La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion 2020

La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion is the second wine of Château La Mission Haut-Brion, one of the historic Grand Cru Classé estates of Pessac-Léognan. The property was founded in the 16th century and was later run by the Lazarist priests, whose chapel, built in 1698, gives the wine its name. La Mission’s 29-hectare vineyard sits on the gravel terraces of Talence and Pessac, with quartz-rich gravel over a subsoil of clay, sand, limestone and faluns, or shelly limestone. These free-draining soils are particularly well suited to Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2020 season began mild and wet before a very hot, dry summer, with three heatwaves from mid-June to mid-August. Rain from 11 August helped complete ripening, and the red grapes were harvested in excellent condition between 7 and 29 September.

The 2020 La Chapelle is unusually Cabernet-led, with 55.3% Cabernet Sauvignon and 44.7% Merlot. Produced from the estate's younger vines and made with the same attention to selection as the grand vin, it was matured in French oak with 30.1% new barrels. The wine combines blackberry, blackcurrant and raspberry with cedar, dark chocolate, spice, graphite and a subtle gravelly mineral character. On the palate it is full and fleshy, with ripe, juicy tannins, integrated freshness and a concentrated but balanced finish. James Suckling awarded 96 points, while Robert Parker's Wine Advocate gave 93 and described it as velvety, concentrated and layered. This is a particularly serious second wine, with the structure and depth of 2020 balanced by the freshness and aromatic definition associated with La Mission Haut-Brion.