772 | Wine | France, Pessac-leognan / Graves, 2006

"The dense purple-colored 2006 boasts an extraordinary perfume of lead pencil shavings, creme de cassis, burning embers, and a sensation that can only be described as like walking through a damp forest on a hot, humid day. Full-bodied, extraordinarily textured, and multidimensional with an amazingly long finish of nearly 60 seconds, this blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot from a 75-acre vineyard is a compelling wine that is one of the stars of the vintage." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"Sixty-four percent of the production went into this wine, and while it displays the vintage’s powerful tannins and structure, it possesses superb concentration, and the minerality/scorched earth notes of a great Haut-Brion. Medium to full-bodied, with perhaps not quite the fleshiness of the 2005 or 2000, it is built more along the lines of the 1998 and 1996. It is a brilliant effort displaying sensational purity, texture, and length that should be exceptionally long-lived." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"A top-notch success. ...Aromas of smoky, juicy black currants, graphite, earth, truffles, and forest floor. Full-bodied with superb purity, noticeable but sweet tannins, this round, generous, long wine should drink nicely for 15-20+ years." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"One of the vintage's top wines is the 2006 La Mission-Haut-Brion. From bottle, it reminds me of the 1998, given its structure and backward style. Dense ruby/purple-colored, it possesses a boatload of tannin, but with coaxing, tobacco leaf, sweet black currant, burning ember, and blue fruit characteristics emerge. While thick and full-bodied, the tannins seem more elevated than I remember from barrel. It is going to be a beauty, but like many of the top 2006s, considerable patience is required." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"The 2006 Haut-Brion performed even better from bottle than it did from barrel. Sixty-four percent of the production went into this wine, and while it displays the vintage’s powerful tannins and structure, it possesses superb concentration, and the minerality/scorched earth notes of a great Haut-Brion. Medium to full-bodied, with perhaps not quite the fleshiness of the 2005 or 2000, it is built more along the lines of the 1998 and 1996. It is a brilliant effort displaying sensational purity, texture, and length that should be exceptionally long-lived."-Robert Parker

"A superb success for the vintage, the 2006 exhibits a deep ruby/purple hue as well as a poised, classic bouquet of sweet black cherries, graphite, camphor, truffles, and a subtle hint of oak. Medium-bodied with a stunningly layered texture, impressive purity, and beautiful balance, this cuvee is haute couture in a glass...Bravo!" Reviewed by Robert Parker.