Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc

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In the glass

Aroma: ripe peach, honeyed lime, sappy herbs, chalk, white flowers

Palate: white peach, mineral salinity, grapefruit zest, lanolin, toasted hazelnuts

Originally sold as Laville Haut-Brion until 2009, this is among the most complex dry whites of Bordeaux. Semillon richness and Sauvignon Blanc freshness fuse with 100% new oak to produce a wine of extraordinary mineral precision and creamy depth.

What it pairs with

• Grilled Dover sole with lemon butter Delicate white fish and citrus butter find partners in the wine's limey freshness and creamy mineral texture.More wines for fish →
• Scallops with cauliflower cream Sweet scallop and the nutty sweetness of cauliflower resonate with the wine's hazelnut and peach notes.More wines for scallops →
• Poulet de Bresse roasted with cream and tarragon Cream sauce and herbal tarragon complement the wine's lanolin texture and sappy herb character.More wines for chicken and white meat →
• Soft-shell crab tempura The wine's high acidity and citrus notes cut through the oil of tempura while sweet crab flesh mirrors stone-fruit richness.More wines for crab →

With cheese

Ossau-Iraty Our pick These Semillon-led Graves whites are full-bodied, high in acidity and barrel-fermented in new oak. La Mission's palate lists toasted hazelnuts, which echo the hazelnut INAO finds in the cheese. Its syndicate suggests full-bodied whites, naming Jurançon.

How to serve Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc

Allow 35 minutes from open to pour.

1. Open and decant. Open 30 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
2. Serve at 10-12°C. Cellar temperature (10-12°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
3. Glassware. Use a medium-sized white-wine glass. The bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
4. Pair with. Grilled Dover sole with lemon butter, Scallops with cauliflower cream, Poulet de Bresse roasted with cream and tarragon. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.

History

Produced at the estate since 1927 under the name Laville Haut-Brion (named after a small adjacent property), the white wine was renamed Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc from the 2009 vintage onward when the Laville name was retired. Annual production is under 1,000 cases, making it one of the rarest Graves whites in existence.

1. 1927White wine first produced at the estate, sold as Laville Haut-Brion
2. 2009Renamed Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc; Laville Haut-Brion name retired

Facts

Producer

Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion · visiting guide

Grapes

Semillon (65%), Sauvignon Blanc (35%)

Classification

Cru Classe de Graves (white); Pessac-Leognan AOC

Oak

100% new French oak; barrel-fermented; 13 to 16 months aging; no malolactic fermentation

ABV

14.0%

Production

9,600 bottles

Price

EUR 550-750 at retail

Drinking window

5-20 from vintage

First vintage

1927

Frequently asked about Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc

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