2020 Chapelle de la Mission Haut Brion
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Tasting notes
Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Scented and inviting. Black and dark-red fruits. A touch leafy on the palate – so elegant, with paper-fine tannins and a long, fresh finish. (JH)
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2020 La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion is very controlled and more backward on the nose compared to its peers, featuring blackberry, raspberry, damp earth and light black olive aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with firm but fine tannins. There is a strong marine influence here with a dab of licorice on the finish. This needs time to find its groove, but it will. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
A particularly successful effort, the 2020 La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion opens in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cassis, burning embers and spices. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and concentrated, it's layered and integrated, with a fleshy core, powdery structuring tannins and good tension.
Looking at the reds, the 2020 La Chapelle De La Mission Haut-Brion is flat-out stunning and unquestionably a great wine in its own right. Cassis, black raspberries, tobacco, and sandalwood are just some of its nuances, and it's medium to full-bodied, with incredible elegance, fine tannins, and a great finish. In general, 2020 isn't the best vintage for the second wines, but you wouldn't know that from tasting this beauty.
About the producer
Ch. la Mission Haut-Brion – sister estate of Ch. Haut-Brion and part of the Clarence Dillon stable – is one of the greatest estates in all of Bordeaux. Based in Pessac-Léognan but not officially classified, it produces outstanding red and white wines.