"From the young vines of Smith Haut Lafitte, A bouquet with notes of blackberry, blackcurrant, a hint of chocolate and sweet spices. The palate is medium bodied with pretty tannins and a supple and elegant finish tinged with graphite."- Fabien Teitgen's comments, Technical Director
Created during the blending process of Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, Les Hauts de Smith is vinified and aged with the same care as the Grand Vin. From the vineyard to the cellar, all the production techniques are identical.
Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte has a long history in Bordeaux that dates back over 800 years. The estate started out life as part of the Du Boscq holdings in the Graves region. It was Du Boscq who planted vines in 1365 on a gravelly plateau called Lafitte. This is of course where part of the famous chateau took its name from. Jumping ahead a few hundred years, George Smith bought the Graves estate in 1720. Smith added his name to the property, which we now know of as Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte.
Starting in 2000, the wines clearly started showing a lot of improvement, with further, noticeable jumps in quality in 2005, 2008 and again in 2009, and in my eyes, once again 2010! You can add 2015 and 2016 to that growing list of top vintages as well.
The 78 hectare Pessac Leognan vineyard of Smith Haut Lafitte has 67 hectares planted to 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot for the red wine. At Smith Haut Lafitte, all work in the vineyard is organic and self-sustainable. In fact, much of the farming techniques employed are with an eye to biodynamic farming techniques. Fabien Teitgen, the Technical Director for all the Cathiard properties is an integral part of their estate's success.
"Tobacco, wet earth, cedar, smoky red berries and dark chocolate open the nose. The wine is medium-bodied, lush, sweet, and fresh with round tannins, soft textures and a liberal dose of dark chocolate covered plums, spice and espresso in the finish. This wine is perfect for restaurants, or early drinking pleasure, which is what the production is vinified for. The wine was made from a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon."
92 points.
Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider (March 2021)
"The 2018 Les Hauts de Smith is a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 20% new barriques. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it sails out of the glass with expressive scents of Morello cherries, mulberries and blackberry pie, plus suggestions of underbrush and cinnamon toast. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock-full of juicy red and black fruits, supported by plush tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing with a perfumed lift. Yum! Drink to 2033."
90 points.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate (March 2021)
