La Mission Haut-Brion
Château La Mission Haut-Brion is a historic vineyard located in the Pessac-Léognan region, celebrated for its exceptional terroir and distinguished wines. This esteemed estate is renowned for its dedication to crafting some of the most prestigious wines in the world, showcasing the remarkable convergence of tradition and innovation. In this informative summary, we will uncover the exceptional artistry behind Château La Mission Haut-Brion and the incredible legacy embodied in each bottle.
Established in the early 16th century, Château La Mission Haut-Brion boasts an incredibly rich history, with its foundations built by the Talleyrand family. The estate experienced tremendous growth under the careful stewardship of various prominent families throughout the years, ultimately being acquired by the esteemed Clarence Dillon family in 1983. This highly respected family remains committed to preserving the estate's heritage and upholding its prestigious legacy today.
The remarkable terroir of Château La Mission Haut-Brion sets it apart from other châteaux in the Bordeaux region, contributing significantly to the distinct character of its wines. The diverse soils found within the estate are composed of gravel atop limestone and clay, creating optimal conditions for a variety of grape varieties to thrive. The unique way these varied elements harmonise allows Château La Mission Haut-Brion to produce wines that showcase an incredible range of complexity and finesse.
Château La Mission Haut-Brion wines are celebrated globally for their depth and elegance, earning rave reviews from wine enthusiasts and critics alike. The estate's flagship wine, Château La Mission Haut-Brion Rouge, is a sublime blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, exhibiting power, richness and balance. Meanwhile, their Château La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc is a rare and highly sought-after expression of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, often regarded as one of the finest white wines in the world.
When considering a bottle of Château La Mission Haut-Brion, rest assured that you are investing in a wine of exceptional quality, rich in history and crafted with extraordinary skill. To truly appreciate the mastery behind these wines, simply pour a glass and allow the opulent aromas and captivating flavours to sweep you away.
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Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (87-89)
(64% merlot, 30% cabernet sauvignon and 6% cabernet franc) Good medium ruby to the rim. Pure, enticing aromas of sweet, ripe black raspberry, licorice and bitter chocolate. Supple, fruit-driven and easygoing, with juicy acidity giving a firm edge to the dark raspberry flavor. Not especially long but suave and tasty.HK$4,620.00 -
James Suckling (94)
Sweet berry and sweet tobacco with chocolate and orange peel on the nose. Full and velvety tannins and long finish. Gorgeous. Creamy texture.HK$9,785.00 -
James Suckling (96)
Fabulous nose of spice, mushrooms, blueberries and blackberries follows through to a full body, with firm tannins and a silky tannins. This is so savory and beautiful. Best second wine ever from La Mission. Give it until 2018 to open, but hard to wait.HK$12,790.00 -
James Suckling (96)
Fabulous nose of spice, mushrooms, blueberries and blackberries follows through to a full body, with firm tannins and a silky tannins. This is so savory and beautiful. Best second wine ever from La Mission. Give it until 2018 to open, but hard to wait.HK$6,900.00 -
James Suckling (92)
Pure and precise aromas of dark fruits and currants with hints of stones follow through to a full body, fine tannins and a fresh finish. Harmonious and very elegant. Better in 2017.HK$6,530.00 -
James Suckling (92)
Pure and precise aromas of dark fruits and currants with hints of stones follow through to a full body, fine tannins and a fresh finish. Harmonious and very elegant. Better in 2017.HK$4,065.00 -
James Suckling (94-95)
Very powerful and tannic yet salty and savory. Full body, dense and chewy yet polished and bright. Great second wine from La Mission. Only 30% merlot.HK$7,480.00 -
Wine Advocate (94)
The 2016 La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion is blended of 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36.5% Merlot and 21.5% Cabernet Franc. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it absolutely sings of red roses, black tea and tilled black soil with a core of crushed blackberries, Morello cherries and cassis plus a hint of cinnamon stick. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers a great intensity of ripe black berries and floral layers, framed by soft, silken tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.HK$4,855.00 -
James Suckling (92-93)
Quite tannic but in a very attractive way with blueberries, currants and spices. Medium-bodied, tight and chewy. Show tension and texture.HK$3,950.00 -
James Suckling (93-94)
A solid second wine from La Mission with currants, blackberries and hints of fresh tobacco. Oyster shell as well. Full-bodied with firm and chewy yet fine-grained tannins. Driven and long.HK$4,415.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (94-96)
The second wine of this great estate, the 2019 La Chapelle De La Mission Haut-Brion checks in as 50% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc. It's a brilliant second wine, offering loads of ripe blackcurrants and blueberry fruits intermixed with Asian spice, chocolate, and dried flowers. It packs some muscle as well and has a rounded, opulent texture, full body, ripe tannins, and a great finish. You'd be excused for thinking this was another estate grand vin.HK$4,050.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (94-96)
The second wine of this great estate, the 2019 La Chapelle De La Mission Haut-Brion checks in as 50% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc. It's a brilliant second wine, offering loads of ripe blackcurrants and blueberry fruits intermixed with Asian spice, chocolate, and dried flowers. It packs some muscle as well and has a rounded, opulent texture, full body, ripe tannins, and a great finish. You'd be excused for thinking this was another estate grand vin.HK$2,800.00 -
Decanter (94)
You are immediately set at ease by the confidence and sheer easy appeal of this wine. A silky and seductive La Chapelle that rivals plenty of first wines in this vintage. The texture is rich and taut at first, then softens in the glass, with a charge of freshness that keeps the momentum and the energy high. Not many wines that rival the 2010 and 2016s, but here it very much does - exuberant with chocolate and cracked pepper but pulls back at the right moment. Harvests from 7th to 29th September. I love it.HK$3,050.00 -
James Suckling (93-94)
Nicely firm and structured with a tight core of blackberry, stone and bark with some graphite. Grainy, firm tannins. Fresh and focused finish. 51.3% merlot, 45.2% cabernet sauvignon and 3.5% cabernet franc.HK$3,800.00 -
James Suckling (93-94)
Nicely firm and structured with a tight core of blackberry, stone and bark with some graphite. Grainy, firm tannins. Fresh and focused finish. 51.3% merlot, 45.2% cabernet sauvignon and 3.5% cabernet franc.HK$5,570.00 -
James Suckling (93-94)
Nicely firm and structured with a tight core of blackberry, stone and bark with some graphite. Grainy, firm tannins. Fresh and focused finish. 51.3% merlot, 45.2% cabernet sauvignon and 3.5% cabernet franc.HK$4,425.00 -
James Suckling (93-94)
Nicely firm and structured with a tight core of blackberry, stone and bark with some graphite. Grainy, firm tannins. Fresh and focused finish. 51.3% merlot, 45.2% cabernet sauvignon and 3.5% cabernet franc.HK$4,065.00 -
Wine Advocate (90)
The 1981 exhibits a more youthful purple hue to its dark plum color than any vintage back to 1970. Somewhat narrowly constructed for a La Mission-Haut-Brion, it reveals plenty of incense, blueberry, black currant and crushed rock notes intertwined with a restrained, smoky character. The wine is medium-bodied, fresh and crisp with good concentration as well as a surprising youthfulness. However, the vintage’s deficiencies – a lack of heat and maturity – show up in the wine’s modest power and concentration. The 1981 does not possess the great richness, depth and intensity of the finest vintages, but it is still an outstanding effort that has aged extremely well. It could hold up for another two decades, but there is no point in deferring gratification.HK$4,105.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
One of the great wines of the vintage, and the last produced under the ownership of the Woltner family, the 1982 La Mission Haut-Brion remains remarkably youthful, exhibiting a saturated ruby-black hue. Unfurling in the glass with rich aromas of black fruits, cigar smoke, loamy soil, black truffle, peat and pencil shavings, it’s full-bodied, broad and concentrated, with a deep core of fruit, ripe tannins and a long, expansive finish. Over the last decade, the wine has become increasingly seamless and elegant, without losing any of its vitality, and it is now clear, if it were ever in doubt, that this wine can stand alongside vintages such as 1961 and 1955 as one of the great La Mission Haut-Brions of the 20th century.HK$100,990.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
One of the great wines of the vintage, and the last produced under the ownership of the Woltner family, the 1982 La Mission Haut-Brion remains remarkably youthful, exhibiting a saturated ruby-black hue. Unfurling in the glass with rich aromas of black fruits, cigar smoke, loamy soil, black truffle, peat and pencil shavings, it’s full-bodied, broad and concentrated, with a deep core of fruit, ripe tannins and a long, expansive finish. Over the last decade, the wine has become increasingly seamless and elegant, without losing any of its vitality, and it is now clear, if it were ever in doubt, that this wine can stand alongside vintages such as 1961 and 1955 as one of the great La Mission Haut-Brions of the 20th century.HK$13,640.00 -
Wine Advocate (90)
Firm, masculine and tannic with plenty of earth, truffle, asphalt and volcanic characteristics, this burly La Mission-Haut-Brion is bordering on being monolithic/foursquare. It reveals good body as well as plenty of tannin, adequate acidity, a dark plum/garnet color, and classic La Mission terroir characteristics of smoke, scorched earth, spice, roasted meats and camphor. Neither big nor wimpish, it, like many wines of this vintage, appears to be aging nicely. While fully mature, it displays enough youthful characteristics, from its tannin to its vibrant, moderately intense fruit, to suggest it will hold up for another two decades.HK$3,850.00 -
Wine Advocate (96)
The 1990 La Mission Haut Brion is a wine that just gives so much pleasure that it seems almost immoral to criticize. For sure, it is not in the same league as the awe-inspiring 1989, yet it has such an engaging, quintessential La Mission bouquet full of warm gravel, chestnut, morels and bay leaf scents that you just fall instantly under its charms. It seems to just grow in the glass. The palate is beautifully balanced with great depth but is still a little grainy in texture, and I noticed how it evolved almost a Musigny-like personality with time in the glass. I suggested back in 2014 that it might improve with continued bottle age. Perhaps now I believe that it has reached the top of its plateau, yet the substance and the persistence—the energy—of this Pessac-Léognan suggests that it will give 20 years of drinking pleasure. No, it's not as good as the 1989 La Mission Haut Brion, then again, few wines are. Tasted May 2017.HK$14,690.00 -
Jancis Robinson (18)
61% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon. Looks very much more evolved than the Bahans 1996. Great edge and evolution. Some oyster shells – certainly something edgy and marine on the nose. Fully evolved on the palate. Lovely mellifluous texture. Just gorgeous now with the fruit fully open and the tannins in retreat. A mineral edge. Not especially long or powerful but at its peak. So clean and health giving.HK$44,055.00 -
Wine Spectator (95-100)
Massive yet balanced '98, with lots of mineral, mint, wet earth, berry and cherry character. Full-bodied, with loads of round, velvety tannins and a long, long aftertaste. Score range: 95-100HK$49,710.00 -
Wine Spectator (95-100)
Massive yet balanced '98, with lots of mineral, mint, wet earth, berry and cherry character. Full-bodied, with loads of round, velvety tannins and a long, long aftertaste. Score range: 95-100HK$4,495.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
One of the wines of the vintage, the 2000 has barely budged in its evolution since it was bottled and released in 2002. After ten years in bottle, it still reveals a dense opaque purple color along with a potentially sensational bouquet of blueberries, black currants, graphite, asphalt and background oak. Extremely powerful, full-bodied and superbly concentrated with good acidity and high but round tannins, this massive La Mission-Haut-Brion should take its place among this estate’s most hallowed vintages when it hits full maturity in another one to two decades. I was surprised by just how youthful this wine tasted at age 12. If tasted blind, I would have guessed it to be around 4 to 5 years old. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050.HK$55,625.00 -
Wine Spectator (95-100)
Fantastic aromas of violets, berries and currants with hints of wood. Full-bodied, with superrefined tannins and a lovely, silky finish. A very refined La Mission, yet powerful and structured. It builds and builds. Score range: 95-100HK$26,945.00 -
Wine & Spirit Magazine (96)
Open the bottle and you'll find harmony in the glass, but the wine remains subtle, stony and mute, as if the flavors lie behind a closed door. Over the course of several days, that door begins to open, the stoniness transforms into sleek fruit, as if to mirror the complexity of the multicolored pebbles that sustain Haut-Brion's vines, a range of flavors from red to purple to black. The structure grows increasingly substantial, while the harmony remains, lending the wine mysterious power. Twenty years from now, this will just begin to reach a plateau and should sustain itself long after.HK$25,725.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)
The 2005 La Mission Haut-Brion is unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage. Effusive aromatics and bright, red-toned fruit make a strong first impression. A wine of vertical intensity and explosive energy, the 2005 is a towering masterpiece. Today it is just at the beginning of a long drinking window that will last another few decades. Red cherry, plum, leather, spice, gravel, smoke, blood orange and pomegranate infuse the palate staining finish. In 2005, La Mission is a wine that satisfies all the senses, from the intellectual to the hedonistic. Magnificent. Tasted two times.HK$54,925.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)
The 2005 La Mission Haut-Brion is unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage. Effusive aromatics and bright, red-toned fruit make a strong first impression. A wine of vertical intensity and explosive energy, the 2005 is a towering masterpiece. Today it is just at the beginning of a long drinking window that will last another few decades. Red cherry, plum, leather, spice, gravel, smoke, blood orange and pomegranate infuse the palate staining finish. In 2005, La Mission is a wine that satisfies all the senses, from the intellectual to the hedonistic. Magnificent. Tasted two times.HK$4,500.00