Château Haut- Bages Libéral

Pauillac 5 Grand Cru Classé

2018 Château Haut Bages Libéral 

MAY 19 Ruby. Cassis, blueberries, anise, spices, liquorice, detailed and intense, highly scented, layered. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, blueberries, spices, dark fruity, red berries, superb texture, refined, long finish. Exceptional Haut Bages Libéral. WOW. 94-96

2017 Château Haut-Bages Libéral

APR 18 Ruby. Blueberries, scented, fruity, fresh nose somewhat leaner. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, leaner but lovely balance and has a new energy to it somehow, red berries, anise, juicy. Long. 92-94

2016 Château Haut-Bages Libéral

MAY 19 Ruby. Blueberries, anise and spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruity, blueberries and cassis, some structure behind. Detailed and a lovely HBL. 94

2016 Château Haut-Bages Libéral

APR 17 Ruby. Red berries, anise, vanilla, cassis, scented nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins. Fresh, fruity, red berries, anise, elegant if leaner. One of few that disappoints somewhat in Pauillac this vintage. 90-92

2015 Château Haut- Bages Libéral

APR 16 Ruby. Scented, red berries, darker fruits nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, ripe, rounded, somewhat leaner but has something to it. 90-92

2014 Château Haut-Bages Libéral

JUN 15 Ruby. Dark fruits, floral, fairly detailed nose, lovely. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, rounded, fresh, Long. 90

2014 Château Haut-Bages Libéral

APR 15 Ruby. Scented, dark fruits, elegant nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, ripe, detailed, lovely fruit, long. 90-92

2013 Château Haut- Bages Libéral

APR 14 Bright ruby. Red berries, scented, leaner nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, lively if a bit thin and lean. Good length. 86-88

2012 Château Haut-Bages Libéral

MAR 17 Ruby. Dark fruits, some spices, floral if a bit woody at this stage. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, some herbs, leaner, bell peppers, good length. 89

2012 Château Haut-Bages Libéral

SEP 15 Ruby. Some red berries, cassis, light vanilla note nose, somewhat scented. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, somewhat rough around the edges still, give it a few more years, good length. 89

2012 Château Haut- Bages Libéral

SEP 13 Ruby. Scented, herbal notes, cassis and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, elegant, lovely and refreshing palate, long. 91

2012 Château Haut- Bages Libéral

AUG 13 Ruby. Herbs and scented nose, a bit lean. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, refreshing, elegant and easy going, good length. 89

2012 Château Haut-Bages Libéral

APR 13 Deep ruby. Fruity, cassis and scented nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, elegant and lively, good length. 88-90

2011 Château Haut- Bages Libéral

SEP 12 Deep ruby, elegant nose of cassis, and deeper notes of leather and anise. Fresh acidity, elegant tannins, again a slightly leaner body that just makes it feel even fresher, elegant and long. 90

2009 Château Haut- Bages Libéral

NOV 13 Ruby. Some herbs, cassis, vanilla and violets nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, lively, quite refreshing, lovely balance, long. 93

2009 Château Haut- Bages Libéral

SEP 10 Deep ruby, think ripe Pauillac in style, ripe, but not sweet. Very elegant structure, fresh acidity and balance, slightly short though..... expected a little bit more.... 89-91

2008 Château Haut- Bages Libéral

OCT 13 Bright ruby. Fruity, scented, elegant if a bit leanish nose, bit closed. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, playful and lively, elegant, long finish. 91

2008 Château Haut- Bages Libéral

NOV 12 Ruby. Cassis, plums, ripe feel. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, elegant and fruit driven, long. 91

2005 Château Haut- Bages Libéral

OCT 12 Deep ruby. Tobacco, cassis, minerals, pencil shave and some bell peppers. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins. Refreshing palate, elegant if structured palate, long. 92

2004 Château Haut-Bages Libéral

OCT 16 Ruby. Scented, some figs, cassis, blueberries, light anise and spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, blueberries and cassis, elegant and maturing. 90

2004 Château Haut- Bages Libéral

SEP 15 Ruby. Cassis, light vanilla note nose, fresh and fruity, youthful still. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, ripe, quite elegant, long. Can last twenty years more easily. 90

2004 Château Haut- Bages Libéral

DEC 11 Ruby, cassis, some leather, touch of led pencil and tobacco. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, somewhat lean style, refreshing, good length. 90

2004 Château Haut Bages Libéral

APR 09 Ruby. Cassis, blueberries, scented, fresh and elegant nose, some vanilla and spices behind. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, anise, dark berries and spices, long. 91

1999 Château Haut Bages Libéral

NOV 15 Ruby. Musty, earthy, dark berries, unclean nose. Drying palate. Oxidised.

1999 Château Haut- Bages Libéral

DEC 13 Ruby. Starting cedar, cassis, some leather, fairly detailed and classic Pauillac with just starting maturity. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, ever so slightly sour touch just to make it more easy to enjoy, fairly rounded, vanilla flavor but not oaky with a few hours of air. Long, but when it goes, it goes quickly.  can easily be kept another five to ten years. 90

1999 Château Haut- Bages Libéral

JUL 08 Ruby. Leather, tobacco, cassis, vanilla and some herbal notes nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, intense, cassis palate but somewhat leaner finish, long. 91

1998 Château Haut Bages Libéral

APR 09 Ruby. Cassis, anise, red berries, some vanilla, elegantly scented nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise and spices, bit leaner finish, long. 90

1990 Château Haut Bages Libéral

JAN 18 Ruby, brick rim. Scented, figs, dates, tobacco, some cedar, cassis and leather nose, cigars. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, cassis, figs, dates, fresh, bit leaner and not the longest but charming and quite mature at this stage. Archetypal Pauillac. Long. 93

1985 Chateau Haut- Bages Libéral

JAN 10 Ruby with thin orange rim. Some cheese and prunes, ok acidity and tannins gone, ok structure but not much happening. Likely to be bad storage. 83

1985 Château Haut Bages Libéral 

FEB 09 Ruby with orange rim. Figs, prunes, anise and cherries nose. Light cedar note behind. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, soft textured, almost silky, figs, dates, bit sweet and sour, quite charming. 89