Chateau La Mission Haut Brion 2021

Wine Enthusiast: "95–97. Barrel Sample. The wine has a rich texture and is splendidly fruity. It is structured while juicy and full of complex tannins. This is a wine that sings of fruits that are ripe while never heavy."

Wine Advocate: "Unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries and plums mingled with loamy soil, sweet spices, cigar box and licorice, the 2021 La Mission Haut-Brion is full-bodied, lively and seamless, with a deep, concentrated core of fruit framed by bright acids and supple, powdery tannins. This charming, sensual rendition of La Mission is a blend of 48% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc, attaining 13.4% alcohol."

Weinwisser: "48 % Merlot, 46 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 6 % Cabernet Franc, 13.5 Vol.-%. Komplexes Bouquet mit Herzkirsche, edler Cassiswürze und exotischen Hölzern, dahinter getrocknete Rosenblätter und heller Tabak. Am dichten Gaumen mit cremiger Textur, herrlicher Extraktfülle, bleibt schlank wie ein Pfeil, vibrierende Rasse, die den mittleren Körper perfekt stützt. Im konzentrierten Finale Wildkirsche, Schlehensaft und mehlige Adstringenz."

Decanter: "Rose, violets and peonies on the nose, with dark chocolate and cassis, smells like liqueur chocolates, perfumed and aromatic. A crystalline quality to the fruit, so driven and pure on the palate. Energetic and lively filled with strawberry, raspberry, red cherry and plum - direct with a vein of exotic spice - cinnamon and clove, as well as touches of orange, bitter grapefruit, dark chocolate and crushed stone. Such a lot going on here, but so well delivered with intensity and direction with racy acidity that keeps everything lifted the whole way through. Lovely minerality on the tongue, the graphite lingering with the juiciness that is still so mouthwatering even on the finish. Compelling and charming."

Dunnuck: "The 2021 Château La Mission Haut-Brion checks in as a blend of 47.9% Merlot, 45.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc that hit 13.4% alcohol and is still resting in 27% new French oak. Graphite, scorched earth, tobacco leaf, and gorgeous cassis and violet-tinge blue fruits all define the bouquet, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a vibrant, elegant mouthfeel, terrific tannins, and one hell of a great finish. It's a softer, rounder, more layered wine than the Haut-Brion, with a little more sexiness, yet both are utterly brilliant wines."

Falstaff: "Dunkles Rubingranat, tiefer Farbkern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Schwarze Beerenfrucht, dunkle Kirschen, tabakige Würze, zart nach Lakritze, mineralischer Touch. Saftige Kirschfrucht, ein Hauch von Pflaumen, präsente Tannine, salzige Mineralik, frisch und gut anhaftend, verfügt über Entwicklungspotenzial."

Suckling: "Lots of sea-salt, iodine and purple-fruit aromas and flavors to this. Turns to bark and forest floor. Powerful. Full-bodied and muscular. 47.9% merlot, 45.8% cabernet sauvignon and 6.3% cabernet franc."

Neal Martin: "The 2021 La Mission Haut-Brion is blessed with an ethereal bouquet, subtle touches of wilted iris petal and truffle infuse the black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins, perfectly judged acidity, quite compact on the mid-palate with linear and correct finish. Not the most charming La Mission Haut-Brion. You could argue that it is slightly "aloof", yet intuition tells me it has something up its sleeve for later on. Patience necessary."

Perroti-Brown: "A blend of 48% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Cabernet Franc, the 2021 La Mission Haut-Brion is deep garnet-purple colored. Is a little closed to begin, soon revealing notes of crushed blackcurrants, fresh black raspberries, and mulberries, plus suggestions of pencil shavings, roses, and Sichuan pepper. Medium-bodied, the palate is tightly knit with delicate black and red berry layers, supported by fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and mineral-laced."

Wine Cellar Insider: "Surprisingly deep in color, it takes a bit of effort before finding the cigar box, tobacco, smoke, forest leaf, currants, blackberries, and plums in the nose. On the palate, there is a richness and sweetness to the fruit. But this is not an exuberant vintage. It is reserved, slightly austere, quiet, and discreet. There is a finesse to the tannins and flesh to the fruits, but the wine is restrained, building in the mid-palate with air, finishing with chewy currants, leafy, fresh, green herbs, thyme, and dark chocolate. The wine blends 48% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc, 13.4% ABV. Harvesting took place, September 20 – October 8. Yields were 48 hectoliters per hectare, with 40% of the harvest going into the Grand Vin. Drink from 2026-2055."

Galloni: "The 2021 La Mission Haut-Brion offers lovely aromatic presence and fine balance, albeit in the smaller-scaled style of the year. Dried herbs, mint, sweet red cherry, incense and blood orange all run through the 2021. This is a decidedly understated edition of La Mission. It will be interesting to see if elevage adds body."

Robinson: "47.9% Merlot, 45.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.3% Cabernet Franc. Cask sample.A mix of refined power and elegance. Deep crimson hue. Fragrant dark fruit and cassis notes as the wine opens. Texturally very fine with plentiful tannins that are coated and smooth. Lovely freshness accompanied by persistence and drive. Great balance. Plenty of potential. (JL) Drink 2030 – 2050"