2010 Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion - Pessac-Leognan AC

Decanter.com – 98 pts – JA: *More subdued on the nose but with striking cinnamon and black pepper notes alongside the blackberry and spiced dark chocolate, this is concentrated and velvety and extremely high quality. Again it is the texture, the construction, that grabs you. There is a similar feel to Haut-Brion, in its weight and power, just a little less elongated stretching out of the tannins through the final furlong. But believe me, you'll enjoy this too.* - 01/2020

Falstaff Magazin – 100 pts – PM: *Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Etwas verhalten, zarte Zwetschkenfrucht, dunkle Beeren, ein Hauch von Cassis, zarte Edelholzwürze im Hintergrund, ein Hauch von Nougat und Karamell. Saftig, extraktsüß und delikat am Gaumen, kraftvoll, aber nicht üppig, perfekte Tannine, schokoladiger Ton im Abgang, mineralisch und anhaltend, feine dunkle Beerenfrucht im Abgang, große Länge, riesiges Zukunftspotenzial. Genial.* - 11/2018

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - 98+pts - RP: "A strong candidate for a perfect score in about 15 years, the 2010 La Mission Haut-Brion could well turn out to be a modern-day version of their 1955. Sadly (or maybe fortunately) for me, I'm not old enough to have tasted the 1955 in 1958 from bottle, but this wine could also be an update on the more modern 2000 which, of course, I know well and actually own. This full-bodied, colossal giant of a wine is one of the goliaths of the vintage. It may well have the highest level of natural alcohol for any wine from the Left Bank of Bordeaux (15.1%) and has the definite potential to be a 50- to 75-year wine. Dense purple, it offers up notes of lead pencil shavings, charcoal embers, blueberry and blackberry liqueur along with massive concentration, a multi-dimensional mouthfeel and a monumental finish that goes well past a minute, which I think might be a record for a young Bordeaux. Keep in mind that the 2009, which I gave three digits, came in at 14.7%, but the pH of the 2010 is lower, giving the wine a freshness and precision that is remarkable. The final blend was 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and - unlike the Chapelle de la Mission, which has 26% Cabernet Franc - there's only 1% Cabernet Franc in the 2010 La Mission Haut-Brion. This is a wine for those of you with youth on your side as well as patience. It will need a good decade of cellaring. An amazing wine. Anticipated maturity: 2024-2075+." - 03/2013

Vinum Magazin – 18/20pts: *Hat nichts von seiner subtilen, blumigen Aromatik verloren, wie ein Fels gebaut, saftig, dicht, voll und lang, reich und knackig, lang, monumentaler Wein, der ewig reifen kann und sollte. Ersetzt Eleganz durch Muskeln, aber konsequent und ohne jede Schminke. Ungeschminkt hoch auch der Preis: Fast 600 Euro die Flasche.* - 03/2013

WeinWisser – 19/20pts: *62 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 37 % Merlot, 1 % Cabernet Franc, Ertrag: 43 hl/ha. Mitteldunkles Granat mit lila Reflexen. Delikates Bouquet mit nobler Zurückhaltung, Edelhölzer, schwarze Schokolade und feine Tabaknuancen, etwas Holunder. Schwarze Pflaumen, Lakritze, enorm extraktreich, extrem tiefgründig und schwarzbeerig – noch nie war ein Mission als Fassprobe so elegant und feingliedrig! Braucht dennoch viel Zeit, um seine wirkliche Grösse zu offenbaren. «Das grosse Paradox vom 2010er Jahrgang ist, dass wir hinsichtlich Zuckergehalt der Trauben, Tanninmenge und Alkoholvolumen schon wieder ein Jahr der Rekorde haben. Wir sind mit der Mission bei 15 Vol.-% Alkohol gelandet, ohne dass wir uns über ein Monster beklagen müssten», bemerkte Jean-Philippe Delmas bei unserem Besuch.* - 05/2011

JancisRobinson.com – 18+/20pts – JH: *Tasted blind. Dark garnet with opaque core. Subtle, dark and crushed-rocks aroma. Smells and tastes so elegant. Super-fine tannins and lovely architecture. Juicy, fresh and still a long future. Great elegance and length.* - 02/2020

JamesSuckling.com - 100pts - JS: "This is crazy. The nose is so unique with the iodine, stones and currant aromas with wet earth and mushroom. Aromas like this don't usually come out until 10 years or so in the bottle. Classic nose for this estate. Full-bodied, with an amazing palate of firm yet polished tannins and a solid palate. So dense and gorgeous. It is really stunning. Try in 2020." 02/2013

Vinous.com – 98+ pts – ST: *Deep, saturated ruby-red. Sweet, brooding aromas of cassis, coffee, minerals and licorice. Superconcentrated, voluptuous and seamless, with outstanding density of fruit and noteworthy precision to the compellingly sweet dark berry and mineral flavors. The broad, ripely tannic finish features extraordinary length and lingering violet and flint flavors. The best young La Mission I remember tasting at a similar stage of development. This is one of my three or four top wines of the vintage.* - 07/2013

Vinous.com – 98 pts – NM: *Even though the 2010 La Mission Haut-Brion was poured at the château, Jean-Philippe Delmas had to call for a second bottle as the first was clearly out of sorts. That second is magnificent. Brilliant delineation and almost overwhelming with intensity on the nose, there are layers of black fruit, pencil lead and a strong marine influence with hints of Japanese nori. The palate has a wonderful backbone and more precision than the Haut-Brion, with a persistent, captivating finish. It will need time. Tasted at the château.* - 09/2022

Thewinecellarinsider.com – 98 pts – JL: *Smoke, oak, hot earth scents open to a packed and stacked wine, filled with ripe tannin, fresh, long, pure, sweet black raspberries that remain on your palate for at least 40 seconds. Structured to age, the wine demands at least 15 years before delivering its charms. This is showing much better in bottle than it did in barrel. With luck, this trend will continue.* - 05/2013