Like HAUT-BRION, and LA TOUR-HAUT-BRION this property is owned by the Domaine Clarence Dillon. La Tour-Haut-Brion used to be the second wine at La Mission but is now handled as its own separate vineyard and property. La Mission is only surpassed among Graves reds by Haut-Brion itself. This is a massive, dense and powerful red. Dark, mineral and black fruits are underpinned by cedar and oak. While the wine perhaps lacks the absolute refinement of its illustrious stablemate, it hasn’t fallen far short and is on occasion the more impressive of the two. 2006, 05, 03, 00, 98 and 95 are recent benchmarks with 2009 and 2010 showing great promise and 90, 89, 82, 78 and 75 were all of legendary quality. 2000, 2005 and 2009 are likely to be of a similar standard. The white originally produced her and labelled Laville Haut-Brion has been renamed. It is a blend of mainly Sémillon, with Sauvignon Blanc and just a hint of Muscadelle, and comes from a separate and distinct vineyard plot as does the other Dillon red La TOUR HAUT-BRION. The second red wine, La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion, is impressive in the ripest years. A second white La Clarté de Haut-Brion has not yet been tasted, this comes from fruit from both Haut-Brion and la Mission Haut-Brion.
