Château La Mission Haut-Brion 2014 - Pessac-Léognan Grand Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

As generous and accomplished as ever in texture, tannin integration and flavor complexity.

About the domain :

Pending new facilities, as with its great twin Haut-Brion, Mission continues to delight us with its velvety, complex, great wine, a great expression of Merlot on deep gravel (often more than 50% of the blend) and an exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon that we dream of tasting pure one day! Our Semillon-dominant white wines are still unrivalled in Bordeaux for their aromatic nobility and complexity.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the domain :

Separated from Château Haut-Brion just by the RN 250 and united with it since 1983 as part of the Clarence Dillon estates, this cru is distinguished by its history. This is linked to the powerful de Lestonnac family until 1682, then, until the Revolution, to the Lazarist fathers of Saint-Vincent, who recognized the remarkable qualities of its gravelly terroir, now planted with 29 ha of vines, including 3.6 ha of white.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

La Mission Haut Brion 2014 is a blend of 54% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, harvested between September 15 and October 8 and aged in 55% new oak. It has retained that engaging fresh, vibrant bouquet, the shy nature it showed in barrel replaced by a more extroverted personality. It's an exquisite bouquet with pure black fruits, cold pits, a touch of black olive and later a suggestion of boysenberry jam. The palate is still structured and, given that a majority is Merlot, quite masculine. There's still some new oak to fully assimilate, though there's clearly the fruit to soak up. It takes on more life in the second half, with a lovely spiciness and impressive persistence.

About the domain :

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the domain :

The château's gravelly terroir is slightly richer than that of Haut-Brion, which faces it. If we want to define the specificity of this famous cru on the basis of the vintages tasted, we'd have to say that it bears a striking resemblance to Château Haut-Brion. It possesses the same supple, mellow qualities (which in no way prevent long, glorious bottle ageing), as well as the same highly original smoky bouquet. On the palate, however, it's quite different, softer, deeper and more charming, because it's easier to understand in its early years. With age, La Mission yields to Haut-Brion in stylistic complexity and sheer finesse, but surpasses its neighbor in textural voluptuousness. As you can see, these two cousins, vinified by the same team and with the same exacting standards, are perfect reflections of their own terroirs and grape varieties.

Wine Enthusiast

About the wine:

Richly endowed, the wine is beautifully concentrated. Still young, it has considerable potential with its rich fruit and firm tannins. There's a strongly juicy aftertaste that brings the freshness of the year. The wine will age well and should not be drunk before 2026.

Jancis Robinson

Vinous A. Galloni

James Suckling

About the wine:

The typicity of La Mission is really there. Aromas of iodine, oyster shell, blackcurrant and orange peel are evident. Full-bodied, tight and tannic, with a muscular, invigorating texture that holds the wine back for now, but waits to release its joy and true nature. Fine-grained. Give it until 2023 before tasting.