Join us for an incredible tasting of one of the world’s greatest wines, in your own lounge anywhere in New Zealand. Bordeaux Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion was established in 1533 by Jean de Pontac. He owned the estate across the road, which became the famed 1st Growth, Chateau Haut-Brion. Over the centuries there was a fierce rivalry, with La Mission always the chief challenger to Haut-Brion itself. Then in 1983 they came back under the same ownership (a case of ‘if you can’t beat it, buy it’). Since then the two have been managed together with the same winemaking team. Unique deep gravel soils are planted with high densities of 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, producing a fuller, richer, and more flamboyant style than that of Haut-Brion. It is also one of Bordeaux’s most successful wines in poor vintages. If there was a reclassification today, they would top the list for promotion to 1st Growth. We will be tasting 6 vintages, including 3 of the greatest wines ever made at the Chateau. La Mission Haut-Brion 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2015.

Your ticket includes 50ml sample bottles of all the wines. To ensure these samples reach you in safe and optimum condition, we will be using the Coravin system to check for cork taint. The tasting bottles will then be filled under a veil of argon gas, to minimise contact with air and prevent oxidation. The team will be using applicable protective practises when preparing the samples. They will then be dispatched to you before the tasting on Thursday evening. These are designed for short term storage to get them to you for the tasting, not for keeping in your cellar. Details will be included explaining how to set up your computer / phone / iPad to join the tasting which will be conducted via Zoom.