Producer notes- Mission Haut-Brion's wines offer intensity, body and richness. They have exceptional ageing potential, becoming truly magnificent in the 1988 and 1989 vintages in particular. The chapel built in the 18th century by Lazarist monks gives its name to the property's second wine, made from young vines whose grapes are not used in the grand vin until they have produced at least six harvests. The La Mission Haut-Brion domaine can trace its origins back to the 16th century. The de Lestonnac family owned the domaine until the death of Olive de Lestonnac in 1664. The property was then bequeathed to the missionary community of the Lazarist monks, an order founded by St Vincent de Paul. It was seized during the French Revolution and sold at auction in 1792, passing through a number of hands until it was bought in 1919 by Frédéric Otto Woltner. This renowned wine merchant introduced ground-breaking processes for the era, such as glass-lined steel fermentation vats. When his descendants sold the property in 1983, it was immediately bought by the Dillon family, who had owned Château Haut-Brion since 1935. The two crus are produced by terroirs with different characteristics and have retained their distinctive personalities. The power of La Mission is often contrasted with the subtlety of Haut-Brion.