Château HAUT-BAGES LIBERAL 1996
Château Haut-Bages Libéral is located in Pauillac , in the Bordeaux wine region. It was classified Fifth Grand Cru Classé in the classification of 1855. The name refers to the site of the castle at the top of the small plateau of Bages which is located between the communes of Pauillac and Saint-Julien. It also bears the name of the Liberal family, merchants and wine brokers, who owned the property in the 18th century. For several years, the wines were made at neighboring Château Pontet-Canet when the two properties belonged to the Cruse family from 1960 to 1983. Château Haut-Bages Libéral was then sold to the Taillan Group run by Jacques Merlaut. Today his granddaughter, Claire Villars-Lurton , owns and manages the property. The modern estate has 30 hectares of vines and the plots are spread over several sites in Pauillac. The soils are mainly made up of deep gravel on a limestone base. A biodynamic certification was obtained in 2019.
Château Haut-Bages Libéral is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Vinification is carried out in concrete and stainless steel vats. The aging lasts about 16 months in barrels, 40% of which are new. The 1996 vintage for Bordeaux was extremely good : a mild winter and a warm spring with a month of March bringing significant heat. A hot and dry September favored the ripening of the grapes, which particularly benefited the Médoc. The harvest was a complete success. Cabernet Sauvignon, particularly from the Médoc, has produced tannic, structured, very concentrated wines that are suitable for ageing.
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot