Château Smith Haut Lafitte
Le Petit Haut Lafitte Red Bordeaux Blend
Pessac-Léognan, Graves, Bordeaux, France
Ripe and inky, but has juiciness. Not bad, but not my type of wine.
Ripe and inky, but has juiciness. Not bad, but not my type of wine.
Mar 2nd, 2024
Estate dates back to Crusades & Scottish navigator, George Smith, owner in the 18th century. Blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot aged in 20% new oak, deep Ruby with aromas of dark berry, herbs and earthy spice. On the palate flavors of plum, cherry & currant with notes of pepper, tobacco & cacao notes. Soft rich full tannins, long finish ending with fruit, earthy and mineral character, needs a little more time.
Estate dates back to Crusades & Scottish navigator, George Smith, owner in the 18th century. Blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot aged in 20% new oak, deep Ruby with aromas of dark berry, herbs and earthy spice. On the palate flavors of plum, cherry & currant with notes of pepper, tobacco & cacao notes. Soft rich full tannins, long finish ending with fruit, earthy and mineral character, needs a little more time.
Apr 6th, 2023Estate dates back to Crusades & Scottish navigator, George Smith, owner in the 18th century. Blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot aged in 20% new oak, deep Ruby with aromas of dark berry, herbs and earthy spice. On the palate flavors of plum, cherry & currant with notes of pepper, tobacco & cacao notes. Soft rich full tannins, long finish ending with fruit, earthy and mineral character, needs a little more time.
Estate dates back to Crusades & Scottish navigator, George Smith, owner in the 18th century. Blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot aged in 20% new oak, deep Ruby with aromas of dark berry, herbs and earthy spice. On the palate flavors of plum, cherry & currant with notes of pepper, tobacco & cacao notes. Soft rich full tannins, long finish ending with fruit, earthy and mineral character, needs a little more time.
Mar 28th, 2023
The second wine of Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, the 2016 Petit Haut Lafitte is a brilliant example of Pessac-Léognan from the favourable 2016 vintage.
Young and quite austere at this stage, it’s showy but oak-driven with a consistent profile of fresh, perfumed leather, cedar and spice. But the concentration of fruit is to be commended, as is the length of the finish.
This is a promising young Pessac, which improved with air and showed better on the second day - so I look forward to revisiting this in three to five years’ time.
92+
The second wine of Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, the 2016 Petit Haut Lafitte is a brilliant example of Pessac-Léognan from the favourable 2016 vintage.
Young and quite austere at this stage, it’s showy but oak-driven with a consistent profile of fresh, perfumed leather, cedar and spice. But the concentration of fruit is to be commended, as is the length of the finish.
This is a promising young Pessac, which improved with air and showed better on the second day - so I look forward to revisiting this in three to five years’ time.
92+
Again, not a wine that passed the drinkability test for me, but there are things that I liked about it, and some that I didn't. Right off the bat, it was way too heavy for me, both on the nose and palate. Heaps of oak aromas covering some sweet black fruits. The palate also came off as being quite sweet, almost syrupy, but here's where the balancing act comes in - just the right amount of acidity to keep it juicy. It's like biting into a very sweet, ripe, juicy plum with a peppering of cinnamon and vanilla. I enjoyed the tannins most, fine and directional, starting at the tip of the tongue, then swinging under before traveling down the inner walls of the gum. What a cool structure! And then there's the underlying minerality with air, which was pleasantly surprising. The finish took a turn for the worse - medium, rich, and oaky, yet bitter with hints of scorched earth character which I dislike. Also quite warm. Generally, more finessed than the 2011 Troplong Mondot, but less stacked and more stumbling blocks. Has potential.
Again, not a wine that passed the drinkability test for me, but there are things that I liked about it, and some that I didn't. Right off the bat, it was way too heavy for me, both on the nose and palate. Heaps of oak aromas covering some sweet black fruits. The palate also came off as being quite sweet, almost syrupy, but here's where the balancing act comes in - just the right amount of acidity to keep it juicy. It's like biting into a very sweet, ripe, juicy plum with a peppering of cinnamon and vanilla. I enjoyed the tannins most, fine and directional, starting at the tip of the tongue, then swinging under before traveling down the inner walls of the gum. What a cool structure! And then there's the underlying minerality with air, which was pleasantly surprising. The finish took a turn for the worse - medium, rich, and oaky, yet bitter with hints of scorched earth character which I dislike. Also quite warm. Generally, more finessed than the 2011 Troplong Mondot, but less stacked and more stumbling blocks. Has potential.
Apr 23rd, 2022
This was from Thanksgiving Eve. Not bad, not stellar.
***Second bottle. Demoted score. But still perhaps generous.
90 points
This was from Thanksgiving Eve. Not bad, not stellar.
***Second bottle. Demoted score. But still perhaps generous.
90 points
Estate dates back to Crusades & Scottish navigator, George Smith, owner in the 18th century. Followed by M. Duffour-Dubergier, Mayor of Bordeaux, then Louis Eschenauer, a famous wine shipper. In 1990, Daniel & Florence Cathiard now own estate. Blend of 60% Cab Sauv & 40% Merlot, dark berry aromas, herbs and earthy spice. Palate is complex with cherry & currant flavors, pepper, tobacco & cacao notes. Soft tannins, rich and full, lingering, earthy, mineral ending, needs a bit of time.
Estate dates back to Crusades & Scottish navigator, George Smith, owner in the 18th century. Followed by M. Duffour-Dubergier, Mayor of Bordeaux, then Louis Eschenauer, a famous wine shipper. In 1990, Daniel & Florence Cathiard now own estate. Blend of 60% Cab Sauv & 40% Merlot, dark berry aromas, herbs and earthy spice. Palate is complex with cherry & currant flavors, pepper, tobacco & cacao notes. Soft tannins, rich and full, lingering, earthy, mineral ending, needs a bit of time.
Jul 30th, 2019
Smoky, flinty, spicy. typical aroma of CS with slight green note
Smoky, flinty, spicy. typical aroma of CS with slight green note
Nov 11th, 2018The estate dates back to the Crusades, and Scottish navigator, George Smith, the owner in the 18th century. He was followed by M. Duffour-Dubergier, Mayor of Bordeaux, and then Louis Eschenauer, a famous wine shipper. In 1990, Daniel and Florence Cathiard now own the estate. Dark plum red with dark berry fruit aromas, herb and spice from young Cab vines. On the palate complex sweet black fruit flavors and cacao notes. Firm tannins, rich and full, lingering, mineral ending, unlike the ‘10 wait a few years.
The estate dates back to the Crusades, and Scottish navigator, George Smith, the owner in the 18th century. He was followed by M. Duffour-Dubergier, Mayor of Bordeaux, and then Louis Eschenauer, a famous wine shipper. In 1990, Daniel and Florence Cathiard now own the estate. Dark plum red with dark berry fruit aromas, herb and spice from young Cab vines. On the palate complex sweet black fruit flavors and cacao notes. Firm tannins, rich and full, lingering, mineral ending, unlike the ‘10 wait a few years.
Jan 22nd, 2018
This weekend we opened the 2020 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte. In Pessac-Léognan from Daniel & Florence Cathiard. This is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot.
On the nose is very aromatic with black cherry, blackberry, black currant, graphite, chocolate, baking spice, minerlas and dark soil.
On the palate is black cherry, nkackberry. Plum, black currant, vegetal notes, cedar, graphite and earth.
This is a full bodied wine with medium+ acidity and medium + grippy tannins moving into a long bbn kack fruit graphite soil finish. I hope everyone's weekend has been a good one. Going forward into the new week stay positive, safe and healthy. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷
This weekend we opened the 2020 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte. In Pessac-Léognan from Daniel & Florence Cathiard. This is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot.
On the nose is very aromatic with black cherry, blackberry, black currant, graphite, chocolate, baking spice, minerlas and dark soil.
On the palate is black cherry, nkackberry. Plum, black currant, vegetal notes, cedar, graphite and earth.
This is a full bodied wine with medium+ acidity and medium + grippy tannins moving into a long bbn kack fruit graphite soil finish. I hope everyone's weekend has been a good one. Going forward into the new week stay positive, safe and healthy. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷