Château Mission Haut-Brion 2009

Château La Mission Haut-Brion 2009 — Pessac-Léognan

This Château La Mission Haut-Brion 2009 is one of the great modern monuments of Pessac-Léognan. From a sunny, opulent and remarkably complete vintage, it combines the power of the Graves with a sumptuous texture: ripe cassis, black cherry, black fruits, liquid liquorice, chocolate, tobacco, graphite, truffle, warm earth, exotic spices and a finish of impressive length.

Château La Mission Haut-Brion shares with Haut-Brion the great gravel terrace of the historic Talence and Pessac sector. Classified as a Graves Classified Growth, the estate produces a deep, dense and powerful red wine, often more fleshy and immediate than its illustrious neighbour, while retaining great nobility of terroir. The 2009 is a major success: rich, voluptuous and concentrated, yet carried by freshness and precision that balance its power.

Terroir: deep Haut-Brion gravel, clay, sand and limestone

The vineyard of Château La Mission Haut-Brion lies at the heart of Pessac-Léognan, on the great Haut-Brion gravel terrace. The soils are composed of deep gravel, including quartzites, resting on layers of clay, sand and limestone. This structure ensures excellent drainage while allowing the vine to retain enough water reserve during warm vintages.

La Mission Haut-Brion also benefits from a historic position between the Peugue and Ars streams, which contribute to the vineyard’s hydric balance. In the 2009, this terroir translates into a combination of ripeness, freshness and depth: ripe black fruits, cassis, cherry, graphite, tobacco, warm earth, truffle, light smoke and velvety tannins. The gravelly soil brings tension and persistence, while the ripeness of the vintage adds breadth and sensuality.

Tasting notes

Appearance: deep garnet with ruby and purple reflections, dense, bright and still very sustained. Despite the evolution of the vintage, the colour retains an impression of youth, concentration and great depth.

Nose: intense, opulent and complex, with ripe cassis, black cherry, blackberry, black fruits, liquid liquorice, chocolate, espresso, tobacco, cigar box, graphite and truffled earth. With aeration, nuances of sandalwood, lilac, woodland berries, exotic spices, sweet smoke, fine leather and warm earth deepen the aromatic profile.

Palate: full, rich, velvety and highly concentrated, with a broad yet perfectly balanced substance. The tannins are abundant, enveloping and silky, supporting deep black fruit and freshness that prevents any heaviness. The finish is long, powerful, fresh and harmonious, with cassis, black cherry, liquorice, graphite, tobacco, spices and a very persistent Graves minerality.

Expression of the 2009 vintage

The 2009 vintage in Bordeaux is marked by ripeness, richness and great generosity of fruit. At La Mission Haut-Brion, the year gives a particularly voluptuous, dense and seductive wine, often placed among the estate’s greatest successes for its combination of concentration, class, power and freshness. The blend brings together Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc in a very complete balance, with an expression that is both solar and controlled.

Today, Château La Mission Haut-Brion 2009 is beginning to enter a highly seductive phase, yet it retains significant structure and considerable ageing potential. It can be enjoyed after careful opening and measured aeration, while continuing to gain complexity: truffle, fine leather, tobacco, smoke, forest floor, melted spices, graphite and tertiary depth should gradually join the intensity of the black fruit.