Critic Notes
One of the best efforts from this estate since the 1982, this wine remains fairly priced. It exhibits ripe blue and black fruits, a dense plum/purple color, good acidity buttressing a remarkably rich, fleshy, sumptuous texture, and oodles of smoky black currant and blueberry fruit. Ripe, heady and rich, this wine will probably benefit from 2-5 years of cellaring despite its precociousness and keep for two decades. Feb 2013, www.robertparker.com
Score: 92-/100Robert Parker
Well-extracted ripe cassis fruit both briary and rich, good fragrance and purity, structure and length, right up with its 5th growth peers. Drink 2017-28. Steven Spurrier, decanter.com
Score: 17-/20Decanter
Tasted at the chateau and at the UGC, cropped at 42hl/ha, the Haut-Bages-Liberal 28% Merlot and 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, this has a very well defined nose of blackberry, briary, wild hedgerow and a touch of crushed stone. With a little aeration there is a touch of oyster shell. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine, quite succulent tannins on the entry that belies the backbone underneath. Good grip, though showing more silkiness under sunny skies and high pressure the following week at the UGC. Tasted April 2011. Neal Martin erobertparker.com
Score: 90-92/100Neal Martin
The deep purple 2010 Haut-Bages-Liberal has lifted aromatics of violets, cassis, blackberries and plums, supported by ripe, delicate and beautifully restrained flavours which are fresh and lively in the mid palate. This is a classic Pauillac of great sensuality and elegance. asianpalate.com
Score: 90-91/100Jeannie Cho Lee MW
A slightly pruney nose which continues onto the palate. A real crowd pleaser but I'm concerned about its aging potential with those prune flavours.
Score: 16-/20FINE+RARE
Bright dark crimson. Quite big and sweet and ripe. A little lacking flavour and form. Goes through the motions a bit and some greenness on the end. jancisrobinson.com
Score: 16-/20Jancis Robinson
