2010 La Mission Haut Brion Blanc

A staggeringly rich blend of 81% Semillon and the rest Sauvignon Blanc, this full-throttle, impressively endowed wine has good acidity, with hints of candle wax, mandarin orange marmalade, caramelized melons and lemon oil. It is a stunner and should last 30-40 more years. Drink: 2013 - 2053
-Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #205 Feb 2013

(93-95+ pts)
Composed of 81% Semillon and 19% Sauvignon Blanc, this 2010 exhibits crisp, zesty acids as well as a full-bodied mouthfeel offering lots of lanolin, sealing wax, honeyed Mandarin oranges and lemon oil. This sensational effort has 30-40 years of aging potential.

Tasted at Chateau Haut Brion. Like the counterpart red wines, the white La Mission is more outgoing than the Haut Brion with scents of fresh pineapple, citrus peel and passion fruit, again with fine minerality. The palate has a little more fatness in the mouth compared to the Haut Brion Blanc with subtle tropical tones, orange peel and a little peach. This is generous and mouth-filling although perhaps I would err towards the Haut Brion Blanc in terms of intellectual capacity. Tasted November 2012.

(94-96 pts)
A blend of 81% Semillon and 19% Sauvignon Blanc, this has a well-defined bouquet with grapefruit, green lime, white flowers and a touch of lemon curd. Very good definition. The palate is medium-bodied with fine definition, a little yeasty on the entry, becoming more citrus driven towards the finish with lemon curd and a hint of vanilla pod. Good length. This is a lovely Laville...sorry...La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc worthy of long-term cellaring. Tasted March 2011.

Sports some serious power, with dried melon and pineapple notes framing a core of Jonagold apple, lemon curd, green plum and heather. Extra tangerine and bitter almond notes flash through the finish, which is nicely toasty and needs some time to stretch out. Displays remarkable density, with a pleasant austerity now that should mellow steadily with age. JM

This white is really intense with mangos, pineapple, and lemon character. It's full and very lively with wonderful depth of fruit and length. Fresh and bright with tangy acidity and a brilliance at the end. Hard not to drink it now. Better after 2016.
-www.jamessuckling.com, 'Tasting Report: 2010 Bordeaux "More Great Vintage"', 3 Feb 2012

(98-99 pts)
I love the lemon-lime, mineral and lilac character to this young white. It says great Montrachet but it's dry white Bordeaux. Full and super minerally and racy. Intense and vibrant. Tangy. Like a red wine in structure. Very dense and beautiful.

Bright gold-tinged straw-yellow. Complex aromas of stone fruits, melon, pear, rosemary and sage. Very rich, ripe and creamy on entry, then brighter and fresher in the middle, with waxy pear and citrus flavors nicely lifted by sound acids. This highly complex wine offers a velour-like texture and excellent depth while remaining admirably restrained. Finishes with superb verve and length. A textbook example of what great semillon is all about. Ian D'Agata

It took some coaxing to bring out the reticent notes of citrus, lemon, lime, orange, white peach, flowers and honeysuckle. Rich, intense and full on the palate. The wine offers a blast of minerality and fresh, crisp, yellow citrus with a dab of honey on the palate and in the finish. If you are lucky enough to have a bottle or two in your cellar, wait a decade or so before popping a cork.