Wine Advisor
La Mission Haut Brion 1982
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 1982 La Mission has performed unevenly since its bottling, with some bottles barely meriting an outstanding rating, and others scoring in the mid-nineties. In some instances the wine has seemed mature. In this tasting it was backward and relatively unevolved. The saturated dark purple color exhibited no signs of evolution. The bouquet also revealed little development other than rich, jammy black fruits, and an attractive spicy element. Opulent and full-bodied, with a voluptuous texture and layers of fruit, this monolithic wine possesses significant potential and length. A massive La Mission, this bottle had not yet begun to display the complexity I believe the wine will develop. Drink it between the late nineties and the first 10-15 years of the next century. Last tasted, 7/93.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
An extraordinary effort that gets better with each tasting, this dark, murky, garnet/purple-colored 1982 exhibits a fabulously complex nose of hot bricks, asphalt, black fruits, tar, roast beef, and truffles, colossal concentration, super-ripeness, an unctuous texture, and low acidity. While still exceptionally youthful, this wine is powerful, dense, large-scaled, and intense. It is evolving at a snail's pace, but should continue to improve for another 10-15 years, and last for another three decades. A candidate for perfection!
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the La Mission/Haut-Brion dinner at The Ledbury. Though the La Mission ’82 was out-classed by the ’78, this remains a lovely La Mission probably in the middle of its plateau. This bottle has a warm, voluptuous, still Pomerol-like bouquet with touches of espresso and a stronger mint aroma than encountered on other bottles. The palate has a gentle but insistent grip and is very well balanced with cedar, sandalwood and dried blood inflecting the black fruit on the dense, quite rounded, generous finish. Lovely. Drink now-2020. Tasted September 2010.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
A garnet core with mahogany rim. A lovely, Pomerol-like nose with fine delineation and with vestiges of warmth from that summer tangible. Sandalwood, cedar, steaming espresso, dark chocolate and sweet red-berried fruits. The palate is medium-bodied, very well balanced, probably at its peak with notes of cooked meats and roasted chestnuts. An unexpected prickle on the finish that has touches of tar, dates and dried herbs. Good length though not as voluptuous as previous bottles. A superb wine on its plateau of maturity. Drink now-2020+ . Tasted May 2008.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 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! Release price: ($245.00/case)
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This wine has emerged from a dormant period to reveal the classic iron, tobacco, sweet blackcurrant and roasted herb nose of a great Graves. The color remains an opaque purple with a thick, viscous texture. Sweet, expansive, and chewy, with enormous concentration and fat, this wine has begun to develop its secondary aromatics. It is already thrilling to drink, although it is still very youthful. For pure complexity and class, the 1989 La Mission rates higher, but the 1982 rivals the 1959 and 1961 for pure hedonistic appeal. It may be the modern day equivalent of the spectacular 1959. Drink it over the next 25-30 years. Tasted 16 times since bottling with consistent notes.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
First tasted in July 2000 when I noted that it was not quite on par with 1989 or 1975. Opaque colour. Again a menthol note on the rich sweet nose. A viscous jammy palate. Less sophistication, more fat and glycerin than the 1989. Intense chocolaty, almost roasted herb finish. Very long. Yet another sublime La Mission. Again at the Mission vertical in March 2006. A deep garnet core with thin tawny rim. The nose is still surprisingly tight with black olives, roasted herbs, dark chocolate and espresso. Very complex and very focused. Very smooth entry, incredibly smooth, voluptuous palate. Well-integrated tannins; this is far more ostentatious than I remember it. A little porty on the finish. Hedonistic for La Mission.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted blind at Chez Bruce in London, a bottle of impeccable provenance—the 1982 La Mission Haut Brion—has proven to be a little variable in recent years. Here, it has a gorgeous bouquet that is very well defined, with dark berry fruit, potpourri and a hint of brine. It feels a little backward at first yet soon opens up, the fruit gaining more and more intensity until peaking at around 30-40 minutes. The palate displays firm structure on the entry, quite masculine with good grip. There is a fine, earthy character to this La Mission along with class and focus. Yet I found more sophistication on the 1982 La Tour Haut-Brion served alongside. It just does not quite deliver that killer blow on the finish that would have elevated it to the realms of, say, the 1989 or 1990. It is probably at its peak now but should continue that way for many years. Tasted June 2016.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Tasted 14 Times Since Bottling With Consistent Notes Among this estate's wines of the last 25 years, the 1982 is the most opulent and fleshiest. Deep, dark ruby/purple with a ripe bouquet of cassis fruit, the 1982 has finally begun to develop cedary, tobacco, leather, and cassis nuances. On the palate, the wine is crammed with rich, unctuous, berry fruit, is showing a great deal more tannin than it did several years ago, and is very full-bodied and concentrated. At this stage, it looks to be in need of 2-4 more years of bottle age, but should last for at least 20-30 years. Anticipated maturity: 1996-2010.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A 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+.
Reviewed by: William Kelley
One 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.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the Amuse Bouche offline in Hong Kong. This wine just never lets you down. Consistent with previous notes with that bewitching nose of black truffle, autumn leaves and fireside hearth in a country pub. Wonderful definition and sense of personality. The palate is beautifully balanced and surfeit with character. This bottle is perhaps a little more backward compared to other bottles that I have tasted, but like the Ruchottes 1990 from Rousseau tasted earlier, the bottom line is that it is simply delicious! Tertiary notes on the entry, dried herbs, dried meats with a harmonious, generous finish that lingers long in the mouth. Tasted November 2011.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 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.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at Pebbles/Zachy’s 1982 dinner in Hong Kong. This is easily the finest bottle of La Mission ’82 that I have encountered. Here it has a delirious nose with tertiary black fruit, dried flowers, a slight balsam note and wild heather. It is tight at first and does not possess the nuance of Haut Brion ’82, but it gathers steam with aeration and blossoms after 20 minutes in the glass, offering more tobacco and cigar box scents. The palate is medium-bodied with extremely fine tannins and perfectly pitched acidity. It has a sense of vibrancy that is compelling and there is a convincing sense of place, that is to say, a wine such as this could only be born from the finest Graves terroirs. This is an outstanding wine that will continue to drink with style for a number of years – although it is not quite the riveting experience that is the ’89 Mission. Tasted November 2012.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This wine has emerged from a dormant period to reveal the classic iron, tobacco, sweet black currant and roasted herb nose of a great Graves. The color remains an opaque purple with a thick, viscous texture. It is sweet, expansive, and chewy, with enormous concentration and fat. This wine has begun to develop its secondary aromatics. It is already thrilling to drink, although it is still very youthful. The 1982 rivals the 1959 and 1961 for pure hedonistic appeal. It may be the modern day equivalent of the spectacular 1959. Drink it over the next 25-30 years. Last tasted 9/95
About the Producer
25 hectares of red grape varieties, including Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, are planted in the traditional vineyard of the winery; the Werner family's vineyard also has 4 hectares of white grape varieties, including Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, used for Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc at different times during the Werner family's reign And the production of the original Chateau Laville Haut-Brion Blanc (Chateau Laville Haut-Brion Blanc). The Werner family's original Chateau La Tour Haut-Brion ceased production after 2005, and the 5 hectares of vineyards it owns are mainly used for the blending of the second red wine of Chateau Meixun. In terms of wine production, the winery will set up screening stations on trucks in the vineyard to screen the manually picked grapes for the first time. Fermentation is then carried out in a stainless steel wine tank equipped with a computer-controlled system that monitors the homogenization and temperature of the wine after measuring the temperature of the pressed grape juice and residue. Clarified with fresh egg whites before bottling, but not filtered.
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