Château Haut-Bages Libéral 2024

94% Cabernet in the blend, spicy and red-fruited on the nose; straight and well-structured on the palate, generous, crisp fruit, silky tannins, excellently balanced, with plenty of verve and a chalky-saline finish. A lot of Pauillac for the money.

Wonderful aromatics, dark blackcurrants and lovely floral scents. Roses, violets, bramble hedges and tobacco. Lightly framed but glossy, this has a soft presence on the palate with a great energy from start to finish. Fun, friendly, so fruity and fleshy, round and persistent with finessed edges. Salty touches on the finish add a mineral grip and bite. Stylish and very classically Pauillac. A yield of 30hl/ha. Ageing 63% in barrels, including 26% in new barrels, 37% in ovoid concrete tanks and amphorae for 12 months. 3.57pH.

94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc. 30 hl/ha. Cask sample. More Cabernet than usual. Savory tone on the nose. Attractive fruit on the attack, tension in the middle, then firmness and length on the finish. Just a slight edge of dryness as well. (JL)

Strawberries, black raspberries, currants, cocoa, and floral aromas fill the aromatic profile. The wine is medium-bodied, vibrant, and crunchy, with sweetness framed by its natural acidities, and juicy red currants on the finish. The wine blends 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. 13% ABV. 3.57 pH. Yields were 30 hectoliters per hectare. Harvest took place September 24 - October 4. Drink from 2029-2045. 91-93 Pts

A stony nose with hints of graphite, lifted by delicate floral notes (violet, dog rose). On the palate, a graceful, crystalline, striking purity of fruit conveys an impression of verticality, before the wine gains in breadth and creaminess as the tasting progresses. The tannins, delightfully chalky, stretch out on the finish, enhanced by a saline breath on the aftertaste.

Leafy and fragrant, attractive quality and you can see the careful construction, just a little tight on the finish. Never the biggest-shouldered wine in Pauillac, but it is juicy and finely boned, good qualty. 3.57 pH. Harvest 24 September to 4 October. 30 hl/ha. 40% new oak. High Cabernet Sauvignon in the vintage, up at almost 95%. 30hl/h yields,