Aromatically explosive and nuanced, the 2023 La Mission Haut-Brion is magnificent. It's silky, nuanced and exceptionally polished. I underestimated it from barrel. The blend includes 17% Cabernet Franc, among the highest ever here, and that comes through in the wine's explosiveness. The 2023 has come along beautifully over the last few years. What a fabulous surprise.

Surpassing the expectations formed at the en primeur stage, the 2023 La Mission Haut-Brion unfurls in the glass with aromas of cassis, dark berries, spices, licorice, burning embers and pencil shavings. Medium- to full-bodied, ample and velvety, it is suave and seamless, built around a perfectly controlled, dense core of fruit framed by powdery, structuring tannins and lively acidity, extending into a long, seemingly endless and ethereal finish. The blend comprises 52.7% Merlot, 29.6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17.7% Cabernet Franc.
  

Absolute classic La Mission sexiness and opulence emerge from the 2023 Château La Mission Haut-Brion, a blend of ripe red and black currants, flowery incense, spice, tobacco, and subtle smoky notes. It's medium to full-bodied, with a pure, layered, graceful mouthfeel, sweet tannins, and outstanding length. This deep, rich, multi-dimensional La Mission will shine with just 4-5 years of bottle age and cruise for 30+ years. Drink 2029-2059.

The classy mouth-feel and length to this is really gorgeous, and it seduces you with its texture of fine silk and finesse. Lasts for a long, long time. Medium body with medium, creamy and round tannins and a layered, textured finish. Shows blackcurrants, lead pencil and crushed stone at the end. 52.7% merlot, 29.6% cabernet sauvignon and 17.7% cabernet franc.

A generously scented nose, very floral and perfumed, lovely high aromatics and fully expressive. Blue fruits, red cherries and some plum. Weighty and full, this really leaves a lasting impression on the palate, juicy but not too much, a tiny hint of sourness in the back gives the zing while the structure and the tannins do most of the talking, really putting the structure at the fore with a powdery, chalkiness that lingers. It’s serious, but in no way austere. Weighty but still streamlined. Chocolate, cherry and blackcurrant, feels very calm and confident, polished and sophisticated. It’s not trying too hard and feels settled in the glass. Delicious. 3.8pH. 4.4 acidity. 80 IPT. 47% grand vin production.

Red roses, powdery chalky tannins, grip and lift, this is savoury, concentrated, full of lift and vibrancy, with layers of lush ripe red and black fruits, with the inky stamp of the Cabernet in the vintage, and the caressing tannins that La Mission does so well. Harvest started early and finished late, through to October 5.

The 2023 La Mission Haut-Brion unwinds in the glass to reveal aromas of ripe red fruits, dark wild berries, spring flowers, burning embers and lilac. Medium to full-bodied, rich and concentrated, it’s layered and textural with a dense core of fruit underpinned by youthfully firm structuring tannins. This blend of 52.7% Merlot, 29.6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17.7% Cabernet Franc its likely to become fleshier and more enveloping with barrel maturation.

The 2023 La Mission Haut-Brion was picked between September 5 until October 5 a relatively long picking at 50hL/ha. It has a wonderful bouquet with brightness and verve: very well-defined red and black fruit a little floral in style maybe not as rambunctious as recent vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with lithe tannins. A perfect line of acidity counterbalances the creamy texture turning quite plush toward the finish but it is amazingly well-focused. This is a generous La Mission Haut-Brion that will probably drink earlier than say the 2022 as winemaker Jean-Philippe Delmas agreed. It’s very fine and very delicious but I would not place it within the canon of top vintages.

52.7% Merlot, 29.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17.7% Cabernet Franc. Cask sample. Fine boned and classy but less power than some years. Floral notes and lithe fruit with fine tannins that build on the palate. Could deceive but perhaps not for the very long haul. (JL)