Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal 5eme Cru Classe, Pauillac 2020

The 2020 Haut-Bages Libéral is exceptionally beautiful and vivid. Hard candy, kirsch, rose petal, cinnamon and blood orange are some of the many notes that race across the palate. A wine of magnificent purity and silkiness, the Haut-Bages Libéral is simply captivating in its intensity. Bright acids punctuate the articulate, persistent finish. Magnificent.

It's full and layered with chewy tannins that are plush and pure.

The 2020 Haut-Bages Libéral was 20% aged in a mixture of concrete eggs and amphora. Blackberry, raspberry coulis and light orange pith scents on the nose, with hints of star anis emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, fine acidity, quite strict on the entry with a fine salinity towards the finish. Good length. This is one of the finest wines from this Pauillac estate in recent years and might well provide outstanding value.

A ton of blackcurrant and blackberry fruit, chewy and concentrated, cassis fruit pastilles give a sweet but well textured feel, and a shot of acidity picks everything up on the finish. A yield of 44hl/had. They have limestone and clay soils here, atypical for Pauillac but they help in such a dry summer. Ageing takes place in 40% new oak, 40% one year oak and 20% in amphoras jarre de limoges concrete eggs). 3.59pH, because of the limestone.

Drink 2025 - 2038.