Château Haut-Bages Libéral

The estate

The Libéral family bought the estate early in the 18th century and added their name to it. The Cruse family, who owned Château Pontet-Canet, held it through a replanting in the 1960s, and the Merlaut family took it on in 1982. Claire Villars-Lurton, who had joined her grandfather Jacques Merlaut in 1992, has run it since the family’s properties were shared out in 2000. Thomas Bontemps is technical director, Bruno Ferragu cellar master and Jean-Luc Mouillac vineyard manager.

The vineyard is 30 hectares in 3 parcels: half of it gravel over clay and limestone, up against Château Latour, and half deep gravel on the plateau of Bages, beside Château Pichon Baron and Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste. The planting is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. All the family’s vineyards have been farmed organically since 2012; this one was certified organic in 2019 and certified biodynamic by Demeter in 2021. The ground shows in the glass: the 2018, which I tasted in January 2025 beside the Margaux wines of the same family, had the bold, firm tannins of this corner of Pauillac where the Margaux wines were fine and silky.

The wine is raised for 16 months in 3 kinds of vessel at once: 40% new barrels, 40% barrels of 1 wine and 20% amphorae or concrete eggs. La Chapelle de Haut-Bages Libéral is the second wine. Apart from the Pauillac, the estate farms 8 hectares at Vertheuil in the Haut-Médoc, planted entirely to Merlot with more than 1,000 trees among the vines, and makes Cérès there, vinified and raised in concrete with no added sulfites.

At a glance

Appellation

Pauillac

Classification

Cinquième Cru Classé 1855

Owner

Claire Villars-Lurton, running it since 2000; the Merlaut family from 1982, the Cruse family before them

Direction

Thomas Bontemps, technical director; Bruno Ferragu, cellar master; Jean-Luc Mouillac, vineyard manager

Vineyard

30 hectares in 3 parcels, against Château Latour, Château Pichon Baron and Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

Ground

Gravel over clay and limestone; deep gravel on the plateau of Bages

Grapes

Cabernet Sauvignon 70%, Merlot 30%

Farming

Organic since 2012, certified 2019; biodynamic, Demeter certified 2021

Cellar

16 months: 40% new barrels, 40% barrels of 1 wine, 20% amphorae or concrete eggs

Wines

Château Haut-Bages Libéral; La Chapelle de Haut-Bages Libéral; Cérès, from 8 hectares at Vertheuil, sold as Haut-Médoc

Sources: G et C Lurton Estates, Château Haut-Bages Libéral · G et C Lurton Estates, biodynamics and sustainability · G et C Lurton Estates, Cérès · Guto Assumpção on Instagram, a tasting of 5 wines, January 24, 2025