Château La Mission Haut-Brion - Pessac-Léognan (Grand Cru Classé de Graves) 1998 (750ml)

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Price: $699.99

Producer	Château La Mission Haut-Brion
Country	France
Region	Pessac-Léognan
Varietal	Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec
Vintage	1998
Sku	120120
Size	750ml
ABV	13.00%

Château La Mission Haut-Brion Description

LOGAN

This wine has a handsome color of deep, fresh, ruby red. The nose is not completely open due to the great structure of its tannins. The equilibrium of the wine is remarkable with mature fruit already evident. Its emerging strength, though only slightly developed, indeed insinuates the richness to come. This is a great bottle in the making. The finale is suave, soft and tannic all at the same time. It is an exceptional bottle for its density. Should drink quite well now though 2040.

98 points Jeb Dunnuck

Just a spectacular wine in every sense, the 1998 is now fully mature yet still youthful, with a vivid ruby hue and little in the way of any bricking. Offering a kaleidoscope-like nose of red and black currants, scorched earth, truffles, tobacco, lead pencil, and ample crushed stone-like minerality, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, multi-dimensional texture, sweet tannins, and a thrilling finish. It needs about an hour in a decanter, but this is magical juice, and the bottle was emptied in record time. Count yourself lucky if you have bottles and enjoy any time over the coming 20-30 years. (11/2021)

98 points James Suckling

The La Mission Haut-Brion was even better. It showed so much iodine, chili, and currants with a distinct warm stone character in the nose. It was full body with ultra-velvety tannins and a fabulous finish. Plenty of licorice also came out of the glass. It's a fabulous wine now. (6/2016)

98 points Wine Advocate

A candidate for the wine of the vintage from this somewhat forgotten year, consumers should be seeking out wines from the Right Bank and Graves as 1998 was a great vintage in those appellations. La Mission’s 1998 exhibits a healthy, opaque blue/purple color with no lightening at the edge. Thirty minutes of aeration brings forth a sensational bouquet of chocolate, cedar, truffles, graphite, blackberries, cassis and incense. La Mission’s so-called scorched earth/charcoal/hot rocks characteristic has not yet appeared. Full-bodied with superb purity, a multilayered texture, sweet tannin, good acidity and a fabulously long finish, this great, young La Mission-Haut-Brion’s finest days are yet to come. (RP) (8/2012)

96 points Vinous

The 1998 La Mission Haut Brion is the standout of the Nineties. It shows more purity and exuberance than the 1996, featuring some sumptuous scents of black cherries, black olive, freshly rolled tobacco and hints of gravel, all wonderfully defined and quite precocious. The palate is likewise sweet and ripe, offering pliant tannins and layers of blackberry, blood orange, blueberry and tobacco. It tightens up toward the finish as if to say, I'm in for the long haul. Give it a couple of hours' decanting, or cellar it for longer if you wish. (NM) (2/2020)

96 points Wine Spectator

Very dark ruby color still. The nose is deep and dense, with intense aromas of licorice, blackberry, warm stones and a hint of sweet tobacco. Full-bodied, with flavors of berries, iodine and chocolate. The tannin structure builds on the palate. Still needs to come together. A baby. *Ranked #19 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2001* (JS, Web-2009) (6/2009)

95 points Wine & Spirits

No tasting note given. (4/2002)

92 points Int'l Wine Cellar

Good red-ruby. Superripe, expressive nose of plum, redcurrant, roasted stones and spices. Big, rich, plummy and deep; boasts compelling mouthfilling sweetness. Plenty of spine beneath the flesh. Finishes very long and gripping, with sweet tannins for the year. (ST) (6/2001)