Château Haut-Bages Libéral 2011 – Pauillac 5ème Grand Cru Classé

The nose is fruity, elegant and offers a certain purity. There are notes of zan, blackcurrant, crunchy wild berries and slightly more crushed cherry combined with hints of sweet blond tobacco, saffron and a discreet hint of crushed blue berries and mocha. The palate is fruity, nicely fresh, guided and offers a fine straightness and precision. On the palate this wine expresses juicy/fresh blackberry and wild berry notes with hints of crushed/overripe red berries and fine hints of liquorice/zan, cardamom, fresh blond tobacco, crushed almond and a subtle hint of mocha/pretty little chewiness and sapidity on the finish. A wine that nicely unfolds all the complexity of its terroir (clay, then gravel and some limestone).