Chateau Haut Bages Liberal 2015, Pauillac (1x75cl)

Chteau Haut-Bages Libral is a Bordeaux producer in the Pauillac appellation, and one of the 18 estates deemed a Fifth Growth in the 1855 classification of the Mdoc and Graves. It makes Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant red wine of the same name.Its name references the site of the chteau on top of the small Bages plateau that falls between the communes Pauillac and Saint-Julien. It is also named for the Libral family, multi-generational ngociants who owned the property in the 18th Century, and helped establish the reputation that made it a classed growth.For a number of years the wines were made at neighboring Chteau Pontet-Canet when both properties were owned by the Cruse family. In 1982 the Cruse family sold Libral to Jacques Merlaut who was the head of the Taillan Group. Taillan owns several other Bordeaux estates, which are run by members of the Merlaut family, notably Chteau Chasse-Spleen and Chteau Ferrire. Merlaut’s granddaughter Claire Villars-Lurton now manages both Ferrire and Haut-Bages Libral.The modern estate is 30 hectares (74 acres), planted roughly with 70 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 30 percent Merlot. Besides its grand vin, Libral makes a second wine from its younger fruit and which is bottled under various labels such as La Chapelle de Bages and La Fleur de Haut-Bages Libral. The second wine varies by vintage, but can have a higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in its blend compared to the grand vin.