Castle La Mission Haut Brion - Pessac-Léognan 2000

Wine Advocate

100 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe8/31/2012

One of the wines of the vintage, the 2000 has barely budged in its evolution since it was bottled and released in 2002. After ten years in bottle, it still reveals a dense opaque purple color along with a potentially sensational bouquet of blueberries, black currants, graphite, asphalt and background oak. Extremely powerful, full-bodied and superbly concentrated with good acidity and high but round tannins, this massive La Mission-Haut-Brion should take its place among this estate’s most hallowed vintages when it hits full maturity in another one to two decades. I was surprised by just how youthful this wine tasted at age 12. If tasted blind, I would have guessed it to be around 4 to 5 years old. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050.

Wine Advocate

100 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe6/30/2012

The 2000 La Mission Haut-Brion is certainly one of the candidates for the wine of the vintage. Its performance was off-the-charts in two separate tastings for this report. Deep blue/purple, with a nose of creme de cassis, floral scents, graphite, and subtle smoke, the wine is pure, deep, sumptuously textured, full-bodied, powerful (although certainly not at the power level of the amazing 2009). This wine certainly transcends its 13% natural alcohol and has the same level of concentration found in such great vintages of La Mission Haut-Brion as 1989, 1982, 1975, and of course, more recent efforts such as 2005, 2008, and 2009. Still young but beginning to display some secondary nuances, the wine has enormous layers of depth as well as an unctuous texture. Even though it is still quite youthful, I believe it will hit its prime in another 3-4 years and last 50 or more. It is certainly a wine that will likely jump dramatically in price once the price of the 2009 is released.

Wein Wisser

20 / 20

byRené Gabrielthe6/28/2010

Gewaltige Power, Kräuter, Tabak, Eukalyptus. Reift zur Legende.

La Revue du Vin de France

19,5 / 20

the12/1/2009

Grand vin de profil plus classique et droit que son illustre voisin Haut Brion. La bouche est équilibrée et droite, avec un volume parfaitement encadré par une structure tannique élégante. Longue finale fraîche.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

95 / 100

byStephen Tanzerthe6/30/2003

Saturated ruby-red. Full-blown aromas of dark berries, smoked meat, tobacco and iron. Lush, thick and ripe; really builds steadily in the mouth and explodes on the back end. Quintessential La Mission notes of tobacco, minerals, tar and hot stones. Today the 2001 seems even more sharply etched but this is denser, riper and deeper, with perfectly integrated acidity. Finishes very long, with huge, palate-coating tannins.

Wine Advocate

100 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/2003

A superstar of this great vintage, the 2000 La Mission Haut-Brion is as profound as the 1989, 1982, and 1975. It is more structured and tannic than the 1989, more civilized and refined, but not as thick as the 1982, and sweeter as well as purer than the 1975. The 2000 is neither flamboyant nor accessible, but what upside potential it possesses! In time, one might have to return to the prodigious duo of 1959 and 1961 to find a La Mission with this much potential. While still tight from bottling, its inky purple color is accompanied by extravagantly sweet aromas of blackberries, blueberries, toast, scorched earth, coffee, asphalt, graphite, and smoke. Super-intense and unctuously-textured, with a sumptuous mid-palate and finish, this is an explosively rich, layered effort that possesses everything I could ever want from a terroir that has given me as much hedonistic and intellectual pleasure as any other wine in the world. It is an amazing achievement for administrator Jean-Bernard Delmas, his son, Jean-Phillipe, and the entire winemaking team. The phenomenal aftertaste goes on for over a minute. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2045.

Wine Spectator

93 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe3/31/2003

Lovely aromas of dried lavender, crushed berries and minerals. Full-bodied, with firm, yet polished tannins and a medium finish of tobacco, berry and dark chocolate. A balanced and very pretty young red. Not quite as exciting as in barrel, but clearly outstanding. Best after 2010.

Wine Advocate

99-100 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe2/28/2002

A superstar of the vintage, the 2000 La Mission-Haut-Brion's inky purple color is accompanied by extravagant aromas of blackberries, blueberries, toast, scorched earth, coffee, asphalt, graphite, and smoke. Super-intense and unctuously-textured, with a sumptuous mid-palate and finish, this is an explosively rich, layered effort that possesses everything I could ever want from a terroir that has given me as much pleasure as any other wine in the world. It is an amazing achievement for administrator Jean-Bernard Delmas, his son, Jean-Phillipe, and the entire winemaking team. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2040.

Wine Advocate

98-100 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/2001

I initially tasted the 2000 La Mission-Haut-Brion in January. Tasting it again in March confirmed my first impression ... that it is the most extraordinary La Mission made since the 1989, as well as one of the wines of the vintage. A blend of 58% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2000 La Mission boasts a striking nose of black fruits, scorched earth, and minerals. It possesses an unctuous texture, yet comes across as fresh in spite of its massive, full-bodied, thick, dense, profoundly deep personality. Long and rich, with high levels of melted tannin, this prodigious effort is a big, chewy wine ... a legend in the making! Anticipated maturity: 2005-2030.