Region | |
---|---|
Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pessac-Léognan |
Colour | Red |
Type | Still |
One of Bordeaux's most attractive second wines is La Chapelle de la Mission, which now incorporates most of what used to be Latour-Haut-Brion. The 2006 La Chapelle de la Mission is a soft, sexy, classic northern Graves with smoky, cedary, herb, black cherry, and black currant notes intermixed with unsmoked cigar tobacco. With medium body as well as a silky texture, it can be drunk over the next decade.
Tasted at Haut Brion. Deep black/purple hue. A rather simple nose, a little herbaceous with fragrant blueberry and black olive notes. Lacks just a little vigour. Medium-bodied, quite expressive and forward with grainy tannins, leafy, a touch of black tea. Has a rustic charm. Not a long term Chapelle Mission but well balanced with a crisp finish. Tasted April 2007.
Beautiful berry and currant character. Long and soft, with fine tannins. Very pretty fruit. Delicious. So fine, with sweet fruit on the finish. Best second wine of La Mission ever. Almost 92-94.
22 Merlot, 50 Cabernet Sauvignon, 28 Cabernet Franc.
Mid crimson with a broad paleish rim. Firm, rigorous nose - smells very Cabernet to me but I am always being bamboozled by cépages at Haut-Brion. Reasonably round but not very dense and quite a bit of acidity - on the basis of this wine I’d guess much more La Tour Haut-Brion went into the grand vin than into the Chapelle. Very definitely second wine style. Fine tannins though.
Red-ruby. Classic aromas of plum, raspberry, tobacco, smoke and warm stones. Sweet, lush and generous but with the brightness of the vintage. In an essentially easygoing style. Finishes broad and soft, with plenty of ripe, mouthcoating tannins and noteworthy persistence.
With the elimination of La Tour-Haut-Brion from the Dillon estate’s portfolio, the production of La Mission’s second wine, La Chapelle de la Mission, has dramatically increased to 4,000 cases. I rated the 2006 La Chapelle de la Mission.