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La Mission Haut Brion 1996
HED52041
75 cl
13%
£300.00
Taxes included.
Pay ex-VAT when shipping outside the UK
La Mission Haut Brion 1996 showcases the complexity typical of this esteemed estate. The vineyard comprises a blend of approximately 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 7% Cabernet Franc. Nestled in Pessac-Léognan, the estate has a production level of around 5,000 cases annually. The wine exhibits a structured profile with pronounced tannins, balanced acidity and depth that emerges through its ageing potential. La Mission Haut Brion is often considered an `honorary` First Growth, reflecting its commitment to quality over generations.
93
Vinous
The 1996 La Mission Haut-Brion is an improvement on the previous vintage, though it remains a couple of steps behind the high point of the decade, which came two years later. This is quintessential 1996 Pessac, featuring scents of warm gravel and scorched earth on a nose that might be classic to some, but a bit dour to others with a penchant for more hedonistic wines. It’s a structured 1996, drier and more austere than the 1998, but there is good grip and delineation, if maybe just a little leafiness toward the finish. Over the years I have found a bit of bottle variation, and this example falls between the best and worst. Overall, I expected more given the vintage. Give this a couple of hours’ decanting. Tasted at the Vinous 1996 horizontal at Berry Brothers & Rudd. Neal Martin1st September 2021
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Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion
Long Lived Reds and Whites
Château La Mission Haut-Brion is one of the preeminent estates in the Pessac-Léognan appellation and is renowned for producing exceptionally concentrated and long-lived wines. The prestigious first label, La Mission Haut-Brion, is a near equal blend of Cabernet and Merlot, giving wonderfully focused wines with bramble and floral character. This illustrious estate also produces a stellar second label, La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion.
Two beautiful whites are made: La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc, which is a aromatic, Sémillon-dominant blend with beautiful citrus and stone fruit, and a second white, La Clarté de Haut Brion (which also takes grapes from the Château Haut-Brion estate).