On the nose, the 2012 white wine Château La Mission Haut-Brion of Chateau Haut-Brion is complex with white fruit and floral notes. Citrus fruits mix with peach, almond, and acacia flower. The attack is supple and ample. On the palate, the freshness canalises the wine and brings length to it. This Pessac-Leognan blanc is full-bodied and strong; it is a good representation of a great vintage year.
Tasted blind at the Southwold 2012 tasting. The 2012 La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc has a very intense Sauvignon Blanc nose offering gooseberry, kiwi fruit and smoky scents, although it does not seem to possess the complexity of the Malartic-Lagravière Blanc. The palate is balanced with a smooth entry, quite phenolic compared to its peers with a waxy, almost honeyed finish that feels creamy and yet needs to muster more complexity. I suspect this is just entering a dumb phase (just like Laville Haut-Brion had a habit of doing!). Like the Haut-Brion, my mark reflects the fact that this wine has closed down since bottling, but it will warrant a far higher score in line with its barrel showing after 10-15 years. Tasted January 2016.