La Chapelle de La Mission 2017

This features good ripeness and is relatively forward in feel, with mulled plum and blackberry notes, laced with cocoa and warm licorice elements. A roasted mesquite accent fills in on the finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2028. 3,600 cases made.

This is a lovely, fragrant wine, less dense and concentrated than the last two vintages but extremely accomplished. It has beautiful aromatics, gorgeous red fruits and an overall feeling of brightness and cohesion. It’s fresh, succulent and easy to recommend. Frost only affected 0.3% of the vineyard area, leading to yields of almost 50hl/ha across the two estates in 2017. It was the third earliest harvest on record at Haut-Brion, commencing on 24 August for the whites and 31 August for the reds, with the only real difficulty to overcome being the low levels of sunshine over the summer. 22% of production went into this wine.

Lots of crushed berries and violets with sandalwood on the nose. Some herbs. Full-bodied with a firm, chewy texture. Slightly austere tannins. Long and chewy. Needs time to soften. Better after 2022.

49.2% Merlot, 8.9% Cabernet Franc, 41.9% Cabernet Sauvignon, harvested 4–29 September. Deepest healthy crimson. Very fine graphite nose over scented – violets? – black fruit. Super-creamy richness, moderate intensity but real precision. Bright, juicy and with great purity of fruit, lingering and full-fruited finish with moderated tannins. Mouth-watering freshness. (JH)

The 2017 La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion offers crunchy blackberry on the nose, better defined than I found it out of barrel. The palate is fresh and crisp on the entry thanks to a fine thread of acidity, with subtle tertiary notes infusing the black fruit, laced with veins of black olive and a discreet, marine-like note on the finish. Enjoy over the next decade.

Dark ruby garnet, purple reflections, subtle edge brightening, delicate herbal-spicy nougat touch, ripe plums, black cherry fruit, mineral touch. Medium body, juicy, fresh structure, dark berry fruit on the finish, lemony aftertaste.

Plenty of tobacco, chocolate, and leafy herbs notes emerge from the 2017 La Chapelle De La Mission Haut-Brion, a classic 2017 with a more medium-bodied style and bright, juicy, elegant texture. With plenty of red currants and assorted darker fruits, it's already delicious, yet I suspect it will benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and keep for 15 years or more.

49.2% Merlot, 41.9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.9% Cabernet Franc. Garnet ruby with a lightening rim. Airy bouquet of pomegranate, licorice, and red currants. On the second nose, a touch of cedar and lactic notes. On the palate, elegant, with a creamy texture and caressing tannins. In the filigree finish, it comes back with a burst of fruit. 17.5/20

Kunz barrel sample 18: (49.2% Merlot, 8.9% Cabernet Franc, 41.9% Cabernet Sauvignon) Floral, silky, powerful bouquet, black cherries, plums, currants, graphite, cedar. Medium-bodied, aromatic palate with delicate fruit, fine sandy tannins, spicy aromatics, finely muscular structure, aromatic finish.

The 2017 La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion is a blend of 49.2% Merlot, 41.9% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8.9% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet in color, it is a little closed to begin, soon emerging from the glass with glimpses of crushed red and black cherries, mulberries, and redcurrant jelly, plus suggestions of rosehip tea, underbrush, and dusty soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is light on its feet and refreshing, delivering beautifully ripe, silt-like tannins and a long, mineral-laced finish.

La Chapelle 2017 focuses on beautiful freshness, with a generous palate that is also highly digestible and sapid

Fruity bouquet with good intensity. Pleasant freshness, with notes of red berries and cherries. On the palate, the wine is tasty, compact, and well supported by its structure. The tannins are still somewhat angular, but they are of good quality and will carry the wine for a few years—at least! A great success.

The nose is elegant, flattering/aromatic, indulgent, and offers subtle power along with a lovely fine grain. It reveals notes of ripe blackcurrant, ripe strawberry and, more discreetly, a racy minerality (gravel), ripe blackberry, together with fine touches of licorice, fleshy red berries, caramelization, toasted notes, a discreet hint of green pepper, as well as an imperceptible hint of almond, tea and cocoa (in the background). The palate is fruity, balanced, and offers a mineral/tangy backbone, tension, straightness, energy, lovely freshness/delicacy, precision, roundness/smoothness, and finesse. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of juicy/ripe blackcurrant, juicy/ripe strawberry and, more subtly, juicy/ripe blackberry, combined with touches of graphite/racy minerality, raspberry, caramelization, as well as hints of cocoa/roasting and an imperceptible hint of cornflower. The tannins are elegant. Good length.

Dark, intense, and youthful color. A very beautiful, distinguished, and fresh nose, with a hint of blackberry jelly. A palate that is so delightfully pleasing and fragrant, with a tender body and a caressing texture. It’s unspittable!

(49.2% Merlot, 8.9% Cabernet Franc, 41.9% Cabernet Sauvignon) Floral, silky, powerful bouquet, black cherries, plums, currants, graphite, cedar. Medium-bodied, aromatic palate with delicate fruit, fine sandy tannins, spicy aromatics, finely muscled structure, aromatic finish. 17/20 2023 - 2036

92–94. Barrel Sample. Tempting ripe fruit, juicy with black currants and intense acidity keeps this wine fresh but well structured. It is a delicious wine already with fine fruitiness and a layer of tannins at the back.