Château La Mission Haut Brion, Cru Classé, Pessac Léognan, 2024

Name: Château La Mission Haut Brion, Cru Classé, Pessac Léognan
Brand: Château La Mission Haut-Brion
Price: 870 GBP

Available Vintages

all 1990 1996 1997 1998 2000 2002 2005 2010 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024

justerini & brooks tasting note

Unusually, the 2024 La Mission Haut Brion was a little more reserved than its sister chateau, Haut Brion at our tasting. Initially the bouquet is quite shy, but with coaxing it gradually reveals suggestions of eucalyptus and leafy Cabernet alongside aromas of cassis and mint. At its core, there is an impressive array of pure, quite structured hedgerow fruit: suggestions of blackcurrants, blackberry, and black plum, accompanied by damp earth, clove, a hint of nutmeg and a whisper of white pepper, plus notes of olive brine, followed by touches of dried sage and rose petal. This fruit is encased by quite serious tannins laden with notes of loganberry and raspberry intertwined with fine minerals, stones, and flowers. Crafted from a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46.5% Merlot, and 2.5% Cabernet Franc, this feels tightly wound and full of potential – it will require a little patience to reveal its full promise.

critic reviews

94-96/100Lisa Perrotti-Brown,The Wine Independent

Deep garnet-purple colored. Needs a little patient swirling to bring out evocative scents of juicy black plums, fresh blackberries, and kirsch, plus nuances of lilac, star anise, and fragrant soil. The medium-bodied palate is satiny textured with great energy and freshness, delivering layers of blackberries and floral notes, finishing long and perfumed.

DRINKING WINDOW 2029 - 2049

date of review 05/2025

93-95/100Neal Martin,Vinous

The 2024 La Mission Haut-Brion has a beautifully defined bouquet with pure, mineral-led black fruit, hints of blueberry and a subtle sea spray influence. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chalky tannins. Fresh and vibrant, this La Mission feels very cohesive and sophisticated. No, there is not the depth and persistence of a top-drawer vintage, but its noticeable complexity is a cut above.

DRINKING WINDOW 2031 - 2050

date of review 05/2025

94/100Jane Anson,Inside Bordeaux

Medium to full intensity, vibrant plum colour, this is elegant and balanced, with the same juicy orchard apple character that you find in La Chapelle, along with cloves, incense, slate, crayon and baking spice, lots of complexity and balance. The aromatics are a little subdued right now but this has ageing ability and estate signature. 5.3 press, 75% new oak, 26hl/h yield.

DRINKING WINDOW 2030 - 2042

date of review 04/2025

93-95/100Yohan Castaing,Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Notes of dark berries, spices, mulberries and discreet hints of new oak preface the 2024 La Mission Haut-Brion, a medium to full-bodied, dense and attractively seamless wine for the vintage, with a textural mid-palate that's underpinned by a firm chassis of tannins, concluding with a long, broad and rather ripe finish. Slightly austere at this stage, it is likely to flesh out with elevage, developing into a structured and serious La Mission with promising aging potential. Like its sibling Haut-Brion, the estate benefited from its intramural location in Pessac, which allowed for more complete ripening in a year that posed greater challenges for some other Pessac-Leognan properties.

DRINKING WINDOW 2027 - 2044

date of review 04/2025