2000 Ch. la Mission Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan

Last week I had the great pleasure of 'looking at' nearly 50 of the more significant red bordeaux from the vintage celebrating its tenth birthday. This is traditionally the time at which classical red bordeaux starts to come round and starts to provide good drinking....Ch. La Mission Haut-Brion reveals minerals, dryness and focus on the nose. Sleek and polished and almost rudely concentrated. Very dry finish. Sinewy. Long. Very serious wine.
(Jancis Robinson - jancisrobinson.com - 23 Mar 2010) 

The 2000 La Mission Haut-Brion is certainly one of the candidates for the wine of the vintage. Its performance was off-the-charts in two separate tastings for this report. Deep blue/purple, with a nose of creme de cassis, floral scents, graphite, and subtle smoke, the wine is pure, deep, sumptuously textured, full-bodied, powerful (although certainly not at the power level of the amazing 2009). This wine certainly transcends its 13% natural alcohol and has the same level of concentration found in such great vintages of La Mission Haut-Brion as 1989, 1982, 1975, and of course, more recent efforts such as 2005, 2008, and 2009. Still young but beginning to display some secondary nuances, the wine has enormous layers of depth as well as an unctuous texture. Even though it is still quite youthful, I believe it will hit its prime in another 3-4 years and last 50 or more.
(Robert Parker - Wine Advocate - Jun 2010)