1980 La Mission Haut Brion
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Tasting notes
With a delicate bouquet, the 1980 La Mission Haut-Brion is surprisingly aromatic, with notes of licorice, dark berries, leather, forest floor and a touch of green pepper. It’s elegant, medium-bodied, fresh and tense, with a short but spicy finish. This is one of the better 1980 red Bordeaux I have tasted recently.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 1980 La Mission Haut-Brion is visibly mature in color, with a tuile core and wide bricking. The surprisingly sweet yet diffuse nose offers undergrowth and humidor scents and comes across a little musty compared to the 1981. The palate is bitter on the entry and rather leafy, leading to a sharp herbaceous finish. Despite all that, there is a scintilla of elegance. Bottles should have been drunk by now. Tasted at the La Mission Haut-Brion vertical in London.
Mid ruby with tawny rim. Light and dusty. Correct and well balanced with strong mineral dusty notes but it desperately needs food! (JR)
I had felt this wine would show a bit better than it did in this tasting, but it came across as extremely light, with a delicate, restrained, almost watery bouquet, innocuous, medium-bodied flavors, and a short, rather diluted finish. It should be drunk up before it fades any further. Anticipated maturity: Now. Last tasted, 1/89. Jan 1998, www.robertparker.com
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.