1958 La Mission Haut Brion
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Tasting notes
The 1958 La Mission Haut-Brion is a vintage I have only encountered once before. It has a distinctly Left Bank, Pauillac-like bouquet with cedar and pencil box aromas. This is rather austere, as you would expect from this off-vintage. The palate is medium-bodied, a little dusty and framed by dry tannins, but there is just enough fruit extant. A tough La Mission, it is redeemed by a pretty, mint-tinged finish, but otherwise, I would drink bottles in the near future. Tasted at "Koala's" Bordeaux dinner in Hong Kong.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
First bottle: Dry and austere – a bit dried out. Second bottle: Deep crimson with age at the rim. Dusty almost eucalyptus – very fresh and deep and winning. Not heavy – fresh but well balanced, so long as you serve it straight away. No early decanting! Oz Clarke told a tale of having a bottle of this wine at Oxford under his bed which was purloined by a scout[bedmaker] called Honour. (JR)
About the producer
Ch. la Mission Haut-Brion – sister estate of Ch. Haut-Brion and part of the Clarence Dillon stable – is one of the greatest estates in all of Bordeaux. Based in Pessac-Léognan but not officially classified, it produces outstanding red and white wines.