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| | Vintage | 2000 |  Label 1 of 256 
 | | Type | Red | | Producer | Château Haut-Bages Libéral (web) | | Variety | Red Bordeaux Blend | | Designation | n/a | | Vineyard | n/a | | Country | France | | Region | Bordeaux | | SubRegion | Médoc | | Appellation | Pauillac | | UPC Code(s) | 031259019024, 055756007506, 088156003045, 3258691164885, 3341210321385, 3453521117127, 3453521129236, 3453521219197, 3700266200691, 400002307556, 616773324542, 649944024118 |
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.3 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 290 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by drmarclevine on 4/20/2024 & rated 89 points: Decanted to remove sediment. Opened quickly with a classic Pauillac nose of cassis, cedar, cigar ash, and a pleasing vegetal funk. Not quite as engaging in the mouth, however. Red cherry, sous bois, and charcoal with a bold attack but finishing somewhat thin. Lacked stuffing. Was hoping for more. (163 views) | | | Tasted by Bordeaux_Jon on 4/4/2024 & rated 95 points: From a 375mL, this half bottle proves again the quality of the 2000 vintage for lesser Grand Crus and Cru Bourgeois. Though I prefer 2001 generally, 2000 is certainly a great and reliable vintage.
The 2000 Haut-Bages Liberal really has everything you could ask for in a aged Pauillac with red and black fruits, oak, cigar, and cedar. It drinks smooth, with resolved tannins, good concentration, and a nice finish. Dare I say I was more impressed with this wine then a recent half of 2000 Margaux, supposedly one of the wines of the vintage. This bottle delivers on what Bordeaux does best, which is to demonstrate that Cabernet is indeed the King of ageability and what rewards aging a Grand Vin can provide.
Perhaps, I just got lucky, but unlike prior tasting notes, this wine seems to have 10 more years, though I'd drink it now for my taste. (416 views) | | | Tasted by SimonG on 12/3/2023 & rated 89 points: 1/12. First look at 2000 HBL, and despite lots of suggestions on CT that its’s open and giving, this was pretty monolithic. Dense, almost impenetrable full ruby, really dense and inky in the decanter and glass. Tight nose of blackcurrant and maybe something a little more mineral. Still some tannin, but resolved enough for drinking comfortably, but the fruit dense and unyielding, profile more St Estephe than Pauillac currently. If you told me this was only five or six years old I’d believe it. Over the course of five hours in decanter and glass it opens slightly, but remains a brooding presence, if not sulking then certainly far from garrulous. That said, it does go well with a roasted rib of beef, but grudgingly so. A third poured back into the bottle and popped in the fridge to see what tomorrow brings. **(*) (1172 views) | | | Tasted by The Wine Monkeys on 11/20/2023 & rated 92 points: Slow ox for 3 hours. Firing on all cylinders. Wonderful blend of primary & secondary / young & aged, traits. Dark fruit, some leather, petrol, with nicely integrated tannins. Our opinion is it’s prime time for this HBL. (989 views) | | | Tasted by rocknroller on 10/15/2023 & rated 91 points: Monthly Tasting Group: Bordeaux 2008 and Older (BLVD Kitchen & Bar, Wayzata, MN): Tasted, no notes. Good, still pretty youthful. (1311 views) | | | Tasted by Condrieu82 on 9/30/2023 & rated 91 points: Ruby dark, some bricking. Nose is subdued, with black currants. Nice s as idity, still fresh, minerals, black currants and dark cherries with some tobacco; grippy tannins still showing youth in this wine, and nice, long ending with some oak. Very good overall, but feels this is still young (incredibly!) and somewhat tight. I will keep my two other bottles for 2-3 years. 91 now, 93 potential. (1129 views) | | | Tasted by Doctor Vyd on 9/5/2023 & rated 89 points: Deep color with no browning Nice smooth finish Toke awhile to open up Sould drink well for several more years (1207 views) | | | Tasted by Macdog on 8/17/2023: Classic claret with pleasant sweet fruit (807 views) | | | Tasted by Eclectic Palate on 8/6/2023 flawed bottle: Last bottle of a case that I got from that scumbag Jon Fox's premier cru just before it went under. All other bottles were quite good, youthful, but this bottle unfortunately had a tca taint. Be aware of this is your HBL has a premier cru import sticker. (815 views) | | | Tasted by alveoli on 8/4/2023 & rated 91 points: Dark red, light nose, classic Pauillac taste, berries, cassis, good finish (670 views) | | | Tasted by Keith Cooper on 7/5/2023 & rated 96 points: Drank over a light lunch with a wine loving friend. Opened and decanted 1 hour before drinking.
We both knew immediately that we had the timing just right for this wine, at 23 years since the vintage. Looking young and dark garnet in colour. The nose had beautiful cassis and earthiness. On the palate, it's super smooth, with lovely tannins, well balanced and very long. Drinking perfectly now and a fantastic experience to drink it. (769 views) | | | Tasted by Jmac56 on 7/3/2023 & rated 92 points: Modest leathery nose. Very well balanced, mellow with nice fruit and still vibrant tannins. Initial sip showed some age but that went away in a few minutes. Probably at a peak but many years left. (621 views) | | | Tasted by Ron Slye on 6/18/2023 & rated 92 points: At first this had all of the great notes of an aged Bordeaux Old wood, cigar box, pencil lead, and some nice if subtle red fruit. Everything I love about an old paulliac. But then slight hints of cork taint. Which just sat there all night. Not enough to hide what was underneath, but still there. I almost poured the bottle out. But kept about 3/4 bottle till the next day, and the taint was gone. So perhaps not corked? Something else that finally blew away? Either way it will make me more hesitant to immediately dump a corked wine!! (658 views) | | | Tasted by DJSeiler on 6/17/2023 & rated 89 points: These bottle have a near and dear place in my heart. When I started learning about and collecting wines, these were amongst my first quality wine to be added to the cellar. By most standards this wine is beyond its peak, but under the circumstances I’m a little forgiving. Well, for starters, the cork blew up, so I had to strain and decant the chilled bottle. Aromas a soured plums were faint as we poured this dark red juice. Sharp flavors of Meat, baseball glove and a hint of pepper were present but faint. There were still healthy tannins on this dry presentation. It still paired nicely with a plate of strong cheese and summer sausages. But, admittedly… it time to finish these. (561 views) | | | Tasted by Lma1969 on 6/3/2023 & rated 92 points: Pnp--Do not decant. It was beautiful right out of the bottle. Deep garnet color, powerful tears, rich blackberry, cassis, some cedar, quite a bit of richness and depth, it held up strongly for about 90 minutes. After that the rich black fruit faded and the menthol notes emerged. It became more vegetal. It was still wonderfully smooth and elegant but the power faded. I would recommend this with a group and give everyone a pour and enjoy. 2000 was a wonderful vintage and it was on display here. I have two more to enjoy. (669 views) | | | Tasted by dbkitc on 5/20/2023 & rated 92 points: This wine has really hit its stride. An incredible value, this Lynch Bages-like wine 🍷 s full of dark plum and cassis fruit mixed with tobacco and wet leaves. All supported by a lively acidity that just makes you want to take another sip. The finish is broad and mature - with just a touch of tannin remaining. Not complex, this is a big boy Bordeuax that pleases with its in your face goodness. Drink over the next ten years. Twenty bucks on release…are you kidding me? Have not had a more recent vintage but potentially one to look out for. (92) (799 views) | | | Tasted by Smilga on 5/1/2023 & rated 95 points: Opened and consumed amongst wonderful company on a joyous occasion, so this surely affects the rating to some degree.
On the nose, there is a whole plethora of aromas, kicking off with freshly opened cigar box, black currant shrubs and rainy forest amongst so many other layers.
The first sip showed that this bottle had a lot of fruit left, as well as lively and buzzing tannins. As the flavour developed on the palate, I found mushrooms, violettes, and aniseed in there as well.
It's always a tricky labyrinth, trying to put a score on a wine, and to be honest I'm not really sure if I could ever give such a wine a fair rating. But I do know that drinking a wine, from a time when the world was a little bit more open, a little less scary and dark, a little bit gentler and not so damn complicated, will always move me and give me a sense of sentimentality. It makes me feel so many things, apart from just aroma and taste.
And for that, I am grateful. (860 views) | | | Tasted by Vino Me on 4/19/2023 & rated 90 points: No formal notes but this faded in the glass after about an hour. Very nice when first opened though. 90 points. (943 views) | | | Tasted by BVal on 4/9/2023 & rated 91 points: Last noted 1/21; this bottle not quite as expressive.
Color: dark, dark ruby core -> dense ruby rim with a touch of garnet. Brooding, backward bouquet of cassis, plums and a little graphite. Palate follows suit with blackcurrants, blackberries, cedar and tobacco. Big and concentrated with a reasonably long and still somewhat grippy finish. This definitely still has time in hand -- in fact it seemed more backward and not quite at maturity vs. the last time tasted. Enjoy (easily) over the next 5-8 years. (845 views) | | | Tasted by stayhappy21 on 12/30/2022 & rated 88 points: Brought this to a wine dinner with my wine mates at Tasty Loong (Link Hotel). Theme of the evening: A wine to end the year with.
Decanted for an hour prior to consumption in a small decanter. Ripe, mature and well integrated. Some aged leather, ripe berries, cassis, and mocha notes. In no hurry to open or finish this wine. A good showcase of the quality and legacy of the 2000 vintage.
Do consider keeping for a few more years before opening the next bottle. (1280 views) | | | Tasted by NY Wino on 8/28/2022 & rated 90 points: Deep purple color, big nose of dark fruit and plums. The wine has good fruit, smooth tannins, nice finish with a bit of dryness. (1636 views) | | | Tasted by CreativeCPA on 5/8/2022: Deep dark foggy red with a hint on rust. Nose of stewed tomatoes, cassis, bell pepper and metal. The bell pepper got stronger on the nose and taste the longer the wine was open. The wine was very closed at first, as was expected. We decanted it 45 minutes before dinner. It continued to open up throughout the evening. My husband says crisp red fruit for flavors. Initially I got stewed fruit with metal. The bell pepper flavor came after it was open longer, and eventually dominated the palette. I also got some stewed vegetables. It is a lovely wine, well worth the wait. (1929 views) | | | Tasted by CreativeCPA on 5/8/2022: Red foggy red with hints of rust. Nose of stewed tomatoes, bell pepper, cassis and metal. The bell pepper got stronger over time. Initially more stewed tomatoes. We decanted about 45 minutes. It continued to develop over an hour+. It was very closed initially, as was expected. My husband says crisp red fruits for taste. My initial taste was stewed fruit. The bell pepper flavors got stronger the longer it was open. I also get metal with some cedar on the finish. Very enjoyable wine. Well worth the wait. (1780 views) | | | Tasted by #Cellar mistress on 4/8/2022 & rated 93 points: Fourth bottle I taste of this wine and so far pretty consistent in quality although I have found that decanting should be done just before serving to avoid too heavy emphasis on earth and beetroot on nose and palate.
Quite a lot of sediment as expected, deep dark colour with a brownish edge.
N: black currants, beetroots, earth, cedar, cream
P: as nose plus creamy black currant candy, mint, fresh acidity
Well integrated, balanced, fine grained tannins, pleasant mouthfeel and a long finish. (1916 views) | | | Tasted by gianakou on 3/23/2022 & rated 93 points: Bought this as futures for a song many years ago. A really nice example of how even relatively inexpensive (at least back then) Bordeaux from a fantastic vintage possesses the stuffing to age effortlessly for decades. This was layered and expressive, with aromas and flavors of cedar, cassis, olive, and clean earth mingling harmoniously and combining in a finish that lasted 40 seconds. Decanted one hour and improved throughout the meal. Delicious now but don't be in a hurry to drink any remaining stock -- this has a decade of evolution ahead. (1658 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Neal Martin
Vinous, Looking Backward/Looking Forward: 2000 vs 2001 Bordeaux (Sep 2021) (9/1/2021)
(Haut Bages Libéral Haut Bages Libéral Red) Subscribe to see review text. |
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| Château Haut-Bages Libéral Producer website – Read more about Chateau Haut Bages LiberalRed Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanMédoc Vins du Médoc (Conseil des Vins du Médoc) - Read More about the Medoc
VdB
The eight precisely defined appellations of the whole of the Médoc (from Blanquefort Brook to the north of the Bordeaux built-up area, almost to the Pointe de Grave) may claim the Médoc appellation. But there is also a specific territory in the north of the peninsula which produces exclusively wines with this appellation. In the great majority, the Médocs come from the north of the peninsula. The great individuality of this region is that the number of vines has increased more recently here than elsewhere, apart from a few isolated spots where vines have grown for many years. Today, the size of the small estate has brought about the development of a powerful co-operative movement. Four co-operatives out of five belong to the group called Unimédoc which ensures aging, bottling and marketing a large proportion of their wines.Pauillac Read more detailed information about Pauillac Looking full onto the river from the earliest days, with an important port activity, traces of which go back to ancient times (shipment of bronze as long ago as 2000 B.C.), Pauillac's life has always been intimately linked to the history of wine. Although port activities were at the root of its prosperity, Pauillac had to wait until the eighteenth century when Bordeaux ceased to hold its privileged position to become a wine port. The town then became the natural outlet for the wine production of neighbouring cantons before reaching its zenith in a period when the vineyards were exceptionally prosperous.
The characteristic of the Pauillac terroir is its exceptional relief: the many undulating ridges make it unique morphologically speaking. Highly favourable conditions facilitate the dissection of the layer of gravel. This thin, Garonne gravel from whose very poverty springs great richness, has an extremely effective natural drainage.
With their velvet red colour with a hint of amber, the wines from the Pauillac appellation, full-bodied and rich in tannin, are vigorous. Powerful when young, their aromas of red fruits (black-currant, raspberry) or flowers (violets, roses, irises) melt with the passing of time into a bouquet which is long in the mouth.
Rich and complex, the wines of Pauillac deserve to be laid down for a little longer.
Production conditions (Decree dated November 14, 1936)
In order to have the right to the Pauillac appellation of controlled origin, red wines must:
- come from the commune of Pauillac and from precisely defined parcels in the communes of Cissac, Saint-Julien, Saint-Estèphe and Saint-Sauveur, "excluding the parcels situated on recent alluvium and sand on impermeable subsoils",
- satisfy precise production conditions : grape-varieties (Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet-Franc, Carmenère, Merlot Noir, Petit Verdot, Cot or Malbec), minimum of sugar (178 grammes - 6.27 oz. - per litre of must) degree (an acquired 10°5) base yield (45 hectolitres per hectare). |
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