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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 89.6 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 46 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Jeff Leve on 9/17/2018 & rated 92 points: Vanilla and orange with yellow citrus and honey on the nose, the wine is sweet, lush, fresh and vibrant, with a juicy, honeyed citrus oriented finish. From a blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon and 5% Sauvignon Gris (3541 views) | | | Tasted by Claret & CdP Gang on 4/20/2018: Kerosene nose upon opening, blew off, oily aromas, not as good as the 07 I drank in February, didn’t quite like this
NR (2981 views) | | | Tasted by Milliontown on 3/7/2018 & rated 90 points: On opening I saw threshold cork taint. It sort of blew off and nobody else saw it. A very honeyed, bigger style of Sauvignon showing more secondary characters, brioche, marzipan, oaky lactones and grassy spices. Very clean and mineral palate with enough fruit weight to balance it. Caught this bottle at a good stage I think, and I'd suggest drinking soon based off the fact that the 30-50ml left in the decanter looked tired and flabby 6-7 hours later. (3093 views) | | | Tasted by AndrewSGHall on 2/20/2018: A lot more blowsy and tropical than I expect SHL to be. That said, it has plenty of weight and acidity to carry it. Finished with some savory elements. Nicely complex and delicious. (3033 views) | | | Tasted by Jeff Leve on 10/31/2016 & rated 90 points: With a strong blast of vanilla, toast, grapefruit, lemon peel, butter and green apple, the wine has richness and concentration. Forward and developed, this is ready for prime time drinking today. (5062 views) | | | Tasted by AndyNg on 9/4/2016 & rated 51 points: At first, floral.
Citrus fruit.
Super dry, like bitter.
Pop up 45 mins
Better, more smooth to drink.
Less floral, little citrus, stone fruit.
Still dry. (2776 views) | | | Tasted by JChan on 12/27/2015 & rated 93 points: Nose of Floral taste, very aromatic. Floral and honey taste intermixed on the palate. Very good. (3128 views) | | | Tasted by Vinedict on 12/3/2015: Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc 2008: This wine is made from 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris and 5% Semillon, with an average vine age of 38 years. The grapes are pressed in whole bunches with no malolactic fermentation, and élevage in 50% new oak barrels. It is also of interest to note that the Cathiards have their own cooperage to ensure that they make the barrels to the exact desired specifications.
The wine is pale gold with a watery rim. There are prominent notes of quince, green pear and honey on the nose. The palate is refined with a nice balance of fruit and acidity. The finish is very persistent, with repetitive themes of honey and citrus zest that fades off into something more reminiscent of browned green apples. The wine feels like it is in your mouth long after you've swallowed. (3246 views) | | | Tasted by peterchoy on 6/27/2015 & rated 91 points: Appearance: Bright and clear, it has medium lemon-green color, with watery rims and legs.
Nose: Clean, with medium (+) intensity aromas of green fruit such as pear, stone fruit of peach, herbaceous notes of grass, oak notes of toast, dairy notes of butter and cream, maturity notes of hay. The wine is developing.
Palate: Dry with medium (+) acidity, the wine has medium alcohol and medium body. It has medium (+) flavors of green fruit such as pear, stone fruit of peach, oak notes of toast, dairy notes of cream and butter, herbaceous notes of grass. The wine has a medium (+) finish.
Conclusion: Very good quality Bordeaux white showing the elegance and refined characters, with clear Sauvignon Blanc notes permeating, it has a good intensity and complexity on the nose, accompanying by nice acidity and balance on the palate. The wine exhibits a beautiful oak and fruit blend, with good concentration and also a long finish. It is ready to drink now but can benefit from further ageing of another 2-3 years. (3525 views) | | | Tasted by PanosKakaviatos on 3/29/2015 & rated 90 points: 25 years of the Cathiards at Smith Haut Lafitte: all magnum verticals (Château Smith Haut Lafitte): Overall sensation of "sufficiency" as the wine is not particularly exceptional, and yet there is fine acidity and energy. There is an overall muted feeling here, with a somewhat closed finish. Give it time. Perhaps merits a higher score. (3461 views) | | | Tasted by Yagil on 1/19/2014 & rated 89 points: Bordeaux tasting at Wine-Route, Savion branch (Wine-Route, Savion branch): Light yellow
Citrus and yeasts aromas
Med bodied, high acidity, bitter grapefruit flavours, somewhat boring, med finish. After an hour in the glass improves dramatically. (4204 views) | | | Tasted by tbuysse on 6/25/2012 & rated 93 points: Great, but still very young. Mix of peer, ananas, vanilla, smoked oak and butter. Very solid and great wine from top estate. (5307 views) | | | Tasted by vespasian on 5/3/2012 & rated 93 points: Med lemon colour; Fresh, well defined pineapple fruit on the nose; great tension and nervosite on the palate. Crisp and defined with good acidic zip. Mineral. Very good presence on the palate. Outstanding. 93+ (5350 views) | | | Tasted by Burgundy Al on 3/3/2012 & rated 88 points: Tasted double blind. Grass aromas made the varietal easy to identify. Slightly tropical on palate with flavors of orange peel and melon, then lots of minerality from middle to finish. (5406 views) | | | Tasted by kevincheng on 11/10/2011 & rated 89 points: Tasted at Smith Haut Lafitte tasting with the Cathiard's. Nice acidity, with huge peaches and apricots (5509 views) | | | Tasted by Sleepy Dave on 10/28/2011 & rated 88 points: WFA - 2008 Bordeaux Horizontal (Suntec Convention Hall): Bigger pour and I got something from the nose now!! Vanilla, honey, ginger, grape fruits, guava and floral scents, this is attractively aromatic as well as refreshing with the deep, soft mineral tone. The freshness also reflect on the palate, precise, focus, layer and expansive. Already showed very good integration today. Good length with the slightly high acidity kick in here that resulted in tightness at the very end. 88-90+ (5815 views) | | | Tasted by Alex H on 10/27/2011 & rated 87 points: Lemony mineral streak of smoke and lemon fruits. Creme fraiche , lemon tanginess but with mineral sparkle. Nice flashing hint of butterscotch that is quickly overtaken by fresh crisp lovely fruit. (3318 views) | | | Tasted by CellarBord on 10/26/2011 & rated 91 points: Wow! Great acidity and balance. Age 1 or 2 more years. (3326 views) | | | Tasted by hubas on 9/18/2011 & rated 88 points: High acidity and very fresh it has clear notes of SB without overpowering. (3091 views) | | | Tasted by Paul S on 5/24/2011 & rated 92 points: CT Bordeaux Trip, Day 2 (Graves & Sauternes): A really good Bordeaux blanc. Lovely nose, white peach, apricot, yellow flowers, a bit of ripe lemons - really nice. Less flashy than the super-expressive Domaine de Chavalier on the nose, but no less attractive. The palate, though not quite as good as the Chevalier, was quite lovely too. Lots of depth, with a lovely mouthfull of stone fruit, flowers, sweet lemons, Chinese pears (the Sauvignon Gris speaking here I think) and a very nice little streak of mineral carrying it into a fresh, almost citrus finish. Very bright, lively, a bit tightly coiled, yet already pretty well-integrated and nice to drink. A nice wine. (4425 views) | | | Tasted by grafstrb on 5/24/2011 & rated 89 points: -- tasted a single glass non-blind over 5 – 10 minutes --
-- 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon, 5% Sauvignon Gris –
NOSE: minerally; hint of petrol; light stone fruits; moderately expressive; faint oak.
TASTE: pleasantly dry and minerally; quinine; kind of flat; 13.5% alc. not noticeable; faint apricot; light oak.
B: 50, 5, 12, 15, 7 = 89 (3370 views) | | | Tasted by MattTM on 5/24/2011: CellarTracker Bordeaux Trip; 5/23/2011-5/26/2011 (Bordeaux, France): Nice fresh nose, exhibiting a lot of floral aromas, along with some crisp pear, petrol, tart lemon oil, and orange peel. The palate is a touch mellow and with an oily texture, showing lemon, white peach, apricot, minerals, and some smoky oak. Medium acidity, with a short-medium finish ending with a note of lemon. Good. (5104 views) | | | Tasted by vespasian on 5/4/2011 & rated 91 points: A little hint of vanilla, nice freshness; smoky, mineral and delicious - a very refreshing wine. 90-92 (2995 views) | | | Tasted by dcsk on 2/3/2011 & rated 92 points: Medium body. Favor of peach and stone fruit. Good acidity and mineral. Excellent white wine that can be enjoyed now. (3908 views) | | | Tasted by peternelson on 2/1/2011 & rated 92 points: Very heady aromatics with grassy notes, hay; medium body, great balance, steely stony palate with ample citrus fruits; beautiful fresh flowers and minerals dominate before a nice long finish. (2046 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Yohan Castaing
Decanter, Château Smith Haut Lafitte: 2008-2018 (6/8/2021)
(Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Sauvignon Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, White) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jeb Dunnuck
JebDunnuck.com, 2008 Bordeaux - Now at age 10 (2/28/2019)
(Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc White) Login and sign up and see review text. | By James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com (6/16/2016)
(Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte Pessac-Leognan Blanc, France) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (3/29/2015)
(Ch Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac-Léognan White) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (5/4/2011)
(Ch Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac-Léognan White) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, October 2010
(Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafitte Blanc (Pessac-Léognan)) Subscribe to see review text. | The World of Fine Wine, June 2009, Issue #24
(Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (5/19/2009)
(Ch Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac-Léognan White) Subscribe to see review text. | By Ian D'Agata
Vinous, May/June 2009, IWC Issue #144
(Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac-Leognan Blanc) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, April 2009
(Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafitte Blanc Pessac-Léognan) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (1/21/2011)
(Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc) Nice white flower, pear, green fruit nose; poised, concentrated, tart green fruit, lime, white flower palate; medium-plus finish 92 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Decanter and JebDunnuck.com and JamesSuckling.com and JancisRobinson.com and Winedoctor and The World of Fine Wine and Vinous and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Château Smith Haut Lafitte Producer website – Read more about Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte
Producers > Château Smith Haut Lafitte See map
Château Smith-Haut-Lafite has been transformed during the last decade from being a perennial underachiever to being one of the leading estates in the Graves region.
For many years it was owned by the Bordeaux négociant Eschenauer - in 1990 it was bought by former Olympic skiing champion, Daniel Cathiard. He cut down on the amount of chemicals and herbicides used in the vineyards, and fully modernised the winemaking facilities. The proportion of new oak barrels used in the maturation process was increased and a trio of eminent oenologists (including the ubiquitous Michel Rolland) were hired as consultants.
The 55 hectares of vineyards are located on a gravel ridge to the east of Château Haut-Bailly. The red wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Merlot (35%) and Cabernet Franc (10%). The grapes are fermented in stainless steel vats and the wine is then matured in oak barrels (50% new) for 15-18 months. The wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered.
BACKGROUND: The noble Bosq family started growing grapes as early as 1365. The property was purchased in the 18th century by Scotsman George Smith, who gave the estate its present name. He also built the manor house and exported his – by now famous – wine to England on his own ships. In 1842, Mr. Duffour-Dubergier, Mayor of Bordeaux and an enthusiastic winegrower, inherited Château Smith Haut Lafitte from his mother and brought the wine up to great growth status. Impressed by Smith Haut Lafitte's excellent quality, the Louis Eschenauer company distributed the wine all over the world starting in the early 20th century, deciding to buy the estate in 1958. After the Eschenaueur period came to an end, a great deal of money has been invested in the estate, particularly on the construction of a superb underground cellar holding over 1,000 barrels. In 1990, Daniel Cathiard fell in love with the property and joined the list of prestigious owners, firmly intending to further enhance Smith Haut Lafitte's tradition of excellence. He combined the most modern winemaking techniques and age-old methods: organic compost, small wooden vats, ageing on the lees in barrel, etc. 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 RimmermanGraves Vins de Graves (Conseil des Vins de Graves) - Read more about Pessac Leogan Graves and its winesPessac-Léognan Pessac-Leognan reds:
Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
Soil: Predominantly gravel and sandy rock, with varying proportions of clay and sandstone
Surface Area: 1,491 ha
Pessac-Leognan whites:
Grape Varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon
Soil: Gravel and rocks covered with sand, sandstone, and clay
Surface Area: 275 ha |
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