Solid, with dark plum and currant fruit forming the core, while tobacco and iron accents add bass and cut through the finish. Has the fresh cut of the vintage. (Barrel Tasting)

Fresh and juicy, this wine is quite a change in style for this estate. The wine's fine tannins are impressive, giving richness as well as succulence. Drink from 2023.

The 2017 Haut-Bages Libéral is dense, powerful and quite rich. Red cherry, blood orange, pomegranate and spice all build in the glass. The 2017 boasts quite a bit of density and concentration but perhaps a bit less nuance. It remains to be seen whether the 2017 will accrue more finesse as the new oak (45%) integrates over time.