2017 Chateau La Mission Haut Brion 6 l

A positively stunning wine, the 2017 La Mission Haut-Brion is all class. Sweet floral notes give the 2017 striking freshness, nuance and energy. Rose petal, mint, blood orange, red cherry, pomegranate and mocha are all laced together. In 2017, La Mission plays very much in the red fruit and floral end of the spectrum. Effortless, gracious and wonderfully nuanced, the 2017 simply has it all. What a wine!

Composed of 56% Merlot, 4.4% Cabernet Franc and 39.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 La Mission Haut-Brion is a little reticent on the nose to begin, slowly unfurling to reveal notes of crushed blackcurrants, Black Forest cake and Morello cherries with suggestions of cigar box, pencil shavings, charcoal and fertile loam. Medium-bodied, the palate has fantastic intensity with loads of mineral layers and a rock-solid line of firm, grainy tannins, finishing very long and with great energy.

The 2017 La Mission Haut-Brion was bottled a little earlier than the Haut-Brion, 20-24 May. It has a more understated bouquet than Haut-Brion and consequently demands more coaxing, eventually revealing very pure raspberry and wild strawberry scents mixed with wet limestone and hints of wilted rose petal. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, very focused and refined with darker fruit compared to the nose. Traces of tar and cedar surface towards the classic finish that linger nicely, although Haut-Brion just has a tad more persistence and depth. Superb.