Bordeaux 2006 En Primeur - Latest releases

All wines available in halves or magnums subject to bottling charge of £5. All wines offered subject to remaining unsold. E&OE.

armit, 17 points

Lovely red fruits on the nose with delicate perfume of lavender and dog rose. Restrained style, lovely balance and finely grained tannins. A melée of English summer pudding. Lovely poise, ripeness and purity with length, elegance and vinosity and an excellent mineral backbone - very good indeed.

Wine Spectator, 85-88 points

A racy second wine, showing some good blackberry and dark chocolate character. Medium- to full-bodied, with fine tannins and a long finish. A little hollow midpalate. Could improve.

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, eroberparker.com, 88-90 points

Moderate intensity on the nose, which is just a little muffled with a faint background of lemongrass. The palate displays firm tannins, great purity and acidity with prominent Cabernet Franc. Nice meaty finish with a little dried fig on the aftertaste. Good length. Fine. Tasted April 2007.

Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com, 17 points

About a third of the crop became Pensées after selling off 15% as Pomerol, “a bit more” than in 2005. 59% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Franc.If anything a slightly lighter colour than the Guinaudeaus’ AC Bordeaux Ch Grand Village! Bright crimson, Light, fresh nose – spring flowers almost. Then quite a bit of weight on the palate – almost bloody! Great well balanced mouthful, quite advanced but bright shining fruit. Long. Drink 2010-16

Grand Village rouge, Bordeaux Supérieur - £70 IB (1-4 cases); £65 (5-24 cases) & £55 (25+ cases)

armit, 15.5 points

Hints of black olive on the nose with sweet black fruits on the attack and a low key, finely structured framework to the wine. Well dissolved tannins and firm acidity. Attractive crunchy, bramble fruit middle palate with good length. An excellent, well-balanced all-rounder and outstanding at this level. Drink 2009-2013

Wine Spectator, 85-88 points

Soft and fruity for the vintage. Medium-bodied, with friendly tannins and good fruit.

armit, 18.5 points

Dark cherry and tobacco nose, clove and pepper, mineral austerity across the mid-palate. Intense, firm and grippy, finely grained tannins. Not a flattering, easy Cheval, this is more serious but certainly not a big bruiser- far too elegant for that. Rather classic actually and really excellent.

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate # 170, 92-95 points

Only 60% of the harvest was utilized in this marvelous blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc. As always, the 2006 Cheval Blanc is made in a lighter, more elegant style based on finesse, purity, and beautiful nuances. A deep ruby/purple color is accompanied by scents of crushed rocks, menthol, raspberries, cherries, and assorted blue as well as black fruits. An impeccable integration of new oak, medium body, terrific palate penetration and purity, and light tannins suggest it will be drinkable in 2-3 years, but it should put on considerable weight because of its large Cabernet Franc component. While the 2006 may not eclipse the 2005, 2000, or 1998, it is not far off in terms of quality and longevity. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2028.

Wine Spectator, 92-94 points

Very rich, showing lots of blackberry and licorice, with just a hint of wood. Full-bodied, with dense but polished tannins. This is subtle. Very, very pretty and elegant. Silky and long. Almost 95-100.

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, eroberparker.com, 93-95 points

Tasted at Cheval Blanc. A blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc, this is an intellectual Cheval Blanc that does not go out of its way to charm, but nonetheless has its virtues. A fine mineral-driven nose with blackberry leaf, wet stones and a touch of dark chocolate – precise and taut. The palate is full-bodied, less fleshy that other vintages I have tasted at this stage, masculine, tannic with ripe red-berried fruits and a touch of pain grille. Very good length, this has all the components to be a great, rather than iconic Cheval Blanc, but it will need some time in the cellar. Tasted April 2007.

Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com, 17++ pointS

55% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc. Harvest 15–28 September. Average potential alcohol of the Merlot grapes was over 14%. Yields were 30% lower than usual, partly because the berries were very small after the heat from May to July and partly because selection in the vineyard was very strict. 62% of the harvest went into the grand vin.Very good depth of crimson though pretty weak rim. Reticent nose though obviously more concentrated than the Petit Cheval. Very subtle light whiff of bonfires. Good round supple fruit on the front palate but no great intensity. Tasted straight after Evangile next door it seemed a rather green puny little thing. Definitely not one of Cheval’s most glorious vintages – decidedly inky. Mouthfilling though but no great depth. Some unripe green element underneath. Drink 2014-24

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 91-94 points

(a 55/45 blend of merlot and cabernet franc) Good deep ruby-red. Subtle nose combines red fruits, licorice, flinty minerality and smoke. Sweet but restrained, with captivating freshness and finesse; no signs of surmaturite or rusticity here but does it have the depth to be truly outstanding? Very aromatic in the mouth, and subtle and long on the aftertaste, with substantial but suave tannins.

armit, 17.5 points

Big, bold flavours, with more flamboyance than Lafite and Latour. On the mid-palate there is less intensity but the tannins are very well handled and of fine quality. A long finish with smooth and silky, rich textures. Only real criticism is that this is ultimately more 'Mouton' than Pauillac. Notes of chocolate, spice, cocoa and pepper plus morello cherry. For us, this is behind the other ‘firsts’ at this stage but then it often is. Will it also transform in bottle?

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate # 170, 96-100 points

This extraordinary Mouton should turn out to be the finest they have made since the monumental 1982 and 1986. In early tastings, Mouton often seems to tag along behind the other first-growths. Yet in 2006, there is no question that the Baronne Philippine de Rothschild gave carte blanche authority to her talented administrator, Philippe Dalhuin, to turn up the heat in 2006. Yields were a tiny 32 hectoliters per hectare, the harvest took place between September 20 and October 15, and a minuscule 44% of the crop made it into the grand vin (the lowest percentage in more than half a century). The final blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot is unusually high in Cabernet Sauvignon, but it possesses Mouton’s hallmarks of pure creme de cassis and flowers in addition to a toasty oak character. Profoundly concentrated, super-textured, and rich, Mouton’s powerful, full-bodied 2006 is unquestionably a strong candidate for the “wine of the vintage.” Kudos to Mouton’s winemaking team for fashioning this brilliant wine. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2050.

Wine Spectator, 95-100 points

Gorgeous aromas of currant, raspberry and mineral. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins. Long and caressing, building on the palate. Very pretty, very elegant. Subtle and seductive. This could be better than 2005. Wait and see.

Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com, 17.5++ points

87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, harvested 20 September – 5 October. Very dark purple but with quite a pale rim. Not very expressive on the nose at the moment – seems if anything a bit weedy. Very strict, bone dry, treading a very fine line between elegance and meagreness. They’re obviously playing the finesse card but the finish is very dry and drying indeed. This is very Cabernet, but has remarkably little weight. I think for a great wine to be this light it also has to have a bit more aromatic expression and allure but this may well develop. Drink 2014-24

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, eroberparker.com, 93-95 points

Tasted at Mouton Rothschild. Deep black/purple colour. The nose seems a little over-extracted and lacking some delineation as a consequence. Scents of black cherries, cassis, iodine. Opulent as one comes to expect from Mouton. The palate is attractive, full-bodied, decadent and showy with ripe blackberries, cedar and cassis. The one problem I find is that it is dominated by too much new oak and it is difficult to discern the character of the wine underneath. It needs more poise and delineation although Mouton always improves significantly between now and the summer. Touch of black coffee on the finish. Certainly a commendable Mouton, by I need that oak to become more enmeshed within the fabric of the wine. Tasted April 2007.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 93-96 points

((features the highest percentage of cabernet sauvignon here in a long time) 87%): Impressive deep ruby. Pure, mineral-driven aromas of cassis, graphite and bitter chocolate. Sweet, densely packed and fine-grained, with outstanding silky richness for a wine with 12.8% alcohol. Wonderfully ripe and full wine (the pH is 3.83), finishing with substantial but noble tannins and superb chocolatey persistence. A very classy, refined wine in the making-almost voluptuous for a young Mouton. From the wine's aromatic class and texture, this could only be a first growth.

(not tasted by armit)

Wine Spectator, 95-100 points

This is very long and intense. Really impressive. Full and very sweet, yet racy and fresh, with spicy botrytis character. Fantastic.

Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com, 19 points

Unbelievable wine – with so much more concentration and richness than the other examples of 2006 Sauternes tasted immediately beforehand. Yet with no shortage of life either. Amazing smoothness, richness and depth spreads all across the palate – even better than I remember the 2005 at this stage. Edge of caramel already but the tingle of fresh green verdure. Great texture and lift and weight of sweetness. No volatility apparent whatsoever (unlike some others) – in fact Pierre Lurton said the VA levels were lower than in the last 30 years. Great finesse – wonderfully pure. Drink 2015-35

(not tasted by armit)

Jancis Robins, jancisrobinson.com, 17 points

Very neutral nose - sweet and heavy and perhaps just embryonic. Tingly sweet richness but a bit wild and unreconstructed. Very round texture and pretty impressive concentration. No shortage of sweetness. Acidity not in excess. Powerful and certainly a bit of wild beast. Long and powerful. Arguably one of the longest lived here.

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, eroberparker.com, 91-93 points

Tasted with a negotiant. Very little on the nose, with faint whiffs of lemon curd, apricot and peach. Quite pretty but needs more vigour. The palate is very focused, well defined with a nice mineral heart. A lively, crisp finish with moderate rather than high levels of botrytis; buttery with a touch of orange-blossom on the after-taste. Very fine. Tasted March 2007.

armit, 16 points

Minerally blackcurrant nose, classic proportions. Not as big and rich as seen before. Handsome but perhaps a bit lacking in soul today.

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate # 170, 90-92 points

Latour’s second wine, the 2006 Les Forts de Latour, a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, does not possess the depth of its bigger sibling. Nevertheless, it offers sweet, ripe berry fruit, crushed rock, smoke, and earth characteristics along with good precision and savoriness. It should drink nicely for 15-20 years. Drink 2027 -

Wine Spectator, 89-91 points

Very solid, with an excellent core of fruit and chewy tannins, but not too aggressive. Full body. Medium finish. Well done.

Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com, 17.5 points

Described by director Frédéric Engerer as the little sister of the big brother. Rain diluted the Forts vineyards more than the Enclos because the drainage is not as good. Engerer feels there is something slightly lacking on the finish and I certainly feel that for the first time it really is a ‘second wine’. He mused out loud that they considered reblending it and adding more press wine (currently 8% press wine in the blend) but has since assured me that all samples of grand vin and Forts shown during primeurs tastings are final blends. I wonder whether it’s the newer parcels or the vintage that has reduced the impact of this wine? 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot. 47% of total production.
Mid crimson with a slightly weak rim. Very spicy nose with some real richness. Great life and lift and zest. Lots of energy. Not massively weighty. Tight and very fine tannins. Somehow it gives the impression of alcohol even though it’s only 13.25%. Very fine, not too chunky. Quite unusually delicate and fine. Very focussed! Very harmonious but much less galumphing than usual. Drink 2012-22

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 88-91 points

Deep ruby-red. Redcurrant, cherry and licorice on the nose. Juicy and a bit lean but pure and energetic, with a bright acid spine framing the black cherry, mineral and licorice flavors. "In 2006 we picked almost with a pinot level of acidity," said estate manager Engerer, "but a lot of malic and tartaric acidity precipitated out of the wines." The spicy fruit spreads out nicely on the finish, which shows a faint peppery quality and excellent lift.

armit, 16 points

Tight, blackcurrant nose with cedar and pencil shavings. Finely grained tannins but just a touch under-ripe. Nice weight and balance, classic, relaxed style.

Wine Spectator, 85-88 points

Fresh and fruity, with pretty berry and chocolate character. Medium body, soft tannins and a medium, slightly short finish. Second wine of Lafite.

Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com, 16.5++ points

48% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2.5% Cabernet Franc, 1.5% Petit Verdot.
Mid purple with wide rim. Relatively lightweight, strict nose. Pretty brutal but with a slightly marine note. Very dry and pretty dense, dominated by very fine tannins. Some lift though not as much as usual. A bit chunky and strict. Does taste a bit like offcuts though with Lafite grace. Lift and good integrity. Delicate finish. Very clean. Acidity and greenness not at all in evidence.
Drink 2013-20

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, eroberparker.com, 86-88 points

Tasted at Lafite. A deep garnet core. A high toned, Merlot-scented nose with a touch of Xmas cake and Morello. Moderate definition. The palate is medium-bodied, toasty with a touch of bitter chocolate. A little “furry” but there is certain good concentration if not good breeding. Blackberry and cherries on the finish. A solid Carruades but no great shakes. Tasted April 2007.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 87-89 points

(48% each merlot and cabernet sauvignon, with 2.5% cabernet franc and 1.5% petit verdot) Bright ruby-red. Fruit-driven aromas of currant and cherry lifted by a floral topnote. Juicy and firm on the palate, with complex flavors of currant, minerals, flowers, dark chocolate and currant leaf. The wine's acid spine and slight greenness give it a very fresh, vibrant character and contribute to the impression of structure. Finishes firmly tannic, with moderate persistence.

armit, 18 points

Very austere, dark, imposing wine. Really mineral, smoky and earthy, fruit and flowers very much hidden at the moment. Very Pauillac but none of the flamboyance. Concentrated but not overdone, verging on elegant. Tannins beautifully handled.

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate # 170, 93-96 points

The 2006 Latour’s inky/ruby/purple color precedes pure aromas of red and black fruits, high tannin, medium body, impressive sweetness and purity as well as a long finish. Thirty-eight percent of the production (about 10,000 cases) made it into the final blend (86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc). A modern version of the 1986 and 1996, the slightly austere 2006 will need a decade of aging. It should keep for 40-50 years. Drink 2017 - 2057

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, eroberparker.com, 93-95 points

Tasted at the chateau. A very deep purple hue. The nose is extremely well focused with blackberry, cedar and wonderfully defined vanillary new oak. Very intense and harmonious. The full-bodied palate has a beautiful texture and exquisite balance: controlled and restrained, but with wonderful purity. Much finer, more filigree tannins than in recent vintages, much more feminine. I am parsimonious with my score simply because compared to others it is lacking some depth and persistency on the finish. Still a marvelous wine, yet surpassed by others in 2006. It will be fascinating to see how this progresses in bottle. Tasted April 2007.

Wine Spectator, 95-100 points

Very long. Wonderful licorice, berry and currant character. Full and silky, beautiful and pure. This is really distinguished. Feminine but strong. Classic Bordeaux style.

Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com, 18.5 points

6% press wine. This vintage can be compared with 1986 yet in 2006 105mm rain fell in September, whereas 1986 was a perfect summer – which just shows how much work in the vineyard has evolved, and how much work is involved. The harvest took 250 people five muddy weeks, and the labour costs were 60% higher than in 2005. Picked at 4.5 g/l TA (acidity levels in the Cabernet were unusually high) but a lot was lost during fermentation (partly because there was quite a high proportion of malic acid in the grapes and this was softened by the malo, and partly because of the amount of tartaric acid that settled out). This is quite different from the old Latour yet the current team have managed to get it to evolve rather than change.
Very dark crimson right out to rim. Dense with some wild herbs on the nose. Very wild and smooth and racy. Rather musical in the sense that there seem to be many different themes here. Not a hint of rusticity. Delicacy actually with masses of very very fine tannins. Great finesse as well as intensity. But very embryonic even though this is the final assemblage. Very very dry – very bright fruit. Strong herbs yet polish too. Very slightly raw and angular yet lifted lively.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 93-95 points

Saturated ruby-red. Pungently mineral aromas of black cherry, bitter chocolate, violet and minerals. Densely packed, juicy and precise; powerful but not at all musclebound. This is most impressive today on the gripping back half, where the toothcoating tannins are serious but suave, and there's a rare rebound of graphite, iodine, licorice and black fruits. This offers great potential and a sense of brooding energy and will clearly be a long-distance runner. After a very strict selection (just 38% of the crop went into the grand vin) there will be just 10,000 cases of this wine, as low a total as in the drought year of 2003. It's tempting to compare this wine to the 1996 Latour, but the flavors here seem a tad cooler.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 93-95 points

armit, 19 points

Very pure CS, black, cassis, kirsch. Very concentrated but without being forced. Overlay of lavender and minerals. Tannins wonderfully fine. A great classic, fresh, balanced and the thoroughbred. Grace, purity and elegance but wonderful drive and follow-through, touch of mint on the finish. Great wine.

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate # 170, 93-95 points

The strictest selection ever instituted at this estate resulted in only 36% of the crop being utilized for the blend of 2006 Chateau Margaux. Composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot, it is similar to the 1996, but with sweeter, more seductive fruit in the nose. A big, tannic, dense effort displaying terrific purity, power, elegance, and a distinctive mineral/flower component, it is a medium to full-bodied wine of great nobility that should be at its finest between 2017-2050+.

James Suckling, Wine Spectator, 95-100 points

Very powerful and rich. Fantastic. Full, silky and structured. Yet layered and rich, with loads of mineral, violet and coffee character. Incredible. So much finesse in the nose. What a wine. Similar to the 1995, which received 100 points.

Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com, 18++ points

36% of total crop went into this grand vin, with just 4% Merlot. The strength is 13% (“we never want to make more alcohol than this” according to Paul Pontallier.) 3.37 TA, 5 in tarartic, pH 3.7, IPT 71 (IPT in 2000 was 70).Mid crimson. SO much riper and more appetising and fuller than the Pavillon Rouge on the nose! Pretty complete already with lovely balance and lift, though the acidity is certainly notable, even if the tannins are wonderfully mellow. Very polite and unforced. Dancing – reminds Paul Pontallier of 1996 with a little less density but just as much charm. Very Margaux. This is the Cabernet of Margaux (not of Pauillac NB…) Graceful though only for certain palates. Follows through. Great line, as the Australians would say. Quite distinctive and much much more delicate than the early vintages of Margaux from the new regime here in the 1980s. Very fresh and elegant – quite a gamble in a way. Very, very fine tannins. Bone dry. Will always be in elegant idiom. Drink 2016-30

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, eroberparker.com, 94-96 points

Tasted at Margaux. Representing just 36% of the crop and consisting of a whopping 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, the highest proportion ever, this is a bold, masculine Chateau Margaux. A limpid purple/black hue. The nose is tight with blackberry and blueberries, harmonious with night on perfect acidity. Firm grip, cedar and a touch of graphite, yet I find this to be an exemplary expression of Cabernet, rather than an exemplary expression of Chateau Margaux, the latter being the greater. Like Latour, just missing that explosion of fruit on the finish. A superb wine, but handicapped by under-performing Merlot. Tasted April 2007.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 92-95 points

(90% cabernet sauvignon, 4% each merlot and petit verdot, and 2% cabernet franc) Medium bright ruby. Compellingly perfumed nose of boysenberry, cassis, graphite, licorice and violet. Suave on entry, then imploded in the middle and extremely slow to show itself. Very pure, understated black fruit, licorice and bitter chocolate flavors are like an essence of cabernet. Savory rather than particularly sweet: there's nothing easy or obvious about this wine today. A dry and classic style; the tannins are tight for a young Margaux but not hard, and the finishing flavors are vibrant and perfumed. The pH of 3.68 is on the low side for a wine from this chateau.

armit, 18.5 points

A rich, enticing grand nose. Full and plentiful, very fine tannins. Power, elegance and depth combined. Wonderful breadth across the palate, precise layers of flavour. Unusually high Merlot percentage. A Lafite filled with finesse and very Pauillac.

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate # 170, 91-94 points

Lafite’s Merlot harvest occurred between September 15-22, and the Cabernet Sauvignon from September 27 until the end of the first week of October. Only 42% of the production made it into the grand vin (a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot). The 2006 is a tannic, restrained effort that brings to mind the 1988. A deep ruby/purple color is followed by sweet aromas of graphite, creme de cassis, spice, and subtle wood. Medium-bodied and richly fruity with decent acidity and a long finish, it will require 8-10 years of cellaring, and should keep for 4-5 decades. Drink 2015 – 2057

Wine Spectator, 92-94 points

Racy and long, with beautiful blackberry and light coffee character and a licorice undertone. Full and racy, with a long, long finish. Structured and powerful, yet builds on the palate. Close to 95-100.

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, eroberparker.com, 95-97 points

Tasted at the chateau. A deep, almost opaque garnet core. The nose is extremely backward and stubbornly refuses to reveal its personality until five minutes of swirling. Then some ripe, pure blackberry and a touch of graphite and liquorish emerges. The palate is impenetrable at first, a mass of ripe Cabernet Sauvignon barring entry, but you can discern a bewitching symmetry and delineation. Not a flamboyant Lafite, one that I think will take 3 or 4-years to blossom. But it will. Tasted April 2007.

Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com, 18.5 points

40% of the harvest went into the grand vin. Late picked (26 Sep – 3 Oct for the Cabernet, which comprises 82% of the blend) but presumably it was viticulture that kept the grapes in such good nick. The Merlot was picked much earlier (16-22 September).
Less blue than Duhart with mid concentration. Very healthy opulent concentrated crimson. A particular spice to this vintage on the nose. Crisp and racy and beautifully balanced on the palate – possibly the most complete wine so far. Just caresses the palate and only on the finish shows you quite how much (notably ripe) tannin there is underneath. Remarkably compact. Lovely freshness without any greenness or angularity. Drink 2018-32

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 92-95 points

armit, 18.5 points

Rich, earthy, very Graves, damson, mulberry, spice and deep, dense and rich. Tannins really finely grained. Savoury style and high Merlot component certainly evident.

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate # 170, 92-94 points

The 2006 Haut-Brion was somewhat closed when I tasted it, especially when compared to its blockbuster rival/sibling, La Mission Haut-Brion. The Haut-Brion (11,000 cases) is a tannic, backward wine at present revealing classic notes of smoke, scorched earth, liquid minerals, plums, currants, and cherries, medium body, and sensational purity as well as concentration. The high tannins will no doubt soften with aging in barrel, and, as Haut-Brion often does, the wine should expand and put on weight. While not as superb as the 2005 or 2000, the 2006 appears to be built along the lines of the 1996. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030+.

James Suckling, Wine Spectator, 92-94 points

Captivating aromas of coffee, spice, violets and cedar follow through to a full-bodied palate, with refined tannins and a long finish. Lovely refinement for the vintage.

Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com, 18 points

57 Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc. The grand vin represents 59% of total production.Firm deep crimson. Complex rather hidden nose – savoury and embryonic, tobacco perhaps. Round and lively – rather charming already on the palate. Lively fresh tannins on the finish and sufficient fruit in the middle to give one confidence to believe that the wine will eventually be well balanced. Certainly pretty inky overall though – the difference between it and La Mission is the fruit weight in the middle. Elegant rather than angular. More solid matter and a little more gravitas and majesty than La Mission. Drink 2015-30

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, eroberparker.com, 94-96 points

Tasted at Haut Brion. Limpid, purple and black hue. A very ripe nose, a little muted at present but with aeration reveals blackberry, hedgerow, a touch of vanilla and black tea, Very good definition. Nose explodes after 25 minutes in glass. Full-bodied with grippy, filigree tannins (like La Mission), fine acidity. The persistency is superb, lingering over a minute in the mouth. Touch of tobacco, blackberry – all that is lacking is a flourish and flesh on the finish – just a little linear at the moment, although that may change after barrel ageing. Great potential. Tasted April 2007.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 92-95 points

(57% merlot, 41% cabernet sauvignon and 2% cabernet franc) Deep ruby-red. Blue fruits, licorice and minerals on the nose. Large-scaled, silky and rich, but with its volume leavened by a racy minerality. This huge, tactile wine saturates the entire palate while remaining magically fresh and light on its feet. Wonderfully dense and tight in grain. Finishes very long and full, with substantial ripe tannins. Not at all a sweet style, but there is nothing to suggest that this is from a tricky harvest.

armit, 18 points

Deeply intense, tightly-wound nose. Big, meaty and broad across the palate. Wild, gamey notes with gravel and wet earth. Large scale wine but without the exuberance of riper years. Really classic Graves style for the long-term.

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate # 170, 96-100 points

This superb effort rivals La Mission’s 2005. There are 6,000 cases of the 2006, and general manager Jean-Philippe Delmas told me that the Merlot came in at a natural alcohol that exceeded 15%. The final alcohol is a whopping 14.3%, the pH is 3.8, and the blend is 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. 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+. With the elimination of La Tour-Haut-Brion from the Dillon estate’s portfolio, the production of La Mission’s second wine, La Chapelle de la Mission, has dramatically increased to 4,000 cases. I rated the 2006 La Chapelle de la Mission (89-90). Drink 2012 - 2035

James Suckling, Wine Spectator, 95-100 points

This is so perfumed and pretty. Classy and elegant on the nose, with currant, light vanilla and a hint of lilac. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and a long, long finish. All in finesse. Very impressive for the vintage; could be the wine of the vintage.

Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com, 17.5 points

59% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc. 55% of total production.Deep crimson with strong purple notes. Fairly mild nose and rather voluptuous palate entry. Very fine tannins but with pretty rigid backbone. A certain velvetiness. Round and fine. But muted. Certainly refreshing but there is a little green streak on the finish. Seems weaker than I would have expected. Too much Tour in here? Opened up in the glass – more aromatic and playful than the Haut-Brion. But lighter and therefore apparently skinnier. Drink 2015-25

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, eroberparker.com, 92-94 points

Tasted at Haut Brion. Picked at 43hl/ha (44ha/hl for the 2005). Deep black/purple colour. The nose has good intensity with blueberry, raspberry, a touch of sea salt. Good definition, no greenness. Good lift. Full-bodied, grippy tannins, very solid and cohesive. Fine acidity, a real mass of black fruits, infused with black olives. Very tight, very focused, this is not a flamboyant La Mission, it does not have the persistency of a truly great vintage like the 1989 or indeed 2005, but there is a wonderful purity and beguiling reserve. Very harmonious, minerally finish. It needs a year in bottle for its true pedigree to show. Tasted April 2007.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 91-94 points

Bright ruby-red. Pure but reticent aromas of black cherry, minerals, licorice, flowers and gravel. Suave, fruity and tight but pliant, with lovely subtle sweetness of fruit. Captivating soil-driven notes of flint and warm stones. A distinct step up in density and structure from La Chapelle. Finishes with building, ripe tannins and lingering flavors of black cherry and minerals.

Basket

Tools

Menu