Château la Mission Haut-Brion

Identity

Château La Mission Haut-Brion is a Cru Classé de Graves located in Talence. It is owned by Domaine Clarence Dillon S.A.S. Jean-Philippe Delmas manages the estate, Pascal Baratie is the vineyard manager, and Florence Forgas is the cellar master. Prince Robert de Luxembourg is the President of Domaine Clarence Dillon.

History and Philosophy

The estate traces its origins back to the 16th century, founded in 1572 by the de Lestonnac family. The year 1549 is also cited for the construction of one of its buildings. The heirs of Madame Olive de Lestonnac later donated the vineyards to the Congregation of the Mission, also known as the Vincentians or Lazarists, founded by Saint Vincent de Paul. They fostered the estate's development throughout the 17th century, and the Lazarist chapel was built in 1698.

In the 19th century, the Chiapella family took ownership. Château La Mission Haut-Brion was awarded a Gold Medal at the 1862 London Universal Exhibition. Between 1919 and 1983, the Woltner family held the property. In 1983, the estate was acquired by Domaine Clarence Dillon. In 2006, the vineyard of Château La Tour Haut-Brion was incorporated into that of Château La Mission Haut-Brion. In 2018, Domaine Clarence Dillon became a member of Primum Familiae Vini. The estate practises sustainable viticulture (agriculture raisonnée).

Appellations

Château La Mission Haut-Brion produces wines under the Pessac-Léognan appellation. Wines under the Graves and Bordeaux appellations are also mentioned.

Flagship Wines

The estate's principal red wine is Château La Mission Haut-Brion Rouge, a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The second red wine is La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion. It was previously known as Bahans Haut-Brion until 2006, when it was renamed Le Clarence de Haut-Brion before becoming La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion.

The principal white wine is Château La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc, made predominantly from Sémillon. This cuvée was formerly known as Château Laville Haut-Brion before returning to its current name in 2009—a name it had already carried between 1927 and 1930. The second white wine is La Clarté de Haut-Brion.

Winemaking and Ageing

Ageing for the red wine takes place in oak barrels, 80% of which are new, for a period of 18 to 22 months.

Practical Information

Château La Mission Haut-Brion is located at 135, avenue Jean Jaurès, 33608 Talence, France. You can contact them by telephone at +33 (0)5 56 00 29 30 or by email at info@haut-brion.com.

Visits and tastings are available by prior appointment, Monday to Thursday from 8:30 am to 11:30 am and from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm, and on Friday from 8:30 am to 11:30 am. Tours allow guests to discover the vineyard, the cloister, and the chapel. Languages spoken for visits include German, English, French, and Norwegian. The estate does not offer cellar-door sales, mail-order sales, catering, or accommodation.

Find Out More

Official estate website

The Vineyard (Terroir)

The Château La Mission Haut-Brion vineyard covers a surface area of 29.18 hectares. The soil consists of quartz gravel over a clay-sand subsoil. Planting density is 10,000 vines per hectare, with an average vine age of 35 years. Harvesting is carried out by hand.

The grape varieties for the red wines, which span 25.44 hectares, comprise 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc.

For the white wines, across 3.74 hectares, the grape varieties are 63% Sémillon and 37% Sauvignon Blanc.