Château HAUT-BAGES LIBÉRAL
5ème grand cru classé
- 2020
- Pauillac
Since 2010, Claire Villars (also at Ferrière and La Gurgue), puts back in the saddle Haut-Bages Liberal. With a qualitative terroir (adjacent to Latour), this certified organic wine since 2019 has become, for a reasonable price, the good deal of Pauillac.
The 2020 vintage in the press:
La Revue du Vin de France (September 2023): 95/100 “The vintage is in full progress, with a well-balanced wine in 2020. There's a chalky texture on the palate, an expression of the chalky soils. The wine is full-bodied, sapid, with fresh tannins that lengthen a clean finish.”
Vinous (N. Martin - December 2022): 93/100 “This is one of the best wines from this Pauillac estate in recent years, and could well be an exceptional value.”
- To keep or to drink :
- Wait 1 to 2 years
- Apogée :
- 2026-2036
- Organic certification :
- 2019
From the same producer
-
Totally surrounded by classified growths, La Gurgue enjoys a privileged terroir, and the attentive care of Mrs Villars (also owner of Ferrière, classified growth of Margaux, and Haut-Bages-Libéral, classified growth of Pauillac), voted Winemaker of the Year 2024 by La Revue du Vin de France. Certainly the best quality/price/pleasure ratio in the appellation.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Wait 3 to 5 years
- Apogée:
- 2022-2030
- Organic certification:
- 2016
-
Totally surrounded by classified growths, La Gurgue enjoys a privileged terroir, and the attentive care of Mrs Villars (also owner of Ferrière, classified growth of Margaux, and Haut-Bages-Libéral, classified growth of Pauillac), voted Winemaker of the Year 2024 by La Revue du Vin de France. Certainly the best quality/price/pleasure ratio in the appellation.
The 2021 vintage in the press:
La Revue du Vin de France (Guide 2025): 92/100 “This delicate wine includes nearly 20% Petit Verdot in its blend. It is suave on the palate, with a fine grain and subtle, well-integrated tannins, highlighted by the fine ageing, partly in ovoid concrete vats”.
Vinous (A. Galloni - December 2023): 91/100 “The 2021 La Gurgue is a bold, juicy Margaux endowed with tons of fruit presence and plenty of immediacy. Succulent dark red cherry, blood orange, spice, mint and tobacco all meld together. La gurgue is a fine choice for drinking now and over the next decade or so.”
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2022-2030
- Organic certification:
- 2016
-
A small Margaux classified growth (24 ha), Ferrière is a traditional Margaux, frank and pleasant, moderately powerful but perfectly balanced. Its capacity for ageing is undeniable. Certified organicsince 2015, Ferrière was doubly certified biodynamic in 2018, with the Biodyvin and Demeter labels. Awarded Best Winemaker of the Year 2024 by Revue du Vin de France, Claire Villars-Lurtonet has pushed her Margaux cru to the top. Bravo!
The 2021 vintage in the press:
La Revue du Vin de France (Guide 2025): 95/100 “Once again, let's salute the elegance and balance of this very digestible 2021. The wine vibrates with delicious fruit and harmony. It's already irresistible."
Vinous (A. Galloni - December 2023): 94/100 “The 2021 Ferrière is a very shy, reticent wine. It has good depth, but all its energy is presently directed inward. Blue fruit, gravel, spice, menthol, licorice and mocha open with a bit of coaxing, wine's flavor profile and overall feel. Yields were just 24 hectoliters-per-hectare.”
J.M Quarin (April 2022): 94/100 “Deep, dark purple color. Intense nose of ripe, fresh fruit. Meticulous on entry, very tasty in the middle, also very pleasant, well-constructed, the wine evolves tasty, towards a long, persistent finish, with a lovely coated tannic relief.”
More- To keep or to drink:
- Wait 1 to 2 years
- Apogée:
- 2024-2034
- Organic certification:
- 2015
-
A small Margaux classified growth (24 ha), Ferrière is a traditional Margaux, frank and pleasant, moderately powerful but perfectly balanced. Its capacity for ageing is undeniable. Certified organicsince 2015, Ferrière was doubly certified biodynamic in 2018, with the Biodyvin and Demeter labels. Awarded Best Winemaker of the Year 2024 by Revue du Vin de France, Claire Villars-Lurtonet has pushed her Margaux cru to the top. Bravo!
The 2018 vintage in the press:
La Revue du Vin de France (December 2022): 95/100 “Claire Villars-Lurton has pushed her small Margaux cru to new heights in a good decade. Château Ferrière now represents one of the best value for money in the Médoc. Whether 2018 or 2019, these are top-flight wines. We praise their elegance and the brilliance of their fruit, the result of work in the vineyard (biodynamic) and in the cellars.”
More- To keep or to drink:
- Wait 1 to 2 years
- Apogée:
- 2025-2038
- Potential alcohol:
- 14.5%
- Organic certification:
- 2015
-
A small Margaux classified growth (24 ha), Ferrière is a traditional Margaux, frank and pleasant, moderately powerful but perfectly balanced. Its capacity for ageing is undeniable. Certified organicsince 2015, Ferrière was doubly certified biodynamic in 2018, with the Biodyvin and Demeter labels. Awarded Best Winemaker of the Year 2024 by Revue du Vin de France, Claire Villars-Lurtonet has pushed her Margaux cru to the top. Bravo!
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2024-2034
- Organic certification:
- 2015
-
In organic conversion from 2013, Durfort-Vivens was one of the very first classified growths in the Médoc to claim and display organic certification from 2016. M. Bettane is one of its most fervent defenders: "the quality/price ratio remains absolutely unique at this level of quality of terroir and work.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Wait 5 to 10 years
- Apogée:
- 2028-2040
- Organic certification:
- 2016
-
In organic conversion from 2013, Durfort-Vivens was one of the very first classified growths in the Médoc to claim and display organic certification from 2016. M. Bettane is one of its most fervent defenders: "the quality/price ratio remains absolutely unique at this level of quality of terroir and work.
The 2021 vintage in the press:
La Revue du Vin de France (Guide 2025): 94/100 “The great 2021 wine is heavily marked by Cabernet Sauvignon (97%). It is therefore logically rather straight and taut, but with plenty of breed and definition, with notes of red fruit, licorice and spices.”
Vinous (A. Galloni - December 2023): 95/100 “The Durfort-Vivens 2021 was magnificent, rich, dynamic and super-expressive. Above all, the 2021 is perfectly balanced. Black fruit, lavender, licorice, leather and clove burst from the glass. Today the 2021 is an infant. It needs time to shed some of its considerable tannin and for the acids to soften, although that might not ever fully happen.”
More- Organic certification:
- 2016
-
In organic conversion from 2013, Durfort-Vivens was one of the very first classified growths in the Médoc to claim and display organic certification from 2016. M. Bettane is one of its most fervent defenders: "the quality/price ratio remains absolutely unique at this level of quality of terroir and work.
The 2019 vintage in the press:
Bettane et Desseauve (Guide 2024): 99/100
More- To keep or to drink:
- Wait 1 to 2 years
- Apogée:
- 2025-2035
- Organic certification:
- 2016
-
In organic conversion from 2013, Durfort-Vivens was one of the very first classified growths in the Médoc to claim and display organic certification from 2016. M. Bettane is one of its most fervent defenders: "the quality/price ratio remains absolutely unique at this level of quality of terroir and work.
Bettane is a fan of Durfort-Vivens "the price/quality ratio remains absolutely unique at this level of quality local and work," even adding for the 2013 "magnificent texture, great nobility and aromatic sincerity, amazing length, do not miss it ! Rated 17.5/20. "
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2024-2040
- Organic certification:
- 2016
-
Since 2010, Claire Villars (also at Ferrière and La Gurgue), puts back in the saddle Haut-Bages Liberal. With a qualitative terroir (adjacent to Latour), this certified organic wine since 2019 has become, for a reasonable price, the good deal of Pauillac.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Wait 1 to 2 years
- Apogée:
- 2026-2036
- Organic certification:
- 2019
-
Since 2010, Claire Villars (also at Ferrière and La Gurgue), puts back in the saddle Haut-Bages Liberal. With a qualitative terroir (adjacent to Latour), this certified organic wine since 2019 has become, for a reasonable price, the good deal of Pauillac.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Wait 1 to 2 years
- Apogée:
- 2026-2036
- Organic certification:
- 2019
-
Since 2010, Claire Villars (also at Ferrière and La Gurgue), puts back in the saddle Haut-Bages Liberal. With a qualitative terroir (adjacent to Latour), this certified organic wine since 2019 has become, for a reasonable price, the good deal of Pauillac.
The 2019 vintage in the press:
Bettane et Desseauve (Guide 2024): 94/100
La Revue du Vin de France (September 2022): 95/100 “Following in the footsteps of its Ferrière sibling, the cru gains in refinement and depth. 2019 marks a turning point that propels it into another category. Notes of licorice, white pepper, superb softness of tannins: it's irresistible".
More- To keep or to drink:
- Wait 3 to 5 years
- Organic certification:
- 2019
-
Since 2010, Claire Villars (also at Ferrière and La Gurgue), puts back in the saddle Haut-Bages Liberal. With a qualitative terroir (adjacent to Latour), this certified organic wine since 2019 has become, for a reasonable price, the good deal of Pauillac.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Wait 1 to 2 years
- Apogée:
- 2025-2034
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
- Organic certification:
- 2019