Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 31/08/2012
This vintage is aging at a glacial pace and the tannins are currently more significant than their counterbalancing components of fruit and glycerin. While the word “potential” seems to be the most positive descriptor for this vintage, there are some nagging doubts about whether all the tannins will melt away and the fruit will hold. As in most 1995s, the color remains a healthy dark plum/purple. One of the bigger wines of the vintage, the ripe, powerful Merlot component has buttressed the Cabernet elements, giving the wine plenty of body, tannin and La Mission’s classic asphalt, cassis, blackberry, smoky barbecue, meaty notes intermixed with a hint of hot rocks. The 1995 is still a young wine and I am beginning to wonder if this vintage overall will resemble 1975 rather than something with more charm? Anticipated maturity: 2020-2035?.

Emerging from a very backward state, the 1995 La Mission Haut Brion, the colour is stilll a dense, opaque ruby/purple and the aromatics are shut down but promising, offering up black fruit, a hint of chocolate, and some sweet oak. The wine is a brawny, full-bodied La Mission that is going to take some time to reach its apogee. It may remain a somewhat austere wine comapred to the top vintages for La Mission. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025. (94)

Subtle aromas of sweet tobacco, cigar box and ripe strawberry. Full-bodied, with very well-integrated, tightly woven tannins. Chewy, rich. Needs more time.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. JS

Honey, damp earth, acacia flower, lemon, and a saline note of oyster shell. Thick and strong in extract; rich, ripe and resiny. This has put on considerable weight since its first year in barrel, but still retains a racy briskness. Comes across today as fresher and even longer than the '96, yet shows more fat to buffer its brisk acidity. Or is the '96 just in a shell from the recent bottling?

This has a bright vermilion rim but the nose is surprisingly subdued at first, but then gains a meaty intensity with a few swirls. It never really gets motoring though. The palate is better, masculine like many 1995s have turned out. Good acidity, grainy texture, notes of blackberry, sour cherry, dried blood and tobacco towards the backward finish that could do with a little more depth. Quite dry on the meaty finish where I was expecting just a little more grip. Tasted May 2008.