Op de neus is de 2012 witte wijn Château La Mission Haut-Brion van Château Haut-Brionis complex met wit fruit en florale tonen. Citrusvruchten vermengen zich met perzik, amandel en acaciabloesem. De aanzet is soepel en ruim. In de mond kanaliseert de frisheid de wijn en geeft hem lengte. Deze Pessac-Leognan blanc is vol en krachtig; het is een goede vertegenwoordiging van een geweldig oogstjaar.
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.