Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte

Bordeaux

About the producer

About the producer

Wine is nothing without people, and the couple that have taken Château Smith Haut Lafitte to new heights know their stuff when it comes to ascending summits and experiencing glory: Daniel and Florence Cathiard met while on the French Olympic ski team in the 1960s. Both know that it takes years of hard work to succeed through their time in the world of elite sport. After their sporting careers came to a close, they entered the world of business - Daniel took over the family business of supermarkets upon his father's death and it grew exponentially under his leadership while also launching GO Sport, a sporting goods retailer. The pair sold their businesses in 1990 to buy Château Smith Haut Lafitte from négociant Louis Eschenauer.

In the vineyard

In the vineyard

One of the idiosyncracies of this Pessac-Léognan vineyard is its sculptures. There's an enormous black hare bounding, a larger-than-life man being pecked by dozens of bronze birds and many more, each with its own symbolism. They are wonderfully entertaining but they should not detract from the real work that's occurred under the Cathiard reign.

The pair has eschewed conventional farming and the chemical inputs that it brings: herbicides have been off the menu since 1992, ploughing has been reintroduced, the estate produces its own organic compost and has achieved organic certification.

Red varieties make up more than four-fifths of Smith Haut Lafitte's total vineyard. Cabernet Sauvignon accounts for just over half of the total reds planted, with Merlot more than one-third. Cabernet Franc is around 10% and there's the merest smattering of Petit Verdot. There are just 11 hectares of white varietie; Sauvigon Blanc dominates (90%) with Semillon and Sauvignon Gris representing the remaining plantings. Approximately one-third of the vineyard has been uprooted since the Cathiard's arrival. Much of it has been replanted but a small portion was requisitioned for their luxury spa Les Sources de Caudalie. The couple also acquired neighbouring Château Le Thil in 2012 and converted it into a boutique 5-star hotel

In the winery

In the winery

No expense has been spared at Château Smith Haut Lafitte in pursuit of fulfilling its potential - whether it's selecting berry by berry by a laser-powered optical sorter or the 100% gravity-flow winery. The estate has also installed smaller wooden vats to do parcel by parcel fermentations.

The Cathiards have also built a cooperage on site, producing around 450 barrels each year from French oak sourced from the Tronçay forest. The result is that they have transformed this underperforming estate into a highly esteemed producer of both reds and whites.

The couple has also done more for tourism in Bordeaux than most marketing boards could ever hope to achieve with the establishment of a spa and a luxury hotel. However, great wines don't come at the expense of the environment at Smith Haut Lafitte. It recovers rain water, recycles waste water and transforms vine cuttings into compost or uses them for heating, as well as capturing carbon dioxide during the fermentation process and turning it into sodium bicarbonate.

The 2019 Vintage

The 2019 Vintage

A few words from Fabien Teitgen, technical and managing director at Château Smith Haut Lafitte, on the 2019 vintage.

How would you describe the 2019 season?

The impression is that 2019 was a very hot year because of the two heat spikes, but during the growing time (April to July) the addition of temperatures was lower compared with 2017 and 2018. During the ripening time (August and September), the cumulative temperature sits between 2017 and 2018. We also had cool nights in September. Overall, I think that the 2019 wines will be more balanced than imagined.

How did you adapt your winemaking in 2019?

We always try to adapt the fermentation and the extraction with the quality of the grapes and the level of ripeness. This year the ripeness and the level of sugar was quite high so we decided to decrease the fermentation and maceration temperature as well as doing fewer punch downs in order to end up with a very gentle extraction to get just the right tannins. The grapes were very rich with tannin so we didn’t need to extract too deeply.

Could you tell us about the specific blend you used for the 2019 vintage? 

This year we used a rather classic blend for our wines; the red Smith Haut Lafitte is 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Cab Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The Merlot was very dense and powerful and the Cabernet Sauvignon was great with very long length and a wonderful tannin structure providing a wonderful skeleton for my reds.

The white Smith Haut Lafitte is 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris, 5% Sémillon; We had a different style of Sauvignon Blanc – it has fatness but with always a good freshness; the Sauvignon Gris a really great and the Semillon has a lovely smooth texture 

How does 2019 compare to other vintages?

It’s always difficult to answer to this question because each vintage is unique but I can say that the red wine has the roundness and the texture of 2009, but with more freshness in the aromas and more acidity, perhaps like 2015 for the aromas and 2017 for the acidity and the length.

Did you introduce anything new to the vineyard or winery in 2019?  

2019 was the first year when we were able to use our own medicinal plant garden with such things as camomile and valerian prepared as a tea infusion. We also trialed straw cover for anti-mildew purposes and use ultraviolet light during early spring to stimulate natural vine defenses.

Read the full report: Bordeaux 2019 A Vintage Preview

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2014: THE F+R PICKS. SMITH-HAUT-LAFITTE

They know what they’re doing at Smith-Haut-Lafitte. This is one of the few properties in Bordeaux that really engages with the end customer, and one that is particularly aware of the commercial realities of what they are making. The Cathiards, owners since 1990, have a clear ambition - to be the best - and they are well on this road. ...

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About the producer

Wine is nothing without people, and the couple that have taken Château Smith Haut Lafitte to new heights know their stuff when it comes to ascending summits and experiencing glory: Daniel and Florence Cathiard met while on the French Olympic ski team in the 1960s. Both know that it takes years of hard work to succeed through their time in the world of elite sport. After their sporting careers came to a close, they entered the world of business - Daniel took over the family business of supermarkets upon his father's death and it grew exponentially under his leadership while also launching GO Sport, a sporting goods retailer. The pair sold their businesses in 1990 to buy Château Smith Haut Lafitte from négociant Louis Eschenauer.

In the vineyard

One of the idiosyncracies of this Pessac-Léognan vineyard is its sculptures. There's an enormous black hare bounding, a larger-than-life man being pecked by dozens of bronze birds and many more, each with its own symbolism. They are wonderfully entertaining but they should not detract from the real work that's occurred under the Cathiard reign.

The pair has eschewed conventional farming and the chemical inputs that it brings: herbicides have been off the menu since 1992, ploughing has been reintroduced, the estate produces its own organic compost and has achieved organic certification.

Red varieties make up more than four-fifths of Smith Haut Lafitte's total vineyard. Cabernet Sauvignon accounts for just over half of the total reds planted, with Merlot more than one-third. Cabernet Franc is around 10% and there's the merest smattering of Petit Verdot. There are just 11 hectares of white varietie; Sauvigon Blanc dominates (90%) with Semillon and Sauvignon Gris representing the remaining plantings. Approximately one-third of the vineyard has been uprooted since the Cathiard's arrival. Much of it has been replanted but a small portion was requisitioned for their luxury spa Les Sources de Caudalie. The couple also acquired neighbouring Château Le Thil in 2012 and converted it into a boutique 5-star hotel

In the winery

No expense has been spared at Château Smith Haut Lafitte in pursuit of fulfilling its potential - whether it's selecting berry by berry by a laser-powered optical sorter or the 100% gravity-flow winery. The estate has also installed smaller wooden vats to do parcel by parcel fermentations.

The Cathiards have also built a cooperage on site, producing around 450 barrels each year from French oak sourced from the Tronçay forest. The result is that they have transformed this underperforming estate into a highly esteemed producer of both reds and whites.

The couple has also done more for tourism in Bordeaux than most marketing boards could ever hope to achieve with the establishment of a spa and a luxury hotel. However, great wines don't come at the expense of the environment at Smith Haut Lafitte. It recovers rain water, recycles waste water and transforms vine cuttings into compost or uses them for heating, as well as capturing carbon dioxide during the fermentation process and turning it into sodium bicarbonate.

The 2019 Vintage

A few words from Fabien Teitgen, technical and managing director at Château Smith Haut Lafitte, on the 2019 vintage.

How would you describe the 2019 season?

The impression is that 2019 was a very hot year because of the two heat spikes, but during the growing time (April to July) the addition of temperatures was lower compared with 2017 and 2018. During the ripening time (August and September), the cumulative temperature sits between 2017 and 2018. We also had cool nights in September. Overall, I think that the 2019 wines will be more balanced than imagined.

How did you adapt your winemaking in 2019?

We always try to adapt the fermentation and the extraction with the quality of the grapes and the level of ripeness. This year the ripeness and the level of sugar was quite high so we decided to decrease the fermentation and maceration temperature as well as doing fewer punch downs in order to end up with a very gentle extraction to get just the right tannins. The grapes were very rich with tannin so we didn’t need to extract too deeply.

Could you tell us about the specific blend you used for the 2019 vintage? 

This year we used a rather classic blend for our wines; the red Smith Haut Lafitte is 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Cab Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The Merlot was very dense and powerful and the Cabernet Sauvignon was great with very long length and a wonderful tannin structure providing a wonderful skeleton for my reds.

The white Smith Haut Lafitte is 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris, 5% Sémillon; We had a different style of Sauvignon Blanc – it has fatness but with always a good freshness; the Sauvignon Gris a really great and the Semillon has a lovely smooth texture 

How does 2019 compare to other vintages?

It’s always difficult to answer to this question because each vintage is unique but I can say that the red wine has the roundness and the texture of 2009, but with more freshness in the aromas and more acidity, perhaps like 2015 for the aromas and 2017 for the acidity and the length.

Did you introduce anything new to the vineyard or winery in 2019?  

2019 was the first year when we were able to use our own medicinal plant garden with such things as camomile and valerian prepared as a tea infusion. We also trialed straw cover for anti-mildew purposes and use ultraviolet light during early spring to stimulate natural vine defenses.

Read the full report: Bordeaux 2019 A Vintage Preview

2014: THE F+R PICKS. SMITH-HAUT-LAFITTE

They know what they’re doing at Smith-Haut-Lafitte. This is one of the few properties in Bordeaux that really engages with the end customer, and one that is particularly aware of the commercial realities of what they are making. The Cathiards, owners since 1990, have a clear ambition - to be the best - and they are well on this road. ...

ON April 28, 2015

Your Guide to Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion

Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion is one of the greatest estates in all of Bordeaux, arguably the King of the Left Bank. Robert Parker has awarded it more 100 point scores than any other wine in the Medoc, equalling Petrus in achieving 12 perfect 100 point scores. Of course, the reputation and quality of the wines from this estate long predate ...

BY Gavin Smith,

ON March 5, 2020

Bordeaux Radicals: Chateau Les Carmes Haut-Brion

Last week we had the pleasure of hosting Stephanie Libreau from Chateau Les Carmes Haut-Brion at our London HQ, for a vertical tasting dating from 2016 back to 2012. These wines are brilliantly made, unique in so many ways and represent the cutting-edge of vinification techniques in Bordeaux. The rise in quality at the Chateau, along with the estate's reputation ...

ON June 13, 2019

Chateau Lafite Rothschild Interview

From one of the most prestigious and world-renowned wine estates, Chateau Lafite Rothschild, we spoke with Technical Director Eric Kohler and Commercial Director Jean-Sebastien Philippe of Domaines Barons de Rothschild about Bordeaux’s continued relevance in an ever-expanding and competitive global fine wine market. We discuss the unique elements that define Chateau Lafite as well as their personal insight into the ...

BY Gavin Smith,

ON March 29, 2020

Château Haut-Brion – The Insider’s First-Growth

For the last of our profiles on the Bordeaux first-growths we move away from Medoc to Pessac, to examine Chateau Haut-Brion – a first-growth of incredibly quality boasting no fewer than six 100 point Robert Parker scores. The connoisseur’s grand vin The only first growth of Pessac, this estate is set apart from its rivals in both geography and style ...

ON November 11, 2015

"...its wines are recognised as being in the upper echelons of Bordeaux in both red and white. Certainly, they are consistently successful, and among my go-to bottles when I am looking for something that I just know is going to make friends happy when I open it."

Jane Anson

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Price

2016 Le Petit Haut Lafitte

Smith Haut Lafitte

From

£266.00

12x75cl

-

1 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

Duty Paid

£266.00

12x75cl

-

£266.00

1 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

Duty Paid

12x75cl

-

1 Immediate | 276 Marketplace

£266.00

12x75cl

-

£266.00

1 Immediate | 276 Marketplace

2015 Smith Haut Lafitte

Smith Haut Lafitte

From

£450.00

6x75cl

-

2 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

£450.00

6x75cl

-

£450.00

2 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

2015 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc

Smith Haut Lafitte

From

£515.00

6x75cl

-

2 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

£515.00

6x75cl

-

£515.00

2 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

3xMags

-

2 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

£515.00

3xMags

-

£515.00

2 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

2014 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc

Smith Haut Lafitte

From

£70.00

Bts

-

2 Immediate | 4 Marketplace

£70.00

Bts

-

£70.00

2 Immediate | 4 Marketplace

2014 Smith Haut Lafitte

Smith Haut Lafitte

From

£69.00

6x75cl

-

1 Immediate | 163 Marketplace

£399.00

6x75cl

-

£399.00

1 Immediate | 163 Marketplace

Bts

-

1 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

£69.00

Bts

-

£69.00

1 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

2012 Smith Haut Lafitte

Smith Haut Lafitte

From

£430.00

6x75cl

-

2 Immediate | 57 Marketplace

£430.00

6x75cl

-

£430.00

2 Immediate | 57 Marketplace

2010 Le Petit Haut Lafitte

Smith Haut Lafitte

From

£191.00

12x75cl

-

3 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

Duty Paid

£378.00

12x75cl

-

£378.00

3 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

Duty Paid

12x75cl

-

5 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

£378.00

12x75cl

-

£378.00

5 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

6x75cl

-

3 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

£191.00

6x75cl

-

£191.00

3 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

2010 Smith Haut Lafitte

Smith Haut Lafitte

From

£1,150.00

12x75cl

-

2 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

£1,150.00

12x75cl

-

£1,150.00

2 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

2008 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc

Smith Haut Lafitte

From

£982.00

12x75cl

-

2 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

£982.00

12x75cl

-

£982.00

2 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

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