Château La Mission Haut-Brion

Considered by some as the unofficial sixth growth from the Left Bank of Bordeaux, Château La Mission Haut-Brion has an enviable reputation for producing complex, age-worthy and intensely flavoured reds and vibrant whites from their sublime terroir in the Pessac-Léognan appellation, located just a few miles from the city centre of Bordeaux.

In 1983, Château La Mission Haut-Brion was acquired by Domaine Clarence Dillon, also the owners of Château Haut-Brion, reuniting these two sister properties. The vineyards of La Mission Haut-Brion are located just across the road from Haut-Brion; however, there are significant differences between the two properties. Although some vines are planted in Pessac, most of the vineyards at La Mission are in the Bordeaux suburb of Talence, which is slightly flatter but still has excellent drainage and exposition. The soil is slightly richer, with a gravel soil over a subsoil of clay, sand and limestone. In comparison, the vineyards of Haut-Brion are located in Pessac with a slightly lower density of planting.

There is no disputing the extremely high quality of the wines produced by both of these world-renowned Estates. In certain vintages, La Mission outshines its illustrious neighbour, such as the outstanding 1982 La Mission. Some vintages such as the 1975 La Mission are coveted as the best wine produced in the whole of the Bordeaux region — a high accolade indeed.

La Mission has 25 hectares of red varietals planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The grapes are hand-harvested and sorted in the vineyard on mobile sorting tables. The wine is fermented in temperature-controlled, stainless-steel vats and then matured in oak barriques for between 18 to 20 months. Annual production is approximately 100,000 bottles. The second wine is called Château La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion.

The Estate also produces a white wine called La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc (prior to 2009 this wine was called Château Laville Haut-Brion) from their four hectares planted with white varietals, Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is fermented in oak casks and matured for between 9 and 12 months in oak barriques. Production is very small, with only 500 to 700 cases depending on the vintage.

The highly successful and most sought-after vintages of La Mission Haut-Brion Rouge include 1921, 1929, 1934, 1945, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1953, 1955, 1959, 1961, 1975, 1978, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020. The standout vintages of these are the exceptional 1929, 1945, 1961, 1989, 200, 2005, 2009 and 2010.