Today, the 2014 La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion is powerful, structured and also a touch compact, with a bit less apparent breadth than it showed from barrel. Smoke, tobacco, licorice, cedar, French oak and dark stone fruit notes struggle to fully emerge. Today the tannins are especially forbidding. There is good energy and tension in the glass. Perhaps it is the high %age of Cabernet Franc that is shutting the wine down. The 2014 is very pretty, but it is not an especially forthcoming second wine. Even so, the bright floral and red-fruit-toned notes make me think it will drink nicely for a number of years. The blend is 45 % Merlot, 31 % Cabernet Franc and 24 % Cabernet Sauvignon.

Antonio Galloni - Vinous Media (91+)