La Chapelle de La Mission 2021

Fresh and fruity nose, quite bright and expressive with clear berry fruit aromas aligned with touches of tobacco, liquorice and dark chocolate. Smooth and succulent, instantly juicy and mouthwatering. Clean and controlled, this has good energy and focus. It’s quite tart, verging on sour, but the mineral, chalky, wet-stone grip brings it back and harmonises the finish with menthol touches and soft spiced edges. A sharp, tangy wine. High acidity but lovely and cool all the way through. Nice purity and finesse.

A crunchy and juicy red with blackberry, currant and chocolate, as well as cedar. Medium body. Refined tannins. Attractive depth of fruit to this. Drink or hold.

The 2021 La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion has an expressive bouquet, that same mélange of red and black fruit, with hints of undergrowth and potpourri emerging over time. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly edgy tannins, a fresh bead of acidity, a light sapidity and a cohesive finish. Enjoy it over the next six to ten years.

Medium-bodied, bright, crisp, almost crunchy wine with nuances of herbs, smoke, tobacco leaves, and spice that add complexity to the red and black currants on the nose and on the finish. Drink from 2025–2035.

Dark ruby core with a purple rim. Gentle herbal savouriness, tobacco, nuances of blackberries and a hint of orange zest. Juicy, fine fruit sweetness, elegant plum fruit, discreet tannins, a touch of nougat on the finish; already very open.

The 2021 La Chapelle De La Mission Haut-Brion is a gorgeous second wine that shines for its purity and finesse while still bringing plenty of fruit. Redcurrants, black raspberries, and flowers, as well as some tobacco and spice, all define the aromatics, and it's medium-bodied, has beautiful tannins, and outstanding length. I'd be thrilled to drink a bottle any time over the coming 15 years.

51% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc. Playful red-berry bouquet, delicate lilac notes, dried thyme and lingonberry juice. Mid-palate with a supple texture, ripe extract, supportive verve, subtly defined muscle and a wiry frame. Focused finish with red cherry, sandalwood, and finely sandy astringency.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (51.3% Merlot, 45.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3.5% Cabernet Franc, 13.4% abv). Fresh, silky, finely mineral bouquet with cherry, cassis, damson and flint notes. Elegant, airy palate with delicate, sweet fruit, good slightly powdery tannins, powerful aromatics, finely muscular structure and a long, fresh finish.

(51.3% Merlot, 45.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3.5% Cabernet Franc, 13.4% abv) Fresh, silky, finely mineral bouquet of cherries, cassis, damson, and flint. Elegant, fragrant palate with fine, sweet fruit, good slightly powdery tannins, bold aromatics, a finely muscular structure, and a long, fresh finish. 17/20 2027 - 2038

The best estates have really worked the aromatics during ageing, recognising that the 2021s are less concentrated at their core than many recent vintages. This is a great example, expressive and enticing, with spiced cloves and white pepper, campfire and crushed rocks, and plenty of raspberry and loganberry fruit that seem to spring back after the first sip. Yields of 48 hl/ha with no frost and very little mildew. 27% new oak.

La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion 2021 is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a little coaxing and swirling to bring out notes of fresh plums and blackberries, giving way to wafts of lavender, Sichuan pepper, and tilled soil. Medium-bodied, the palate is coated with black fruit and mineral layers, supported by grainy tannins and well-knit freshness, finishing earthy.

A gentle, harmonious nose, generous in late-summer red fruits (strawberry, raspberry), that seduces quietly, with lovely complexity from the bitterness of bramble leaf. The palate, endowed with sumptuous agility and lightness, makes the most of the vintage, with spices on a long, structured finish.

More ethereal than usual, La Chapelle de La Mission stands out for its freshness and intense fruit. At first, the wine struggles to find its footing; the tannins are fairly strict and it shows little depth. After about 10 minutes, the wine literally transforms! So much freshness and fruit, with notes of raspberries and spices. The wine gains in poise and depth. It is delicate, elegant, fresh and harmonious. Patience always pays off!

The nose is fruity and offers power, a touch of concentration, and a racy character. It reveals notes of fairly ripe wild strawberry, fresh/juicy blackcurrant, and, more subtly, graphite, combined with hints of flowers, ripe red berries, liquorice, and toasted nuances. The palate is fruity, elegant, and balanced, offering minerality, lovely freshness, fine definition, a delicate crunch, vibrant fruit-driven freshness/acidity, and energy. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy blackberry, juicy/fresh strawberry, and, more subtly, fairly ripe blackcurrant, combined with touches of cornflower, tonka bean, and nutmeg, as well as hints of graphite and a touch of caramelization. Nicely marked by fresh/pulpy red fruits. Good length. The tannins are well handled. A fine work on pleasant bitters in the background.

What a color! What a nose! Subtle, creamy, original. Tasting this wine at 9 a.m. and not being able to spit it out—that’s the rare thing. And then there’s the voluptuous mouthfeel and that very distinctive aroma that I can’t find anywhere else.

Cedar and luscious blueberries on this second-label wine. On the palate, blackberry fruits, intense acidity and a layer of firm tannins are in the background. Drink this wine from 2027.