The 2011 vintage of Château La Mission Haut-Brion is widely regarded as one of the standout wines of a challenging Bordeaux vintage. While 2011 does not have the power of 2009 or 2010, critics consistently praised La Mission for its concentration, balance, and ability to transcend the vintage.
| Critic |
Score |
Highlights |
| Wine Advocate (Robert Parker) |
95 |
Dense ruby/purple color; aromas of burning embers, scorched earth, blueberry, black currant, licorice, and spice. Full-bodied, opulent, multidimensional, with remarkable length. Parker called it "another great achievement." |
| Neal Martin (Vinous, 10-year retrospective) |
95 |
Blackberry, briar, graphite, and mineral-driven aromas. Medium-bodied with fine tannins, precision, black pepper, graphite, and impressive energy. Rated it "excellent." |
| Jane Anson (Decanter) |
96 |
Refined, sculpted style with violet, tobacco, and classic smoky La Mission character. Tannins remain youthful but promise a long future. |
| James Suckling |
93 |
Dark chocolate, berries, currants, crushed stone, chewy polished tannins, long finish. Suggested waiting several years for full maturity. |
| Wine Spectator |
93 |
Heather, black currant, blackberry, fig, and mesquite with firm structure and a long finish. Drinking window originally projected as 2016–2030. |
| Jancis Robinson |
18/20 |
Rich, dark, spicy fruit with firm yet refined structure and significant aging potential. |
Overall critical consensus
- Average professional score: approximately 94–95 points
- Considered one of the elite wines of the 2011 Bordeaux vintage.
- More classically styled than the richer 2009 and 2010 vintages.
- Hallmark descriptors include:
- Graphite
- Smoke and burning embers
- Black currant and blackberry
- Licorice
- Tobacco
- Crushed stone/minerality
- Fine-grained tannins
- Fresh acidity
Drinkability
The wine is entering an excellent drinking phase but still has decades of life ahead.
- Drink now: Yes, with 2–4 hours of decanting.
- Peak window: roughly 2024–2045+, depending on storage conditions. Critics note that its structure and freshness should allow graceful long-term evolution.
For collectors, the 2011 is often viewed as a relative value among La Mission Haut-Brion vintages because it delivers much of the château's signature complexity and terroir expression at a lower price than the celebrated 2009, 2010, or 2015 releases.
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95 Points Robert Parker
The small production (4,150 cases) of 2011 La Mission-Haut-Brion displays the nobility and complexity of this great terroir. Burning embers, scorched earth, blueberry, black currant, licorice and spice aromas jump from the glass of this dense ruby/purple-colored wine. With full body (atypical for a 2011), but no hard edges, this opulent, multidimensional, fleshy, rich, stunningly long, well-balanced La Mission is another great achievement in what has been nearly a century of producing remarkable wines from this hallowed vineyard. The long 2011 should be reasonably mature in another 4-6 years, and last for two decades. It will always be a revelation in a vintage that is unlikely to receive a lot of exciting press. The final blend was 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and 11% Cabernet Franc.
95pts Wine Enthusiast
An impressive wood- and tannin-laden wine, with intense, solid fruit. It’s powerful, very dry and complex.
93 Points Wine Spectator
This sports a pleasantly grippy edge of briar and cassis bush notes, with a densely layered core of dark fig, blackberry and black currant fruit that should move to the fore soon enough. The long, mesquite-tinged finish has solid grip. Best from 2016 through 2030.
93 Points James Suckling
A wine with pretty dark-chocolate, berry and currant character. Stones, too. Full body, chewy but polished tannins and a firm finish. Already showing the sea shell and iodine. Needs at least four or five years to soften. Reminds me of the excellent 1978.
Winemaker Notes
Very deep, dark red color with mauve highlights. The intense nose has opened up to reveal hints of black cherry and blackberry as well as spice. The bouquet is very "La Mission." The wine starts out broad-based, soft, and tasty. It then spreads out seamlessly with a show of powerful tannin and a creamy middle palate. The tight tannic structure on the finish is supported by a very fine aromatic persistence. Once again, La Mission Haut-Brion is very open at this stage, very expressive, and quite obviously a great wine.
History
In 1664, Madame de Lestonnac bequeathed the domaine of La Mission Haut-Brion to the Peres Lazaristes, a congregation founded by Saint Vincent de Paul. The "good fathers" worked to restore their property to its rightful worth. After them, the Chiapella family (owners in the 19th century) and Woltner family (owners between 1919 and 1983) never stopped improving the vineyard and modernizing the cellars. Since 1983, the Dillon family, already owner of Chateau Haut-Brion, continues the same policy under the presidency of H.R.H. Prince Robert of Luxembourg.
