$220 off the winelist at Plumpjack. Decanted for an hour before diggin' in. Medium blood red in color. Big nose of iodine and minerals, I knew this wouldn't be ready yet, hell the '86 Pichon-Baron isn't ready yet, but I couldn't resist. Sour earth, blood, and red fruits on the closed medium plus bodied palate supporting plenty of tannins. I think this will turn out better than Parkers 90 rating, when is the only question. Still enjoyable on its own terms, 93 points.

Next to Gruaud-Larose, I've had more La Mission than any other Bordeaux. I find that it produces great wine in poor years, moreso than any other Bordeaux winery. The 1958 (Yes the abyssmal 1958) was excellent as was the 1974. In great years, like 1986, it's always a winner. That said, I'd imagine the 1986 is years away from being ready. As you mentioned, I think Parker usually shorts the wine a few points. Must not be his style.

I don't think Parker shorts points to La Mission. Check out his scores for 49, 55, 59, 61, 75, 78, 82, 2000. 5 100 points ratings, one potential 100 point rating, and a 98. He has given out countless 90 plus ratings to "off vintage" La Missions. I believe La Mission is one of his most favored Bordeauxs (for good reason). He gave a 91 to the 86.

Well, everybody gave the '75 a 100. I guess what I should have written is that he shorts the non-great years, as well as some of the great years. I have tried the '86, but I fully expect it to be better than 90 or 91 points, unless it's an off year for La Mission, something that virtually never happens. The only year I can name where La Mission was substandard is 1979.

Not decanted. Dark garnet colour to rim. Beautiful legs. Incredible nose of barnyard (blew off with air), bramble, cedar, spice box, cassis, and tobacco. Medium-bodied with cedar, plums, cassis, spice, and abit of minerality. Beautiful finish, ~40s that is quite complex. Lots of life ahead of this wine, and it continued to open in the glass over the hour the bottle was consumed. 96 points (06/23/2004).

This was a little young, but after tasting all these great wines lately, I think I'm starting to understand Bordeaux.

1986 Château La Mission Haut-Brion - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (10/28/2006)
As they say, when it gets to this age, there are no great wines, only great bottles. Cork crumbled on extraction but was not soaked through. Weak, acidic... tasted like an old tired Bordeaux with tobacco, wet wood, tough tannins, but little fruit. We kept waiting for something better to emerge but alas, it ended up being put aside for more interesting wines. From reading comments here and elsewhere, I'm hoping for a lot better from my remaining 2 bottles. (85 pts.)