La Mission Haut Brion 1966 (750ML)

93 WS / 92 VM / 17 JR

Very ripe, rich and fleshy, although still with a hard backbone. Deep ruby, brick-red color, ripe, intense raspberry aromas, full-bodied, with ripe, rich rasberry flavors and cedar and tobacco notes. There's plenty of tannin here. - James Suckling

The 1966 La Mission Haut-Brion is a vintage I have tasted many times, this last example courtesy of a half-bottle at the Four Seasons in London. It has a classic mature Graves nose of dusty black fruit, cedar and cigar humidor, plus traits of fireside hearth. The palate is well balanced with quite firm tannins and plenty of cedar-infused black fruit. A little drier than other vintages, but not austere, delivering good weight on the finish. Bottles invariably suggest that this is beginning to reach the end of its drinking plateau, so – large formats aside – broach this sooner rather than later. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

Pale ruby. Was there some rot here? Slightly metallic nose. Dry palate – austere, and dried out. Opened out in the glass – a bit more rose petal flavour in the glass as it opened out. Gothic austerity according to Oz. Keep it in the mouth for a minute. - Jancis Robinson