Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc 2023 – Pessac-Léognan, BDX, France 🇫🇷

Overview
Elegant and highly energized dry white showing vivid tension and polish, driven by Sauvignon Blanc 90%, Sémillon 5% and Sauvignon Gris 5%. Bright citrus and stone fruit lead into subtle floral lift and gentle oak framing, delivering full flavor intensity without heaviness. The acidity is fully active yet beautifully controlled, giving precision, length, and clarity rather than sharpness.

Aromas & Flavors
Lemon zest, grapefruit pith, white peach, green apple, crushed stone, acacia blossom, subtle almond and light toast.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied, taut and linear with a silky mid-palate, vibrant acid spine, and a clean, saline-tinged finish that keeps everything lifted and fresh.

Food Pairings
Seared scallops, citrus-driven crudo, grilled branzino, goat cheese, herb-roasted chicken, light truffle pasta.

Verdict
A polished, terroir-driven white that balances energy and refinement effortlessly. Serious freshness without aggression, a textbook modern Pessac Blanc showing both drinkability and aging promise.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is my kind of white Bordeaux, fully alive on the palate, laser-focused acidity without fatigue, and quietly layered. — 3 days ago

David Peifer

9.2

A little citrus. A little soft sweetness of unripe stone fruit. A tad bitter grass and olive oil. Very nice. — 6 months ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

Truncated family party notes. So solid and typical and satisfying. As always. This Crozes is such a great value. Drink up. — a year ago

with Dan, Douglas and 2 others

Veronica Johnson Treco

9.0

Smooth. Very easy to drink. — a month ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Château Larrivet Haut-Brion – 2020
Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux – France 🇫🇷

Overview
This white Bordeaux is built on the classic backbone of Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and (often) a dash of Muscadelle. What makes this cuvée stand out is the use of egg-shaped concrete vats for fermentation and aging — these facilitate a gentle, natural stirring of the lees and preserve freshness without imparting oak character.

Aromas & Flavors
Tropical notes, citrus zest, white blossoms, and a soft mineral streak. The influence of the egg vats gives it a rounded texture without harsh edges.

Mouthfeel
Silky yet crisp — the texture is elegant, clean, and balanced. The finish lingers with refreshing clarity.

Food Pairing
Fantastic with seafood (oysters, scallops), grilled fish, or creamy goat cheese.

Verdict
One of my favorite Pessac-Léognan whites — this expression marries Bordeaux structure with modern winemaking finesse. Great value and beautifully made. Cheers!
📌 Did You Know?
Egg-shaped concrete vats create a “micro-vortex” during fermentation, gently stirring the wine and keeping lees suspended. That subtle movement adds texture and complexity without the overt influence of oak — a technique growing in popularity among modern Bordeaux blancs. — 4 months ago

Alessandro Dalle Carbonare

9.3

Very peculiar spectrum of aromas. Freshly cutted pineapple and pear. White peach and grapefruit. Very nice and long finish.
A bit flex on the mid palate but lingering pleasant finish — 9 months ago

jason carey DipWSET

9.4

I bought this for 40 dollars in Paris in 2004. It has survived 2 cross country moves since then. I was worried it would be dead or over the hill. The cork was crumbly. But the wine was incredibly wonderful. I have been meaning to drink this for 10 years but kept delaying. Still lots of primary fruits along with the forest and other 2ndary flavors. This is why Burgundy can be so entoxicating to people. It so often disappoints, but not this time. Too bad wines like this are now so far beyond my means or desire to pay. — 2 months ago

with Cynthia

Alvaro Bustillos

9.0

Juan c sulaiman — 4 months ago

Nagib Nasr

8.9

I expected stronger aromas and deeper flavors — 9 months ago

S.S. Mandani

9.1

Delicate dandelion wine white flowers and such flowing from the nose.

Tropical notes. Delicate and balanced. Zippy acidity but balanced nicely with flinty minerality.

Slightly underwhelming maybe based off the promise of what it could be — a year ago