2001 Château La Mission Haut-Brion (Laville) Blanc
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Tasting notes
How many white wines can hold for 2.5 hours over a long lunch and get better and better even as they warm up, and even after tasting next to some stellar reds? At 23 years old , this is just luscious and indulgent, filled with orange peel, mandarin, saffron, slate, citrus, goes long, hard not to fall in love. A rare wine and worth every effort to get hold of it.
Critic scores
Jancis Robinson MW
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2001 Laville-Haut-Brion Blanc is now beginning to strut itself, although in common with other vintages, it needs plenty of aeration. It has a beautiful bouquet with wilted white flowers, peony and potpourri. There is that trademark died honey note, just a hint of honeysuckle and jasmine that develops with time. The palate is extremely well balanced and yet it remains backward. There is a fine line of acidity here, quite steely for a Laville-Haut-Brion with an almost Chablis-like nerve on the saline finish. If you open a bottle now, then afford it 3-4 hours of decanting, otherwise hold on until it reaches its 20th birthday if possible. Tasted July 2016.
Wonderfully nutty nose. Still very lemony and sharp-focussed. Super-tight for the moment. Needs quite a bit of time. Pinched at the moment. (JR)