Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal2005

RED WINE

Characteristics of the vintage

The winter was cold and dry what did not encouraged the development of diseases. In contrast, the lack of rainfall foreshadowed a water deficit in summer. Budbursting and flowering were quick and homogeneous. The Summer was particularly hot and it rained two times less than normal. The growth was steady and early in a very healthy vineyard. These excellent ripening conditions fostered a high concentration of sugar and phenolic compounds. Despite an early water deficit, the vine was able to extract from the soil of deep gravels the water for its growth.

Tasting notes

The color is dark purple. The nose has red and black fruits with mineral and woody hints. The mouth is powerful, with a nice structure and still tannic but it starts getting supple.

Technical details

Owner: Claire Villars Lurton
Production manager: Stefano RUINI
Winemaking consultant: Michel COUASNON
Surface of vineyard: 30 hectares
Soil: Garonne gravels from the Quaternary on limestone-clay substrate Plantation: 80% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot
Density: 10,000 plants / hectare
Yield: 600 g / plant
Growing: Traditional- Integrated wine growing management
Harvest: By hand with main sorting on the plant and additional sorting on table Vinification: Traditional in stainless and concrete vats, whose volumes are proportional to plot.
Fermentation on skins: 18 to 24 days
Aging: In oak barrels during 18 months. New ones at 40%
Production: 147,000 bottles including second wine
Second wine: La Chapelle de Bages, La Fleur de Haut-Bages Liberal, Le Pauillac de Haut-Bages Liberal
Conservation: 5 to 30 years

The Chateau

The name of Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal has two roots. The LIBERAL family ran the property in the early eighteenth century. Brokers from father to son, they sold the harvest in the Netherlands and Belgium. Their name adjoining to the topographical designation, earned them to be invited worldwide to the table of political parties of the same name. Over time, these connoisseurs gathered the best soils of Pauillac. Thus, this 5th Classified Growth in 1855 now has half of its vineyards adjacent to Château Latour and the other half behind Chateau Pichon Baron, on the heights of the locality "Bages", a large plateau in the south of Pauillac. The property would regain its youth when, in 1960, the Cruse family, owner of Chateau Pontet Canet, another 5th Classified Growth in Pauillac, acquired the property. The Cruse would launch an extensive program of replanting the vineyard. However, it was in 1983 at the arrival of the Villars family that Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal really recovered its former glory. Today, the property is run by Claire VILLARS LURTON. She undertook an overhaul of the tool of winemaking and has adopted a new approach to the environment.