Pauillac Fifth Growth with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, organic and biodynamic certified, making a grand vin aged in oak.
The producer
Château Haut-Bages-Libéral is a Fifth Growth in the Pauillac appellation of Bordeaux, with 30 hectares under vine and a standard blend of approximately 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. Claire Villars-Lurton owns the estate. Grapes are hand harvested and fermented in temperature controlled steel tanks, while the grand vin ages 16 months with 40% in new oak barrels. The estate holds organic and biodynamic certification and is a pioneer in regenerative agriculture in Pauillac.
Known for
Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
Notable facts
Château Haut-Bages-Libéral is a Fifth Growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Wine Classification.
The estate has 30 hectares under vine.
The standard blend is approximately 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot.
The estate received organic and biodynamic certification.
The story
The Twenty-Four-Year-Old Takes Over
Bernadette Villars acquired Haut-Bages-Libéral for the Merlaut family in 1983 and set about restoring the estate's standing after years of uneven performance under négociant ownership. By the early 1990s the work was beginning to show in the bottle. In August 1992, while climbing in the Pyrenees, Bernadette died in an accident. Her daughter Claire was twenty-four years old. She took over management not just of Haut-Bages-Libéral but of the entire Merlaut family portfolio: Château Ferrière in Margaux and Château Chasse-Spleen in Moulis alongside it. Over the next decade she rebuilt the estate's technical foundations, and in 2003 completed a full renovation of the fermentation cellars that allowed her to vinify individual parcels separately for the first time. The work was finished in time for the 2003 vintage, one of the hottest harvests Bordeaux had recorded in more than half a century.
From the atlas
Château Haut-Bages-Libéral
Pauillac classified growth estate making Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot red wine under organic and biodynamic certification.
At A Glance
Classification
Fifth Growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Wine Classification
Appellation
Pauillac, Bordeaux
Vineyard area
30 hectares under vine
Main grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
Owner
Claire Villars-Lurton
Farming
Organic and biodynamic certification
The Producer
Claire Villars-Lurton owns Château Haut-Bages-Libéral. Thomas Bontemps is Technical Director, Bruno Ferragu is Cellar Master, and Jean-Luc Mouillac is Vineyard Manager. The estate is a Fifth Growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Wine Classification, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot at the centre of its red wines.
Place
The estate sits in the Pauillac appellation of Bordeaux. Pauillac is one of the Left Bank appellations, and the château is positioned on the hills of Bages, a tiny area between Pauillac and St. Julien.
Wines
The estate's grand vin uses approximately 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. The grapes are hand harvested and fermented in temperature controlled steel tanks. The grand vin is aged for 16 months, with 40% of the ageing carried out in new oak barrels.
In The Glass
The listed vintage shows velvety tannins and an unctuous body. Its fruit profile centres on dark currants, blackberries and cherry, followed by tobacco, cedar and herbs. The 2022 vintage shows fresh, mint accented currants, marine influences and chocolate complexities.
A Bottle To Understand It
Château Haut-Bages Libéral 2021 is the named red wine in the range. It is the estate's grand vin, and its label carries the Haut-Médoc appellation while the château itself is in Pauillac.
Final Word
The château takes its name from the Libéral family, who settled on the estate in the 1700s.