2009 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc
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Tasting notes
A successful, exuberant vintage that produced rich, dense wines in both colours. There is some evident evolution in the white at this point, with touches of honeysuckle alongside lemon curd, pink grapefruit and saline oyster shell. Great quality, very much in the window for drinking. Harvest from September 7 for the whites, Fabien Teitgen technical director.
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More reviews and scores
Smith-Haut-Lafitte hit a home run with their red Pessac-Leognan and came very close to perfection with their dry white Graves. Possibly the best dry white the estate has produced since the proprietors, the Cathiards, acquired the property in 1990, this wine exhibits a sensational fragrance of buttered citrus, honeyed melons and a touch of grapefruit, lemon zest and orange rind. It also displays grapefruit on the attack and mid-palate as well as real opulence, terrific acidity and length. Drink it over the next 15-20 years. Astonishing!
Lemon yellow, very good florality and a slightly exotic touch with fleshiness added to the vibrant fruit and very good vineyard ripeness, a wine of ripeness that will show flnesse and depth. Drink 2013-18
About the producer
Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte is one of the leading lights of Pessac-Léognan today – all thanks to Daniel and Florence Cathiard, who took over the property in 1990 and have since transformed the estate, converting to biodynamics and crafting wines of increasing finesse.