Vinous - Score: 88 (2021 September)

Apart from a couple of impressive bottles at the turn of the millennium, the 1986 La Mission Haut-Brion has always left me wanting more. Deep in color, it has a static, black-olive-tinged nose that requires more delineation and lacks a bit of charm – as does the palate, which is sinewy and dense, yet missing the comeliness of the 1985. The finish feels slightly hard and needs more soul. Tasted at a private dinner in Hong Kong.