. PAUILLAC'S HBL 96PT BARGAIN While “value priced” and “Pauillac” are rarely used in the same sentence, the outstanding 96 pt. 2019 Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal will convert the most skeptical Bordeaux fan into a true believer, “a bold, sumptuous Pauillac with soft contours, generous fruit and tons of sheer appeal” according to Vinous critic Antonio Galloni priced under $50 and earning the #7 spot on James Suckling's Ten Best Value Buys in 2019 Bordeaux. Situated across from Chateau Latour on a gravelly rise with a view of the Gironde River, Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal dates back to the 18th century, classified as a Fifth Growth estate and located high on the Left Bank’s Bage plateau. Since acquiring the estate in 2000, winemaker Claire Villars-Lurton and her husband are credited with bringing Haut-Bages Lafitte to a new level of quality, overhauling the winemaking facility and converting vineyards to sustainable and biodynamic viticulture under the advisement of renowned consultant Eric Boissenot. Planted mainly to Cabernet Sauvignon averaging 35 years of age along with Merlot, the Chateau’s 30 hectares of vineyards are dispersed throughout the appellation, with some of their best parcels situated on the clay-limestone soils north of First Growth Latour and on the gravelly plateau between Lynch-Bages and Pichon-Baron. Fermenting the parcels in stainless and cement vats of varied sizes, Claire aged 20% of the 2019 Grand Vin in porcelain amphorae and the rest in 40% new French oak barrels for 16 months, yielding dark energetic fruit layered with muscular tannins from a vintage Bordeaux expert Jane Anson calls “impressive” promising years of longevity ahead. Described as “a terrific effort” by the Wine Advocate’s William Kelley “from an estate that deserves to be much better known,” the 96 pt. 2019 Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal offers powerful Pauillac complexity priced at a fraction of nearby Chateaux, poised to deliver decades of enjoyment, available ex-Chateau in original wooden cases of six. FEATURED WINE 96 points, James Suckling (Feb 2022) 2019 CHATEAU HAUT-BAGES LIBERAL 750ML (OWC‑6) Complex nose of blackberries, currants, oyster shells, iodine, gravel, cloves, dried leaves and bark. Medium-bodied with firm, very fine tannins. Layered and serious. Extremely long in the finish. Classic... 96 points, James Suckling (Feb 2022) Compare at: $49.99 E-Code "ESAVE": $44.88 Expires Monday, November 6, 2023. Manage my Orders   Follow on Twitter   Like on Facebook Copyright © 2023 B-21 Wine Company, All rights reserved.