Wine Advisor
La Mission Haut Brion 1994
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
A deep garnet core with dark brick rim. The nose has moderate intensity with blackberry, wild hedgerow and cigar box. This is a very attractive 1994, with good fruit concentration, touches of sour cherry, bitter lemon, cigar box and cooked meats. Just reaching its plateau, this has good tension and poise with an elegant, almost rustic finish. Perfect to uncork now and imbibe with wanton abandon. But it will last. Drink now-2018 Tasted May 2008.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at an off-line dinner in Singapore. This is such a lovely Pessac-Leognan that is drinking perfectly now. It has a slightly austere, reserved nose that opens up slowly in the glass with touches of cigar box and tobacco that become more accentuated with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a sense of natural balance, a little dusty perhaps, but great poise and nonchalance towards the finish. It will not ameliorate, but I can see this La Mission cruising along its plateau for at least another decade. Drink now-2020. Tasted November 2009.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This outstanding example of La Mission is surprisingly forward and velvety-textured. The dark purple color suggests high extraction. The fragrant, smoky, tobacco, leathery, roasted herb, and cassis-scented nose is a real turn on. Voluptuous, round, medium to full-bodied, and loaded with fruit, glycerin, complexity, and charm, this is a surprisingly open-knit (at least for now), intensely flavorful wine. Anticipated maturity: 1999-2015.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This vintage again demonstrates what an extraordinary terroir La Mission-Haut-Brion possesses. It was not an easy year, with rain, flowering issues and uncooperative weather in the critical months of August and September, but the vineyard’s superb drainage and La Mission’s ability to produce fascinating aromatics even in difficult vintages triumphs again. Classic Graves aromas of charcoal, scorched earth, red and black fruits, truffles, graphite and melted tar emerge from this dark garnet/plum-colored 1994. In the mouth, there is some angularity and rustic tannins remaining, but they are not out of balance. With medium to full body as well as more depth than many of its peers, the wine appears to be close to full maturity. However, with this level of acidity and tannin, it is not likely to fall apart any time soon. Anticipated maturity: now-2025.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A superb La Mission from a difficult vintage, this wine shows classic scorched earth notes intermixed with a hint of dried herbs, pepper, sweet tobacco, and smoky black currant and cherry fruit. It is medium to full-bodied, with loads of glycerin, surprising depth, and no evidence of dilution or vegetal tannins. Anticipated maturity: Now-2015. Last tasted, 9/02.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
In 1994 La Mission-Haut-Brion contains 50% Merlot, resulting in a wonderfully unctuous, thick, chocolatey, mineral, cassis, and black-cherry-scented and flavored wine with outstanding ripeness and richness, low acidity, and a medium to full-bodied, husky finish. It is open and almost too easy to appreciate given its creamy, up-front, flattering style. There is undoubtedly plenty of tannin lurking behind the cascade of juicy, succulent fruit, but this should be a forward La Mission-Haut-Brion that will drink well for 15-20 years. All of the wines in this segment were tasted between March 19 and March 28 in Bordeaux. Most of the important wines from both the 1994 and 1995 vintages were tasted three separate times during my ten-day stay in Bordeaux.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Over half of La Mission-Haut-Brion's 1994 blend is Merlot, resulting in a dense, black/ruby/purple-colored wine with considerable flesh and muscle, as well as a chewy, unctuously-textured palate. This beautifully concentrated, powerful, sweet, creamy, and precocious wine is already flattering. A full-bodied, impressive Graves, it may firm up after bottling, but at present it appears to be a wine to drink after 3-4 years of aging. It should last for 20-25 years.
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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