The 1945 La Mission Haut-Brion from the château cellar is transcendental. It is blessed with the most beautiful bouquet you can imagine, effortless and natural, featuring woodland, red-berried fruits, a minerally quality and a faint touch of leafiness; given time to settle, it develops a lovely gamy note. The palate is medium- rather than full-bodied and sublimely balanced, upholding that effortless grace with an elegant, bittersweet, dried orange peel finish. One of the most harmonious wines I have ever consumed. Perfect. Tasted at the La Mission Haut-Brion vertical in London in September 2009. (Neal Martin, Vinous, May 2020)
— 6 years ago
Full bouquet, taste of fruit blackberry and aged oak with a noticeable amount of tannin and a loooong finish as it opened up. Going from tangy to spicy and leaves your mouth feeling like it went to sleep for a good 30 seconds. — 8 years ago
Still kicking, lovely bouquet. Body is thinning a tad — 9 years ago
I have no clue why everybody rated this wine so low, it is a full-bodied strong bouquet vibrant absolutely beautiful — 10 years ago
V13. Very good today, great tomorrow! Very nice cedar bouquet, deep blackberry and plum fruit with a spicy and very slight green pepper finish . Wine is really good today , but there is a slight "newness" that will eventually round out. Enjoyable dinner wine. — 11 years ago
All kinds of delicious dark fruit...juicy and baked blueberry. For the $ it's a knockout.--2010 vintage — 11 years ago
1934 Château Margaux
Top shoulder fill. Semi-opaque at the core, almost like an old burgundy with its brownish hews. Beautiful and graceful bouquet of roses, raspberries that have been baked, very elegant and healthy nose. At first very dry, with the fruit barely hanging on for dear life, but after 15 minutes in the decanted it comes alive with sweet fruit, high acidity and just a kiss of tannin. This is very complex and sublime for about a period of 20-40 minutes, what else could you ask for from a 80 year old bottle of wine.
THANKS DAVE !!
50-5-12-13-5=85+ — 12 years ago
2000 nice evolution fresh earth red currants and cassis very complex bouquet cigar box. Very smooth and balanced but still has a good hand of tannins red currant exotic spice sand a long layered finish 50+ most excellent 2006 very forward and fruity bouquet light smoke cigar box and fresh earth smooth and evolved on the palate very smooth drinking nicely right now. Finish 45+ excellent + 2010 first certification year lovely complexity toasty oak spice dark currant and coffee fresh earth very well endowed tannins are a bit hard but lots of everything and a long finish 50+ killer — 13 years ago
Light and summery — 6 years ago
Just beautiful. Long smooth finish. Bouquet was complex yet distinct. Paired with a tomahawk with the bestest of friends. La dolce vita! — 8 years ago
Our other Thanksgiving wine. A bit dried out, but a lovely bouquet. Good cork. Of the recent Leovilles, I prefer the 78 Barton, and next the 81 Las Cases. This comes in third, but not shabby at all! — 9 years ago
Surprisingly fruit forward for 25 years. Dark fruit and plum flavors with smoothed tannins. Good bottle bouquet. Cork fell apart but there was no taint to the bottle. Bottle well kept for at least the last 15 years - and supposedly the first 10 before I got it from a private buyer. I would not believe this review if I had not done the tasting myself. I had an 88 and a 90 in recent years that had not held up - flat flavors and thin color — 9 years ago
This is definitely a great bottle. High alcohol but once it opens up the bouquet is marvelous; Vanilla, baking spices, fresh berries and cream. All upfront taste... bright fruit, berries, orange notes, red apple skin, medium-high tannins but all upfront clean finish, surprisingly light body. I would recommend this wine and would be an easy seller with a decent price point. — 10 years ago
Light dry crisp smooth lovely! — 11 years ago
Thanks to a good cork, still alive, with a super bouquet, although a bit faded in the mouth. Wish I was in as good shape! — 12 years ago
🏅 Rating 94+/100 (4,45⭐)
This is my 3rd and the last bottle over the past year. It definitely sits at its plateau now and fully awake. Difficult to say when the drinking window will close down.
Lots of energy and precision. Cabernet Sauvignon dominant. Perfumed black currant jam with leaves. Complex tertiary aromas make a beautiful bouquet. Balance of tannins, fruits and acidity at its perfection. Tannins have soften but not yet faded away.
Undoubted 2nd Growth quality. — 6 years ago
Great! Floral, and just dry enough. — 8 years ago
A lovely blend with a light bouquet of fruits and mild oak flavor — 9 years ago
Lower neck/high shoulder fill. Cork intact but crumbled as it was pulled out. The appearance was excellent – fresh, dark, deep, no sign of letting go at all. On the bouquet, there was a strong Cabernet perfume. Cassis, black fruits. The tannic structure was still very healthy. No trace of oxidation whatsoever. This Montrose lived up to its name as a long distance runner! — 9 years ago
Minimal bouquet. Smooth eminently drinkable light red — 10 years ago
Excellent. Even better the second day. A lot of grip but the tannins are well integrated. — 11 years ago
Lovely , fragrant bouquet, nice legs — 11 years ago
Beautiful bouquet. Smell of roast meat. — 12 years ago
Max Waldron
With carignan- jammy and delicious but not obvious — 6 years ago