Wineshark Wine Tasting - Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion

Château La Mission Haut-Brion 

Château La Mission Haut-Brion is a historic Bordeaux estate located in the heart of the Pessac‑Léognan appellation, renowned for its exceptional terroir and deeply spiritual heritage.  

Historical Overview

·       1540: Founded by Arnaud de Lestonnac, closely linked from the outset to Château Haut‑Brion through family ties. 

·       17th–18th centuries: Developed under religious ownership, notably the Lazarist priests, who expanded vineyards, improved wine quality, and built the estate chapel. 

·       1755: Gained high reputation after being praised by the Duke of Richelieu, who regularly served the wine.  

·       1792: Confiscated during the French Revolution and sold to private ownership, reflecting the estate’s growing value. 

·       19th century: Modernised by the Chiapella family, earning international recognition, including a gold medal at the 1862 London Exhibition.  

·       1919–1930s: Entered the modern era under the Woltner family, pioneering temperature‑controlled fermentation and producing both red and white wines.  

·       1983–present: Acquired by the Dillon family (Domaine Clarence Dillon), leading to major renovations, technical upgrades, and respectful restoration of the estate’s religious and architectural heritage.  

The Terroir and Vineyard

The vineyard spans 29 hectares, sharing the famed gravelly soils of Château Haut‑Brion. These well‑drained soils over clay, sand, and limestone give the wines their power, elegance, and complexity. Sustainable practices and biodiversity preservation are central to vineyard management. 

Winemaking Philosophy

Grapes are hand‑harvested, carefully sorted, and vinified with precise temperature control. Blending is a meticulous, collaborative process, followed by 18–20 months of barrel ageing, ensuring balance, depth, and longevity. 

The Wines

·       Red wine: Complex, full‑bodied, and richly aromatic, with notes of smoke, tobacco, roasted coffee, and fresh red fruit.  

·       White wine: Produced in smaller quantities, continuing a tradition dating back to the early 20th century. 

Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion 2004

Date of Tasting: 4 April 2026

Price: HK$1,752 

Wineshark Score: 93

Appearance: Bright and clear, the wine is of medium ruby colour, with fading rims and legs.

Nose: Clean, with medium (+) intensity aromas, showing black fruit of blackberry, blackcurrant, red fruit of plum, pungent spice of liquorice, kernel notes of coffee, mineral notes of graphite, sweet spice of clove, maturity notes of savoury and forest floor. The wine is developing.

Palate: Dry with medium acidity, the wine has medium (+), ripe and velvety tannin, full body and medium (+) intensity of flavours, showing black fruit of blackberry, blackcurrant, red fruit of plum, sweet spice of nutmeg, oak notes of tobacco box. The wine has a medium (+) finish.  

Conclusion: Very good quality Pessac Leognan with an intense nose showing good complexity in aromas. While exhibiting plenty of black fruit and plum, there is also a nice coffee side note with also good development characters. The palate is robust, with good acidity and tannin supporting rich and intense flavours, with also a nice long finish. It is ready to drink now and can maintain for another 2-3 years.

 

Chateau Laville Haut-Brion 1999

Tasting Date: 9 June 2013

Price: HK$1,280

Wineshark Score: 90

Appearance: Bright and clear, it is of medium intensity gold color, with legs.

Nose: Clean, with medium (+) intensity aromas showing floral notes of honeysuckle, stone fruit of apricot and peach, dairy notes of cream, maturity notes of honey, animal notes of lanolin and wax, oak notes of some oxidation notes of sherry aromas when first opened. The wine is developing. 

Palate: Dry with medium acidity, the wine has medium alcohol and a medium body, with medium (+) intensity flavors of floral notes of honeysuckle, green fruit of ripe pear, oak notes of smoke, dairy notes of butter, maturity notes of honey. The wine has a long finish. 

Conclusion: Good quality Pessac-Leognan white wine with an intense nose of reasonable complexity, though initially it did show some sherry notes of oxidation, which was gradually gone after leaving it to air for a while. The palate is in balance, with a good structure and also showing intense flavors. The most noticeable is the exceptionally long finish. Overall it is enjoyable, but personally I feel a bit hollow on the nose and palate, a bit disappointed given its prestige status. Ready to drink now and has potential to age for another 2-3 years.