2009 - La Mission Haut-Brion, Pessac-Leognan

The deep garnet colored 2009 La Mission Haut-Brion absolutely sings of warm red and black currants, chocolate-covered cherries, liquid licorice, sassafras and espresso with hint of lilacs, pencil shavings and truffles. Full-bodied, rich, bold and oh-so-decadent in the mouth, the palate is completely packed with black fruit preserves and exotic spice layers, framed by wonderfully velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing epically long. Wow!

Generous yet contained, this is as broad-shouldered and muscular as you might expect from a vintage where everything went right during the growing season, showing a velvety finesse to its tannins. It has fully settled into its drinking window at this point, while still offering plenty of primary character to the grilled plum and black cherry fruit alongside capsicum pepper, turmeric spice, incense, olive tapenade, kirsch, cocoa bean and liquorice. 77% new oak for ageing. Harvest September 9 to October 6, Jean-Philippe Delmas director.

The 2009 La Mission Haut-Brion has a wonderful, extravagant bouquet with a slight medicinal note (not apparent on the bottle poured blind the following week) infusing the precocious red fruit, all beautifully defined with star anise and bayleaf developing. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, very well judged acidity, precocious in style with a long finish that maintains that medicinal leitmotif. Wonderful. Tasted at BI Wines and Spirits' Ten Year On tasting.

Dark crimson. Deep, dark and intense aromas. Really rich but not at all sweet. Very La Mission! Lots of spice and mineral flavours as well as still-notable tannin. Extremely persistent. (JR)