La Mission Haut Brion, Blanc 2018

vinous93

Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni

The 2018 La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc has really come together nicely since I last tasted it. Bright and finely cut, with terrific creaminess, the 2018 is already very easy to taste, and, I imagine, drink. Lime, lemon peel, mint, white pepper and jasmine give the 2018 striking effusiveness.

vinous0

Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni

The 2018 La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc is rich, ample and expressive, with tons of Sauvignon Blanc character and the added textural richness of the vintage. Orchard fruit, white flowers, mint and white peach all meld together in a pretty, understated wine. The 2018 offers lovely aromatic brightness as well as a sense of translucence that is quite appealing. The Blanc is 57.4% Sauvignon and 42.6% Sémillon.

vinous96

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Tasted side by side, the 2018 La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc is unequivocally a few steps ahead of the 2018 Haut-Brion Blanc. I made sure to decant my bottle for three hours before penning a single note, as it always demands aeration. Slightly deeper in color, which is nothing unusual, it has a more complex bouquet of yellow fruit, peach skin, almond shavings, hazelnut and light lanolin notes, all beautifully defined. The palate is extremely well balanced with a tangy, marmalade-tinged entry, dried honey and a slight pepperiness toward the finish. Very cohesive and focused, this is a marvelous, quite cerebral La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc. Superb.

vinous95

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

The 2018 La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc, harvested from 27 August to 5 September and matured in 50% new oak. It is just the second time there has been more Sauvignon Blanc in the blend, the first time was in 2016. It has a touch more precision and penetration on the nose compared to the Haut-Brion Blanc, scents of Mirabelle, dried honey and a touch of crushed gravel. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity: attractive white peach and Nashi pear notes mixed with a hint of Panna Cotta towards the finish. Excellent.

robert_parker96

Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown

The La Mission Haut-Brion 2018 Blanc is a blend of 57.4% Sauvignon Blanc and 42.6% Sémillon. It sashays out of the glass with gregarious notes of white peaches, fresh pears and pineapple with nuances of lime blossoms, crushed rocks and sea spray, plus a waft of beeswax. The racy, medium to full-bodied palate is charged with energy, delivering vibrant citrus and tropical fruit layers with a satiny texture and fantastic length. Completely exceeding my barrel tasting expectations, this promises to be an earlier drinking style, albeit multilayered, dripping with class and, yes, it's downright sexy. Give it just a few more months in bottle and then it should offer decadent drinking for the next 15+ years.

robert_parker94

Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown

The La Mission Haut-Brion 2018 Blanc is made of 57.4% Sauvignon Blanc and 42.6% Sémillon, harvested August 27 to September 5. It reveals intense lemon curd, lime leaves, yuzu and green mango scents with hints of chalk dust, orange blossoms, pie crust and coriander seed. Medium to full-bodied, the palate explodes with vibrant citrus and tropical fruit layers, with a satiny texture and just enough freshness, finishing long and layered.