Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion 2006 1,5L

Château La Mission Haut-Brion 2006

The Estate

Château La Mission Haut-Brion occupies hallowed ground in Pessac-Léognan, directly across the road from its sister estate Château Haut-Brion. With a history dating to 1698, La Mission has long been recognized as one of Bordeaux’s greatest properties, producing wines that rival—and often surpass—the classified First Growths in quality and aging potential.

Under the ownership of the Dillon family (who also own Haut-Brion) and the direction of Jean-Philippe Delmas, La Mission has achieved unprecedented consistency. The estate’s 29 hectares of vineyards benefit from exceptional terroir: deep gravel beds over clay, providing ideal conditions for both Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2006 blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon showcases the estate’s ability to produce wines of extraordinary concentration—Merlot at natural alcohol exceeding 15%—while maintaining balance and elegance.

Pessac-Léognan: Power Meets Finesse

Château La Mission Haut-Brion’s vineyards occupy some of the finest terroir in Pessac-Léognan, positioned on a gravelly plateau that provides exceptional drainage and heat retention. The estate’s unique geology—deep Günzian gravel over clay subsoil—creates ideal conditions for producing wines of remarkable concentration and longevity.

The 2006 vintage showcased La Mission’s terroir at its most extreme: the Merlot achieved natural alcohol exceeding 15%, a level typically associated with Pomerol’s richest estates. This exceptional ripeness, combined with Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, creates a wine that Jean-Philippe Delmas describes as utterly profound, exceptionally rich, full-bodied, thick—yet balanced by the terroir’s inherent elegance.

The magnum format amplifies the terroir’s expression and aging potential. Magnums age more slowly and gracefully than standard bottles, allowing the wine’s massive structure and concentration to integrate over decades. For a wine described as one of the candidates for the wine of the vintage, magnum represents the optimal format for long-term cellaring.

The 2006 Vintage

The 2006 vintage in Bordeaux produced wines of exceptional concentration and structure following a warm, dry growing season. For elite estates with ideal terroir, 2006 delivered wines that rivaled the legendary 2005—wines built for extremely long-term aging with the concentration to evolve for 40-50+ years.

At Château La Mission Haut-Brion, 2006 represented an extraordinary achievement. Jean-Philippe Delmas noted that the Merlot came in at a natural alcohol that exceeded 15%—levels rarely seen in Bordeaux. Through careful vineyard management and precise winemaking, the estate crafted a wine with final alcohol of 14.3% and pH of 3.8, combining power with balance.

Robert Parker awarded this wine between 96-100 points. This superb effort rivals La Mission’s 2005. This utterly profound, exceptionally rich, full-bodied, thick La Mission is undeniably one of the candidates for the wine of the vintage. It possesses a dense ruby/purple color followed by sweet blue and black fruit notes intertwined with notions of burning embers and flowers. Unctuous, massively fruity, and thick, this is a great La Mission! Anticipated maturity: 2012-2035+. The plus indicates potential aging well beyond 2035, particularly in magnum format.

Tasting Experience

• The wine presents a dense ruby/purple color—evidence of extraordinary concentration and youthful vigor even at 18+ years. The bouquet offers sweet blue and black fruit notes intertwined with notions of burning embers and flowers—a compelling combination of ripe fruit, smoky complexity, and aromatic intensity that defines great La Mission.
• On the palate, the wine is utterly profound, exceptionally rich, full-bodied, thick—delivering the massive structure and concentration that earned it wine of the vintage consideration. Unctuous, massively fruity texture fills the mouth with extraordinary depth, while the 14.3% alcohol provides power without heat thanks to the wine’s exceptional balance.
• Mid-palate complexity reveals layers of sweet blue and black fruit—blueberry, blackberry, cassis—complemented by burning embers (smoky, charred notes) and floral nuances. The wine’s thickness and concentration recall the greatest Pomerols, yet La Mission’s Graves terroir provides structure, mineral precision, and aging potential that transcends pure opulence.
• The finish extends with extraordinary length and intensity—massively fruity and thick yet balanced by fine-grained tannins and vibrant acidity (pH 3.8 suggests good acid balance). This is La Mission rivaling its legendary 2005, offering one of the candidates for the wine of the vintage in a format (magnum) that promises optimal long-term evolution.
• This magnum represents the pinnacle of La Mission Haut-Brion: a vintage that rivals 2005, in a format that ensures the slowest, most graceful aging. For collectors seeking the ultimate expression of Pessac-Léognan power and complexity with decades of evolution ahead, this is essential.

Service & Food Pairing

Serve at 17-18°C in the largest Bordeaux stems available to accommodate the wine’s massive structure and complex aromatics. Decant magnums 2-3 hours before service—this thick, unctuous wine needs substantial aeration even at 18+ years. The wine will continue evolving in the glass over 4-6 hours. Plan a special occasion worthy of this great La Mission.

Exceptional pairings:

• Premium aged beef: dry-aged côte de boeuf aged 60+ days, prime rib with bone marrow and truffle
• Rich game meats: wild boar with blueberry reduction, venison loin with black fruit sauce
• Powerful lamb: rack of lamb with herb crust and port reduction, braised lamb shoulder
• Truffle-centric dishes: beef Wellington with black truffle duxelles, truffle-crusted beef tenderloin
• Aged powerful cheeses: blue Stilton, aged Comté 48+ months, mature Manchego

Cellaring & Evolution

At 18+ years from vintage, this wine has entered Parker’s drinking window (2012-2035+) but remains in its youth, particularly in magnum format. Magnums age 1.5-2x slower than standard bottles, suggesting this wine won’t reach peak maturity until the 2030s-2040s, with potential aging through 2050-2060.

The wine’s utterly profound concentration, thick structure, 14.3% alcohol, and pH 3.8 provide decades of foundation. While approachable now for those who appreciate youthful power, optimal drinking in magnum format likely begins around 2030-2035. Patient collectors will be rewarded with 30-40 years of continued evolution.

Store horizontally in a dark, vibration-free environment at 12-14°C with 70-75% humidity. Magnums require especially careful storage—their slower evolution makes them more sensitive to temperature fluctuations. This 96-100 point wine merits museum-quality care. Provenance is critical for investment-grade magnums.

Collector’s Note: This 2006 Château La Mission Haut-Brion in magnum format represents one of the most compelling opportunities in fine Bordeaux collecting—one of the candidates for the wine of the vintage in a format that ensures optimal long-term aging. Robert Parker’s extraordinary 96-100 point score (potentially perfect) and description (rivals La Mission’s 2005, utterly profound, a great La Mission) confirm this as museum-quality wine. The magnum format amplifies every advantage: slower evolution, greater complexity development, superior aging potential extending to 2050-2060. With production of magnums severely limited and demand for top La Mission extraordinary, this represents exceptional long-term investment potential. For serious collectors seeking the absolute pinnacle of Pessac-Léognan in the optimal format for cellaring, this is essential.