1996 Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion Pessac-Leognan 750 ml

Consensus might be rare in the wine world, but critics and collectors agree: La Mission Haut-Brion is one of the greatest wines in Bordeaux. Jane Anson considers it a First Growth. Robert Parker himself has praised its “virtually unmatched brilliance.” 

“I have more bottles of La Mission-Haut-Brion in my private collection than any other wine in the world,” the great Parker has said about this wine of “First Growth quality.” And when you taste the perfectly aged 1996, you’ll have no doubt why this is a favorite of the savviest collectors in the world—"the quintessential insider's wine,” per Master of Wine Jancis Robinson. 

La Mission is a First Growth in all but name, and its outstanding value have made it a favorite of wise collectors for years. It’s the sister property directly adjacent to Haut-Brion, the storied 1855 Premier Grand Cru Classé. Once a rival to Haut-Brion, La Mission now benefits from the same historic third-generation Dillon family stewardship, as well as three generations of direct management under the Delmas family—not to mention the same First Growth terroir and unique Pessac-Léognan micro-climate.

Due to its wind-protected suburban location, the vineyard is usually a couple of degrees warmer on average than its neighbors. That, and its well-draining sandy soils, which are uniquely full of gravel and quartz, give the wine “a precocious and early-maturing style” according to Parker. For over 600 years, this wine has charmed royalty, beguiled founding fathers, and seduced the world’s most prominent wine critics with its trademark elegance, complexity, and longevity. This 1996 puts that all on display, and it will shine whenever you choose to open it.