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Wine Description
The Story
La Mission Haut Brion is situated in Bordeaux' southern suburb, Talence. From 1919 and until 1983, it was Woltner family, who had owned this property. Under Woltner's reign, La Mission Haut Brion experienced one of its greatest period with string of fine vintages and was considered then as fully on the level with First Growths and sometimes even better than these. In 1983, owners of Haut Brion purchased La Mission Haut Brion and today its Jean Philippe Delmas, who's responsible for this property.
La Mission-Haut-Brion's vineyards (Cabernet Sauvignon 48%, Merlot 45%, Cabernet Franc 7%) lie on a large (up to 18 metres deep in places) gravel bank interspersed with clay. The wine is fermented in temperature-controlled, stainless steel vats and then matured in oak barriques (100% new) for 18 months. The wines of La Mission Haut Brion are rich, oaky and powerful and need at least 10 years of bottle ageing before they should be broached.
Wine Information
Both winter and spring this year were characterized by mild and humid conditions, particularly conducive to the spread of certain vine ailments. Never have the tractors worked more diligently to protect the vines and their fruit. Never has such a great deal of manual labour been necessary to carry out canopy management tasks not feasible using machines when only the best possible results will do: early removal of leaves from late June on the east (morning sun) side, carefully executed thinning of laterals and shoots to lighten the burden on the vine, but also to distribute the remaining clusters for better aeration, and a later, meticulous removal of further leaves so as not to damage the berries on the west (afternoon sun) side.
Fair weather during the month of September permitted an unhurried harvest season, involving the participation of no fewer than 200 people to accomplish the crucial and exacting sorting process. The 2007 vintage will therefore serve as a benchmark to assess progress made in Bordeaux winegrowing practices.