La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion 2018 is the second wine of Château La Mission Haut-Brion in Pessac-Léognan, drawn from the same estate vineyards and positioned as an earlier-window expression of the terroir. In 2018, critics broadly agree it punches above “second wine” expectations, with several excellent reviews clustered in the low-to-mid 90s.

At the top end, James Suckling awards an excellent 94 points, highlighting “purity of blueberry, blackcurrant and chocolate,” plus a distinctly savory edge of “shell and iodine.” He calls it “full-bodied, chewy and structured,” adding that it “needs four or five years to soften,” recommending drinking “after 2025.” Jeff Leve (The Wine Cellar Insider) also gives an excellent 94, describing a wine that is “full-bodied, rich, deep and concentrated,” layering “smoke, tobacco, dark cocoa, espresso and forest leaf” over ripe fruit. He sums up the vintage with a clear headline: “One of the best vintages for La Chapelle… It is difficult to believe that this is a second wine!”

Jeb Dunnuck matches that excellent 94-point level, praising “classic elegance” and aromatic detail—“black raspberries, mulberries, damp earth, graphite, truffle, and espresso roast”—with a palate he calls “light on its feet” despite “plenty of concentration” and “serious length.”

Wine Spectator (93 points) emphasizes polish and sweep, citing “steeped red and black currant and mulled plum” with “black tea, savory and tar notes” on a “long, suave” finish, and suggests “Best from 2022 through 2034.”

Two 92-point reviews reinforce the style and balance. Decanter calls it “luxurious and silky… easy to love,” noting a fresh-fruited profile and stating “3.96pH.” Lisa Perrotti-Brown for Wine Advocate reports the blend as 51.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40.8% Merlot, and 7.6% Cabernet Franc, concluding it finishes “long and spicy” with “lovely freshness and ripe, rounded tannins.”