Chateau Haut Bages Liberal 2015, Pauillac Grand Cru Classe

Description

Chateau Haut Bages Liberal 2015, Pauillac Grand Cru Classe

AT THE ORIGINS

The LIBERAL family had run the estate since the early XVIII th century. Then as wine brokers from father to son, they would sell most of the crops to the Netherlands and Belgium. Thanks to their name being next to that of the place, they were often invited to sit at the round tables of the political parties by the same name all over the world.

As time passed, those fine connoisseurs of wine collected the best soils of the Pauillac area. That is why half of the vineyard of this 1855 fifth classified growth is next to Château Latour and the other half is behind Château Pichon Baron, located on the higher part of the place called « Bages », a large plateau south of Pauillac.

A BEAUTIFUL VINEYARD

This beautiful vineyard found a new youth in 1960 when the Cruse family, the owner at the time of Château Pontet-Canet – also a fifth classified growth – purchased the estate and launched a vast program of replanting the vines.

But it is not until the arrival of the Villars-Merlaut family in 1982 that Château Hau-Bages Liberal came back into its former splendor. Jacques Merlaut and his family already owned Château Chasse Spleen and château La Gurgue.

At the demise of her parents, Claire Villars took over and since 2000 – when the various estates were shared among the members of the family – she has fully been in charge of the estate as well as Château Ferrière and Château La Gurgue.

Characteristics of the vintage

The winter was rainy then dry. The conditions were much more favorable from April. Indeed, rising temperatures associated with water availability of the soil, had contributed to the uniformity of the bud break. Flowering was homogeneous and pretty fast. From the end of June, Summer became very hot. The water deficit and the warm temperatures allowed the skin of the grapes to thicken, to concentrate in tannins and the pips to evolve rapidly. The drought led to a very slow progression of the ripening throughout July. For cons, the heavy rains of August, helped to unblock the situation and then it was very fast and smooth. The berries could grow properly but the yield would remain low due to the drought before the veraison. It was clear that 2015 would be a great vintage. The special weather conditions were favorable to the concentration and maturation of the tannins. They are very elegant. The quality of the merlot was outstanding and the cabernet sauvignon reached a level of tannin concentration and maturity of the great vintages. The harvest began on September 17th and ended October 5, 2015.

Tasting notes

The nose is fresh, crisp and exalted aromas of small black berries. A few notes of spices and tobacco distributed in the bouquet a certain elegance. In the mouth, the attack is full and ample. The wine is precise, with firm tannins and well-proportioned acidity. The style is both gourmet and classic. The finish is long and voluminous.

Owner: Claire VILLARS LURTON
Production Manager: Thomas Bontemps
Winemaking consultant: Eric Boissenot
Surface of the vineyard: 30 hectares
Soil: Deep gravels from the Quaternary on limestone-clay substrate
Plantation: 70 % cabernet sauvignon, 30 % merlot
Average age of the vineyard: 35 years
Density: 10000 plants/ha
Yield: 800 g/plant
Growing: Organic and biodynamic farming
Harvest: Hand picking
Vinification: Traditional in stainless and concrete vats, whose volumes are proportional to the plots
Fermentation on skins: 18 to 24 days
Aging: In oak barrels during 16 months. 40% of new oak
Conservation: 7 to 30 years

Source: http://www.hautbagesliberal.com/en/