La Mission Haut Brion 1982 (6.0L)

100 WA / 99 RP / 99 DE / 99 WCI / 97 JS / 19 JR

One of the great wines of the vintage, and the last produced under the ownership of the Woltner family, the 1982 La Mission Haut-Brion remains remarkably youthful, exhibiting a saturated ruby-black hue. Unfurling in the glass with rich aromas of black fruits, cigar smoke, loamy soil, black truffle, peat and pencil shavings, it's full-bodied, broad and concentrated, with a deep core of fruit, ripe tannins and a long, expansive finish. Over the last decade, the wine has become increasingly seamless and elegant, without losing any of its vitality, and it is now clear, if it were ever in doubt, that this wine can stand alongside vintages such as 1961 and 1955 as one of the great La Mission Haut-Brions of the 20th century. Readers should note that the La Tour Haut-Brion of the same vintage performs at a very similar level of quality. Tasted December/2022 --William Kelley, The Wine Advocate

The greatest La Mission Haut Brion made between the 1975 and 1989, the 1982 is, stylistically, a dead-ringer for the ethereal 1959. One of the most massive wines of the vintage, it remains an adolescent in terms of evolution, but it can be drunk with great pleasure if it is decanted 2-3 hours in advance. A thick, unctuously-textured wine with massive richness as well as abundant notes of black fruits, truffles, creosote, scorched earth, smoke, and camphor, a colossal mouthfeel, a layered texture, incredible depth of fruit and glycerin, and copious, but well-integrated tannins that are largely concealed by the incredible amount of fruit. An old school La Mission, it is a tour de force that should continue to age effortlessly for another 40+ years. A monumental wine!- Robert Parker

Although the colour of the wine is now bricking at the rim, the core still has a deep, tawny/garnet hue. The aromas here are significantly mature, including smoke, truffle, cedar and earth. Yet a lovely ripe plummy fruit lingers attractively on the balanced, elegant finish. Although this is drinking well now, fans of mature wine will likely be thrilled with its continued evolution. Top quality from a top vintage and definitely not in decline. - Charles Curtis MW, Decanter

La Mission really does have its own character. Full body with velvety tannins with hints of berry, gravel and iodine. Some may not like the later but it tells you it’s La Mission. What a wine. Drink now. - James Suckling

Much deeper ruby. Edgy and with noticeably more tannin left than the Haut-Brion 1982 tasted alongside. Thick and sweet. Initially a bit austere and tough but it developed in the glass to something gorgeous and possibly with a longer life than the Haut-Brion. Inky and fresh with quite a dry, but not drying, finish. - Jancis Robinson