Vinous - Neal Martin (93)

The 2019 La Louvière has an impressive bouquet of blackberry, raspberry, cedar and sandalwood scents, full of gusto and fine definition. The oak here is nicely integrated. The palate is medium-bodied, crisp and taut, with fine tannins and a focused, fresh, classically styled finish that shows finesse and persistence. Superb.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (92)

The 2020 La Louvière is a gorgeous, complex wine. Sweet pipe tobacco, cedar, incense, dried herbs and gravel meld into a core of dark red berry fruit. Brambly and savory, the 2020 has a ton to offer. This mid-weight Pessac-Léognan is an absolute delight. Drink it over the next 10-15 years.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (93)

The 2019 La Marzelle is lush, forward and absolutely beautiful. Succulent red cherry, plum, spice, leather, tobacco, blood orange and espresso infuse the 2019 with notable complexity to play off its exuberant personality. This exotic, full-throttle Saint-Émilion is a real head-turner. Tasted three times.

Immerse yourself in the elegance of Mauriane 2016, a magnetically compelling and sophisticated vin de table enriched with an exquisite blend of robust Merlot and floral Cabernet Franc. The innovative winemaker, Château Mauriane, cultivated this enchanting gem in the resplendent soils of Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion, heart of Bordeaux's iconic wine country. Mauriane 2016 symbolises an exemplary show of magnificent viticulture and intensive craftsmanship - handpicked and matured for 15 months in French oak, painstakingly protecting its integrity.

With unrivalled consistency, the Mauriane 2016 imparts a peerless symphony of ripe black fruits, taut tannins, and a lingering finish echoing of sweet spices. Conceived from a vintage year renowned for its exceptional quality and climatic conditions, this wine delivers a palate teeming with focused intensity and impeccable balance. To taste Mauriane 2016 is to embrace the essence of Bordeaux itself – complex, inviting and with a vibrance that lingers long after the last sip.

The Mauriane 2017 captures the epitome of luxury, embodying the richness of France's Bordeaux region. This opulent blend from the illustrious Château Moulin Saint-Georges vineyard, under the watchful eyes of the Vauthier family for generations, is a testament to fine winemaking traditions. Mauriane 2017 is crafted using the pristine Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes, hand-harvested at optimal maturity and aged expertly in oak barrels.

The resulting confluence is a harmonious gesture towards excellence, offering a voluptuously textured palate and a bouquet brimming with dark fruit, cocoa and spice. The wine's formidable tannic structure is beautifully balanced by a burst of acidity, rendering a long, elegant finish. Mauriane 2017 is an ode to dedicated craftsmanship, honed over centennials, yielding a wine resonant with depth and character, a definitive choice for discerning enthusiasts. Immerse in the unique experience of sipping Mauriane 2017, a true depiction of Bordeaux's wine artistry.

Wine Advocate (88-90)

.

Jeb Dunnuck (91)

Ripe black cherries, blueberries, violets, and spicy wood all emerge on the nose of the 2019 La Mauriane. These carry to a plump, fruit-loaded, up-front, sexy Puisseguin that's already impossible to resist. I don't see it making old bones, but it brings beautiful up-front fruit and texture. Enjoy bottles over the coming decade.

Immerse yourself in the exquisite realm of the sublime Mission 2020. Produced in the revered vineyards of Bordeaux, France, this prodigious red blend embodies the exceptional terroir that characterises the region.

Château Mission, the esteemed producer behind the grandeur of Mission 2020, follows meticulous traditional techniques infused with modern nuances. The grapes, predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon with a hint of Merlot, were hand-harvested and fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats, followed by maturation in new French oak barrels. The merit of such exceptional craftsmanship is echoed in every sip.

The Mission 2020 astounds the palate with audacious flavours of dark fruit and opulent spices, complementing a seamlessly integrated tannic structure. Decadently full-bodied with a lingering finish, it exemplifies why Bordeaux wines remain a luminous beacon in the comprehensive world of fine wine.

Experience the enchanting allure of Mission 2020, a testament to French winemaking prowess and an impeccable choice for discerning collectors and connoisseurs alike.

Wine Advocate (90)

The 1981 exhibits a more youthful purple hue to its dark plum color than any vintage back to 1970. Somewhat narrowly constructed for a La Mission-Haut-Brion, it reveals plenty of incense, blueberry, black currant and crushed rock notes intertwined with a restrained, smoky character. The wine is medium-bodied, fresh and crisp with good concentration as well as a surprising youthfulness. However, the vintage’s deficiencies – a lack of heat and maturity – show up in the wine’s modest power and concentration. The 1981 does not possess the great richness, depth and intensity of the finest vintages, but it is still an outstanding effort that has aged extremely well. It could hold up for another two decades, but there is no point in deferring gratification.

Wine Advocate (100)

One of the great wines of the vintage, and the last produced under the ownership of the Woltner family, the 1982 La Mission Haut-Brion remains remarkably youthful, exhibiting a saturated ruby-black hue. Unfurling in the glass with rich aromas of black fruits, cigar smoke, loamy soil, black truffle, peat and pencil shavings, it’s full-bodied, broad and concentrated, with a deep core of fruit, ripe tannins and a long, expansive finish. Over the last decade, the wine has become increasingly seamless and elegant, without losing any of its vitality, and it is now clear, if it were ever in doubt, that this wine can stand alongside vintages such as 1961 and 1955 as one of the great La Mission Haut-Brions of the 20th century.

Wine Advocate (100)

One of the great wines of the vintage, and the last produced under the ownership of the Woltner family, the 1982 La Mission Haut-Brion remains remarkably youthful, exhibiting a saturated ruby-black hue. Unfurling in the glass with rich aromas of black fruits, cigar smoke, loamy soil, black truffle, peat and pencil shavings, it’s full-bodied, broad and concentrated, with a deep core of fruit, ripe tannins and a long, expansive finish. Over the last decade, the wine has become increasingly seamless and elegant, without losing any of its vitality, and it is now clear, if it were ever in doubt, that this wine can stand alongside vintages such as 1961 and 1955 as one of the great La Mission Haut-Brions of the 20th century.

The Wine Cellar Insider (100)

There are some famous wines that never live up to their reputation. That is not the case here. Explosive does not begin to express the nose, with all of its tar, smoke, cigar wrapper, pipe tobacco, dark cherries, and plums. But as good as that is, it is the richness and layers of palate-staining fruits that build, expand and resonate for 60 seconds that own the show! 60-90 minutes in the decanter is more than ample here.

Wine Advocate (96)

The 1990 La Mission Haut Brion is a wine that just gives so much pleasure that it seems almost immoral to criticize. For sure, it is not in the same league as the awe-inspiring 1989, yet it has such an engaging, quintessential La Mission bouquet full of warm gravel, chestnut, morels and bay leaf scents that you just fall instantly under its charms. It seems to just grow in the glass. The palate is beautifully balanced with great depth but is still a little grainy in texture, and I noticed how it evolved almost a Musigny-like personality with time in the glass. I suggested back in 2014 that it might improve with continued bottle age. Perhaps now I believe that it has reached the top of its plateau, yet the substance and the persistence—the energy—of this Pessac-Léognan suggests that it will give 20 years of drinking pleasure. No, it's not as good as the 1989 La Mission Haut Brion, then again, few wines are. Tasted May 2017.

Jancis Robinson (18)

61% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon. Looks very much more evolved than the Bahans 1996. Great edge and evolution. Some oyster shells – certainly something edgy and marine on the nose. Fully evolved on the palate. Lovely mellifluous texture. Just gorgeous now with the fruit fully open and the tannins in retreat. A mineral edge. Not especially long or powerful but at its peak. So clean and health giving.

Jancis Robinson (18)

61% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon. Looks very much more evolved than the Bahans 1996. Great edge and evolution. Some oyster shells – certainly something edgy and marine on the nose. Fully evolved on the palate. Lovely mellifluous texture. Just gorgeous now with the fruit fully open and the tannins in retreat. A mineral edge. Not especially long or powerful but at its peak. So clean and health giving.

Jancis Robinson (18)

61% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon. Looks very much more evolved than the Bahans 1996. Great edge and evolution. Some oyster shells – certainly something edgy and marine on the nose. Fully evolved on the palate. Lovely mellifluous texture. Just gorgeous now with the fruit fully open and the tannins in retreat. A mineral edge. Not especially long or powerful but at its peak. So clean and health giving.