Professional reviews
Robert Parker (96)
The La Mission Haut-Brion 2019 Blanc is composed of 69.9% Semillon and 30.1% Sauvignon Blanc, harvested from the 30th of August until the 10th of September. The estimated label alcohol degree is 14%. Notions of freshly squeezed limes, grapefruit juice and white peaches come wafting out of the glass followed by suggestions of yuzu zest, coriander seed, underripe pineapple, wet pebbles and green mango with a touch of fennel. The medium to full-bodied palate offers layer upon layer of citrus fruits and mineral accents wrapped in a beautiful satiny texture and featuring seamless freshness, finishing long and chalky.
James Suckling (98)
Green apple, lime, aniseed and stone. Some green mango, too. Full-to medium-bodied with a compact palate of beautiful fruit and refined phenolics that last for minutes. Creamy finish. Tight at the end. Needs four or five years to open.
Jancis Robinson (17.50)
69.9% Sémillon, 30.1% Sauvignon (Blanc and Gris). Barrel sample.
Returns (after 2018) to a more classic, Sémillon-dominated style. Lovely density and depth. Loads of fruit but all tucked away. Distinguished citrus, pear and floral aromas with a honeyed note as the wine opens. Same flavours but even more intensity. Generous fruit weight but balanced, the finish persistent, defined by a minerally edge. (JL)
Vinous (96)
The 2019 La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc has a very Sémillon-driven bouquet that virtually crowds out the Sauvignon Blanc, offering dried honey, peach skin, Conference pear and a touch of spice. The palate is very well balanced with more complexity compared to the Haut-Brion Blanc. This has a fine bead of acidity, and plenty of dry extract on the finish that distinguishes it from its counterpart. Superb, but it will need time.
Jeb Dunnuck (98)
Much more Semillon-based compared to its stablemate, the Haut-Brion Blanc, the 2019 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc is 70% Semillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc. It's a much more subdued, classic Semillon, offering ripe peach, honeyed lime, sappy herbs, and chalky mineral nuances that show even more on the palate. Rich, layered, and medium to full-bodied, it's another blockbuster of a white from this estate that has everything you could want from a Bordeaux Blanc. It opens up beautifully with time in the glass, is flawlessly balanced, and just a thrill a second. It should evolve for 20-30 years as well.
