, extremely well balanced ending in soft, round, dry, dusty tannins with beautiful spice.

Photos of; Chateau La Mission Haut Brion & estate vines, beautiful barrel room, pond & Roman columns and the back vow of the Chateau.

Please indulge me while I post some history on this grand producer. As much as I love the wine, I love the history & people that do the hard work to bring us such great wines.

Chateau La Mission Haut Brion is not quite as old as Chateau Haut Brion. However, they are opposite side of the road neighbors. La Mission Haut Brion dates back to the late 16th century. The property came into being after it was purchased by Jean de Pontac in 1533. US winery history is a baby compared to France.

In 1607, the estate changed hands. It was inherited by Ms. Olive de Lestonnac. What an inheritance!

In 1815, something rare happened. Chateau La Mission Haut Brion became the property of an American owner, the Chiapelle family. At the time, the family was already involved in the Bordeaux wine trade. In fact, they knew about the business as they had managed a myriad of different estates including Chateau Cos d’ Estournel.

La Mission Haut Brion continued to change hands until it was finally sold to another American family, the Woltner’s. Frederic Woltner purchased La Mission Haut Brion in 1919. The also became owners on Howell Mountain.

It changed hands one final time in 1983 when it was purchased by Domaine Clarence Dillon, the owner of neighboring, Chateau Haut Brion. They renovated the entire property, starting with replanting the vineyards which, was completed in 1987.

The 26 hectare vineyard of Chateau La Mission Haut Brion is planted to; 45.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43.8% Merlot and 10.4% Cabernet Franc. 3.5 hectares of vines are reserved for the production of the white Bordeaux.

To produce the red wine of Chateau La Mission Haut Brion, the wine is vinified in large, 180 hectoliter, temperature controlled, stainless steel vats and aged in 100% new, French oak for an average of 22 months. The annual production of La Mission Haut Brion averages between 6,000 and 7,000 cases per year. — 6 years ago

Ira Schwartz

9.3

A beautiful deep red fruited nose along with earth. On the palate the wine appears angry that I disturbed its sleep. Gives me the red fruit found on the nose along with plums and throws in some spice & minerals. The finish was as if the wine threw the blanket over itself and told me to turn off the light and get out of the room. — 8 months ago

John Bratincevic

9.4

Dark, beautiful color. Decanted for an hour and forty five minutes or so.

Nose: Pencil shavings/graphite, cassis, orange peel, coffee, earth, raisin, milk chocolate, dried flowers, oak, dried herbs, dark berries. Oh boy!

Taste: the milk chocolate and cocoa really come through - along with a lot of herbs Mulberry (think a blackberry with a much more mineral taste.). Medium weight. Silky, elegant. Very, very good. You can tell it’s young (some vegetal tannins on the finish), but still a treat. Of the three excellent, high-er-end-ish (for me) red wines that I’ve had recently, I think this is the one I would be most likely to come back to. 94-95.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY! — 4 years ago

Aaron Tan

8.9

Again, not a wine that passed the drinkability test for me, but there are things that I liked about it, and some that I didn't. Right off the bat, it was way too heavy for me, both on the nose and palate. Heaps of oak aromas covering some sweet black fruits. The palate also came off as being quite sweet, almost syrupy, but here's where the balancing act comes in - just the right amount of acidity to keep it juicy. It's like biting into a very sweet, ripe, juicy plum with a peppering of cinnamon and vanilla. I enjoyed the tannins most, fine and directional, starting at the tip of the tongue, then swinging under before traveling down the inner walls of the gum. What a cool structure! And then there's the underlying minerality with air, which was pleasantly surprising. The finish took a turn for the worse - medium, rich, and oaky, yet bitter with hints of scorched earth character which I dislike. Also quite warm. Generally, more finessed than the 2011 Troplong Mondot, but less stacked and more stumbling blocks. Has potential. — 4 years ago

Aaron Tan

8.9

There's an uncanny similarity between the tasting notes of this wine with that of the 15' Overnoy Poulsard I had a couple of years ago, which leads me to believe that vinification or in particular, biological factors, may be the grand architect of these wines.

Pours out with an orangey hue of red. Reductive smokey aromas, followed by dried roses, twigs and grass, tabacco, dried herbs, and earth. The palate felt a little simple and short - cherries and grass, on a bitter, high acid finish.

So armed with lessons from previous Delienne openings, the wine went back into the cooler for an overnight dose of slow-release oxygen. This was when it took a unexpected turn towards the Poulsard memory. Cherries and grass had turned into the distinctive blood orange and tea notes. A slight acetic note arose, which integrated well with the palate giving a rather savory impression. A peculiar chicken essence note was especially memory-inducing. I felt like it put on some weight too, with a lovely silky texture. It's an oddball for sure, but not an unwelcomed transformation, as you see, the aforementioned Poulsard was my engagement tipple. — 4 years ago

MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET

Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com

9.1

I don’t understand why the average rating from everyone else is 8.7? I am tasting the latest vintage 2019 three months after bottling and I think it’s delicious. Which is hard for me to say because Herencia Altes is competition for my wines and they sell their entry level wines at prices so low that it’s absolutely impossible to turn a profit or compete with them. This wine has been aged in concrete semi-oval tanks on lees for 2 months with Battonage and then 6 months without the lees. On the nose it has medium(+) aromas and flavours and it almost seems like it has been fermented in oak. Medium(+) body, the alcohol is high 14% and while it is fairly supported and balanced by the ripe and expressive citrus fruit and the medium acidity, the alcohol lingers on and warms your chest. The finish is medium(+) and elegant. #terraalta #spain #garnachablanca #grenacheblanc — 6 years ago

Dave Teal

9.0

Great Pinot. Lite and fruity but not too much. I got lucky on this wine, been saving it for awhile now, glad it didn’t turn on me.
— 7 years ago

Shay A

9.3

From a split and for my tastes, drinking at peak. In fact, this surprised me so much that I had to turn around and check the bottle when someone said it was an ‘02. Muddled raspberries, bing cherries, plum, baking spices and tobacco leaves on the nose. Balanced with wonderful structure. Not powerful or weak. Small amount of black fruit on the palate, but mainly dominated by bright red fruits. Some added notes of herbs and cedar at the finish. — 7 years ago

with joe, Dan and 1 other

Jay Kline

9.3

Okay, so I cheated…sort of. I made a commitment to drinking only Greek wines on my trip however, when Kostas Lonis pours you a glass of Egon Muller’s Riesling from Slovakia, you don’t turn it down. This is a powerful Riesling that gives me serious Austrian vibes. I’m not sure how long this bottle had been open but it was gorgeous. Bright, ripe tropical and lemon/lime fruits, some petrol with almost palpable minerals. High acid but not punishing due to the effect coming from the abundance of fruit. An unbelievable value. I wish I had access to more of this. — 3 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Opened about four hours prior to service and allowed to breath. Two bottles were opened tonight from the same cellar and one of the corks showed some small signs of seepage but both wines showed equally. No formal notes. The 1997 Opus One pours a fairly youthful looking deep ruby color with moderate signs of sediment and a near opaque core. The nose exhibited powerful aromas of dark fruits, organic earth, tobacco, leather, horse blanket (brettanomyces?!), and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry and the structure remains quite firm but the texture is plush and almost chewy. The notes on the nose are confirmed and the finish is long and satisfying.

But the tasting notes only tell half the story here. This was consumed alongside a 1990 Chateau Mouton Rothschild. Had these been served together double-blind, I would have absolutely understood if someone called both as left-bank Bordeaux. Yes, the texture was plush and yes, the color was dark(er), but only just. It was just waaaay more Old World leaning to me with the earth and presence of brett. Which makes me wonder, why hasn’t brett been noted very often in other TN’s for this wine? Only (Charlie Carnes and OneFive) really address it directly and maybe this is what most are getting at when they mention “Bordeaux-like” and all the Pauillac vibes. What I can confirm is that these notes were consistent between two bottles from the same case, still in their tissue paper, so I’m reasonably confident that this is characteristic of the 1997 Opus One. I digress; I liked the wine. There, I said it. It was a bit of a one foot in Old School Napa, one foot in New School Napa, handled with an Old World touch. I liked it even better side-by-side with the ’90 Mouton, especially considering the relationship between the two. That being said, folks that can’t get down with a little brett will be turned off by this vintage of Opus. In my case, I would enjoy another opportunity to drink the 1997 some time. Great now with some air to stretch its legs and should be enjoyable through the next decade.
— 3 years ago

Ericsson

9.4

Pretty stellar wine, twenty six year old RdD magnum gran reserva. Took hours and hours to fully open, even after decanting. Initially there’s a lot of barnyard, fungus, funk, sweat, musty leather smells but it does turn the corner eventually to violets, humid forest, wet dirt, and even some soy sauce. On the pallet it becomes very balanced and round with wet rose petals, dates, dirt and ever so slightly spicy. The wine is completely integrated. Just keeps me yearning for old wine. — 4 years ago

Palmer Emmitt

Owner/Winemaker Judge Palmer

9.3

Blew me away. Nose is so elegant and pretty with lavender and dried red fruit. Just perfectly balanced palate with enough meatiness to know you’re drinking Mourvèdre but not enough to turn off the non-wine-geeks. So expansive on the palate in terms of the breadth of flavor and complexity, but at this stage of evolution it’s incredibly approachable and easy drinking. Smiles. — 5 years ago

Paul J

9.1

30+ minute decant and could have used more. Dark fruit and Bordeaux elements on the nose. First few glasses (I’m a fan of small pours) were overly spicy, which was unattractive. With air and time it dissipated and a silky texture emerged with plums, oak, and ever so slight vanilla. No mistaking this for anything but South African. Medium plus depth. Medium plus finish. Not my style, and the early spice turned me off, but this grew on me. However, I don’t think it has very much aging potential. Glad I tried this for the price. Wouldn’t turn a glass down but probably not a return buyer. — 6 years ago

with Brooke

Bryan Hopkins

9.2

I am tasting the 2000 vintage. The first aroma I get is just oak, almost sterile, like an impeccably clean hardware store. Leaving the glass a few moments to give contact with air opens up softer aromas of nougat and plum. The taste is about exactly like that: oak in your face all at once to yield quickly to nougat candy, plum, and raisin, but letting the brandy sit in my mouth causes it to turn into lovely cigar tobacco flavors with milk chocolate. Slight hint of saffron-infused chocolate on the finish, but then it fades back into that really strong neutral wood as the finish lingers. Trying the 1998 vintage, less complex scent, clean spice and wood, much more mellow with the wood than the 2000. On the palette, honey and milk chocolate. Much more approachable and easy-drinking than the 2000. Trying the 1995, I get an explosion on the scent of molasses and perfectly balanced oak. There was also a fruitiness that took me a long time to identify, but it finally hit me. Have you ever had the mango custard that is served at some Indian restaurant lunch buffets? It’s like that. Rich, syrupy mouthfeel with taste of black molasses and maple syrup prevented from being cloying by the strong oak, which doesn’t overpower but gives exactly the structure and bite that it needs to do. The fruitiness in the palette is like canned fruit salad in syrup. This is really good! So much richer and more balanced than the 2000. The 1979 vintage is less interesting to me. The prominent note is maple syrup, with oak becoming apparent afterwards. There is a sweet, floral perfume note on the scent that to me gives this vintage what interest it has. — 7 years ago

M. Christopher Roebuck

9.2

I guess this is still a baby, but we are sitting here planning our Italy trip for this summer and I have to open something!

This is just starting to turn orange on the rim-- which to me is amazing to me, a 07 brunello would be garnet throughout by now. On the nose I get licorice and other roots, and white pepper with mild cedar. Nothing about this is fruity or Rosy.

On the palate... There isn't a ton going on (hence the 50 dollar price maybe?). The licorice and spice persists but this doesn't lead to an aha moment. This tannins are big and bold for a 2007. Perhaps even massive. So not being an expert on Barolo at the present time, Im not sure if it will improve. My hunch is No.

92+ points — 7 years ago