The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte is seriously impressivebold, confident, and built for the long haul. It opens with deep, dark fruit, violets, tobacco, and that signature stony, flinty edge from the gravel soils. There\’s richness here, but it\’s not flashyits layered, structured, and focused. The tannins are fine but firm, wrapping around a dense core of cassis, raspberry, and savory spice. Its got lift and minerality, finishing with a salty snap and hints of lavender and citrus. Definitely one to lay down for a few yearsits a powerhouse in a tailored suit.

James Suckling | JS 99
Published: Nov 19, 2023

Extremely fresh and deep in the nose with raspberry and blackcurrant character, as well as stone, fresh green tobacco and ink. Full-bodied with a dense center palate and gorgeous fine yet steely tannins. It calms down at the end with berries, citrus and some lavender. Salty at the end. Very minerally. Flinty. From organically grown grapes. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Give it four or five years to come around.

Decanter | D 98
Published: Jan 3, 2023
Drink: 2029-2058

Vivid dark purple in the glass, but a remarkable clarity too. Fragrant black cherries, plums, cassis and perfumed aromas with blueberries, balsamic touches and white pepper. Rich, round, grippy and captivating, slightly plush but also tight, where you get a soft chalky, wet stone grip with lively acidity balanced by strict and spiced liquorice-touched fruit. You feel the leanness here but it\’s so well defined with clarity and precision. A sleeping giant right now, definitely not yet fully expressing itself but slowly grows to a long finish. There\’s something so utterly seductive about this wine, it\’s overt, forward, upfront, confident and powerful no doubt, this will need a while before it should be opened, but its a shining thoroughbred. Refined and purposeful. Theres a bit of magic in this bottle.
Closure: Cork
Alcohol: 14.50%
Body: Full
Oak: Oaked
Grapes: 4% Cabernet Franc 65% Cabernet Sauvignon 30% Merlot

The Wine Advocate | RP 95+
Published: Apr 6, 2023
Drink: 2028-2055

The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte is more structured and introverted than its 2019 predecessor, unwinding in the glass with aromas of cassis and plums mingled with notions of pencil shavings, violets and minty new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, its velvety attack segues into a multidimensional mid-palate that\’s framed by rich, generously extracted tannins that assert themselves on the long, youthfully firm finish. This is a strong effort that\’s true to the house style and which will reward a little patience.

Jancis Robinson | JR 17++
Published: Nov 15, 2024
Drink: 2030-2050

65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.
Very deep, blackish purple. Rich, almost soupy nose with lots of sweetness. Then the tannins cut in underneath. They are pretty rasping. May well preserve the wine for a usefully long time but they are very obvious now. Subtle perfume and its the first time at this tasting I have used the S-word. But its still very dry on the end.

Smith-haut-lafitte.com

Tasting Notes from Fabien Teitgen, Winemaker:
The color of the wine is dark red, almost black with blueish hues. Very expressive on the nose with red fruits and black fruits flavors. A good swirl in the glass releases a large range of flavors and spices. Star anis, liquorice as well as empyreumatic notes and flint stones from the gnzien gravels. It goes very wide and powerful on the palate at first, then the well-defined structure and smoothness of the wine gives it all its balance, fresh and full body.

Yield: 30 hl/ha, prior to selection for the estates three wines:
Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, Les Hauts de Smith and Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte.
Blend: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon 30% Merlot 4% Cabernet Franc 1% Petit Verdot
Winemaking: Whole grapes are fermented at 28C in small wooden vats with very soft extraction by manual punching down.
Aging: 18 months in barrels (60% are new barrels produced in our in-house cooperage), with aging on lees. After being racked a single time, wine is aged according to its profile.
Age of vines: 48 years old