The terroir
The terroir of Château La Mission Haut-Brion is linked profoundly to Château Haut-Brion’s and so are the histories of these two estates. Separated only by the road that goes from Pessac to Talence, in the heart of the Graves appellation, the two properties stand facing one another like twin sisters, extremely close, yet so very different.
Château La Mission Haut-Brion’s terroir
Château La Mission Haut-Brion’s vineyard stretches across land in the municipalities of both Talence and Pessac and is located just a few miles southwest of Bordeaux’s city center. It belongs to the Pessac-Léognan appellation, in the northern part of the Graves winegrowing area. The property stands opposite Château Haut-Brion and shares the same vast terrace of superb gravelly soils, ideal for cultivating vines, already referred to as “Haut-Brion” on ancient maps and deeds.
The singulary of the soils
The gravel, comprised of small pebbles formed of various types of quartz, is a key element contributing to the particularly valuable potential of Château La Mission Haut-Brion’s winegrowing soil. The gravelly soil lies upon a unique subsoil of clay, sand, limestone and shelly sand, formed at the end of the Tertiary era and then during the Quaternary era, throughout the ice age. From 20 centimetres to more than 3 metres in thickness, the gravel deposits form mounds benefiting from an excellent orientation, with slopes ensuring natural drainage, further increased by a large hydrographic network of small watercourses, such as the Peugue or the Serpent, tributaries of the Garonne.
The vineyard
The vineyard covers a total area of 29 hectares (approximately 72 acres).
Almost 25 hectares are planted with red grape varieties
(Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc)
and just over 4 hectares are devoted to white
grape varieties (Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc).
A haven of biodiversity
The protection of the environment is an ancient practice rooted in the preservation of the terroir, which has been passed down from generation to generation. This involves the respect of the soils and their characteristics, the limitation of interventions and the use of sexual confusion diffusers instead of insecticides. A gentle management of wooded areas and the plantation of hedgerows are two elements helping to reinforce biodiversity. After the pruning, the vine shoots are sorted to remove the ones that could bear diseases before being shredded and used to fertilize the soils. Every year, an inventory is made of all the species present at the property. The aim is to identify vulnerable species and adapt management measures to protect them, with spaces and resources that encourage their presence. Among these measures, a gentle management of wooded areas, the installation of bug hotels and nesting boxes, as well as the upkeep and replanting of trees, bushes and wood hedgerows, thereby making it possible to increase biodiversity. In the gardens of Château La Mission Haut-Brion, perennials which attract pollinating insects are renewed, and plants such as the buddleia (or butterfly bush), armeria, thyme or lavender, especially liked by pollinating insects such as butterflies and bees, are planted and looked after.
Soil preservation
At Château La Mission Haut-Brion, soil protection is at the core of our viticultural methods. We encourage deep rooting for the vine and maintain spontaneous plant cover as long as possible during the winter to reduce soil erosion. Mechanical interventions are restricted in their depth and frequency. Soil enricher is given annually by adding compost and this is done according to needs: each plot receives only what is strictly necessary. The compost used is produced at the property, from pruned vine shoots and after a composting cycle of eight months. In 2024, conductivity measures were carried out all over the vineyard to hone our understanding of the soils and to improve our soil map.