2018 Château Haut-Bages-Libéral
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Tasting notes
Tasted blind. Bright, deep crimson. Very light nose. Then a lot of concentration on the palate though it’s a bit alcoholic and furry. Then stringy on the finish. Out of balance. (JR)
Critic scores
James Suckling
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2018 Haut-Bages Libéral is super-impressive right out of the gate. It shows all the depth and intensity I saw from barrel, with maybe a bit more tannic impact. Ripe red cherry, plum, orange peel, cedar and sweet spice all build in the glass. The 2018 is going to need a few years to come into its own, but it is a gorgeous Pauillac.
Pretty blackberries, blueberries and violets with some crushed-raspberry aromas follow through to a full body with wonderfully crafted and pure tannins that intertwine wonderfully with the blue fruit and blackberries. Long and endless. A triumph here. From biodynamically grown grapes.