2020 CHÂTEAU SMITH HAUT LAFITTE Cru Classé Pessac-Léognan, Lea & Sandeman

CHÂTEAU SMITH HAUT LAFITTE

2022 Cru Classé Pessac-Léognan

Grapes Cab Sauv, Petit Verdot, Cab Franc, Merlot
Colour Red
Origin France, Bordeaux
Village Pessac-Léognan
Classification Cru Classé
ABV 14.5%

Inky colour, with vivid vibrant edging, curling and fragrant floral aromatics, plenty of energy from the first kick of peony and mandarin peel. The rich density of the blue and black fruits are set against slate and grippy tannins, giving textural contrast which makes it engaging, together with a saline scrape on the finish. Blueberry, cassis, ink, liquorice root, graphite, pink grapefruit, intensely expressed with a vertical rise through the palate, very much true to estate signature. 29hl/h, 3.65ph, 10% whole bunches fermentation, using a mix of full bunches and stalks that they select after destemming. 33% 1st wine, 4% press used in the blend, harvest September 5 to 30. Fabien Teitgen technical director. Drinking range: 2030 - 2048 Rating: 97 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (Apr 2023)


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The 2022 Smith Haut Lafitte was cropped at 29hL/ha between 5 and 30 September, undergoing half the extraction, aged in 60% new oak for a planned 18 months. It is fragrant and very pure on the nose: beautiful blackberry, raspberry and liquorice. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, very elegant and focused, fine-boned with an exceptionally pure and caressing tobacco-tinged finish. This is going to grow to be a wonderful, delicious Smith Haut Lafitte. 14.5% alcohol. Drinking range: 2030 - 2065 Rating: 95-97 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2023)

64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. 60% new oak 14.5% alc 24 hl/ha I enjoyed every second of my visit at Smith Haut Lafitte because all six wines are tremendous. I feel that Pessac-Léognan had a tough time of it in 2022, yet a handful of Château, all listed in this Report, have made stellar wines. Cellarmaster Yann Laudheo was at pains to explain that no extraction was used at SHL in 2022, just ‘infusion’, which is vital to these wines’ success. In fact, he ‘tastes the juice and eats the cap every day’ to precisely monitor how his wines gather shape and style. The Grand Vin at Smith Haut Lafitte is incredibly luxurious, velvety and buoyant, with glossy layers and tremendous freshness along its minutes-long finish. The tannins are profound and firm, but they are also smooth, cultured and vibrant. This is a fantastic wine, full of opposites, with layers and layers of graphite, black fruit, chocolate and woodsmoke. It is indulgent, staggeringly long and beautifully balanced. I have not tasted red wine with these dimensions from SHL before and cannot recommend it enough. Rating: 19+ Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (May 2023)

64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. This represents just a third of the estate’s output; Florence Cathiard is extremely keen to increase this proportion. Mainly Merlot and a tiny proportion of Petit Verdot stems went into the fermentation vat for freshness. They will probably bottle this in June as usual but may keep it in barrel a bit longer for texture. Cask sample. Dark, glossy blackish purple. Glossy, glamorous impression on the nose. Very juicy and extremely sweet. Very flattering with masses of fruit almost covering the very ripe tannins. This should be drinkable very early but should also last well. Notably long. Velvety texture but with the freshness of Graves. Lovely wine. Drinking range: 2030 - 2050 Rating: 18 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (May 2023)

Château Smith Haut Lafitte

Owned by the Cathiard family since 1990, Smith Haut Lafitte has a history that extends back to 1365. Originally owned by the Bosq Family, it was bought by Scotsman George Smith in the eighteenth century, and he gave it his name. He also built the manor house, and shipped the wine back to England.

In 1842, it passed, from his mother, to a M. Duffour-Dubergier, who was mayor of Bordeaux. His work raised the quality level and it was classified Grand Cru in the 1855 classification. The 20th century was mostly about Louis Eschenauer and his company, which distibuted the wines and eventually bought the property in 1958, investing over the time and building the barrel cellar.

The Cathiards fell in love with Smith in 1990, and have lavished care and considerable investment on it since then. Daniel Cathiard was a former ski champion, a member of the famous French Olympic team that included Jean-Claude Killy, and it was at that time that he met his wife Florence. Both have impressive track records of running businesses. Daniel built up the small chain of supermarkets that he inherited, and added a chain of sports shops, the group employing nine thousand people. Florence worked with him and also ran her own advertising company, ending up in a senior position in the McCann group. In 1990 they sold all their business interests to concentrate on Smith, where they have lived since. One of their daughters runs the Caudalie beauty products company (products based on the polyphenols extracted from grape pips), and the other two boutique hotels, including the 'Sources de Caudalie', next to Smith.

The Cathiards have since bought Château Cantelys in Martillac, and also, in 2012, part of the vineyard of Château Le Thil, as well as the house and the park. More recently they have been involved in the consortium which bought Château Bearegard (Pomerol) and Château Bastor Lamontagne (Sauternes).

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