Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc 2021
• Domaine: Château Smith Haut Lafitte
• Appellation: Pessac-Léognan
• Classification: Grand Vin de Graves
• Origin: Left Bank, Bordeaux, France
Founded in 1365, this Grand Cru Classé owes its reputation as "the quintessential Graves" and characteristic smoky notes to its sloped terroir containing semi-precious stones such as quartzite and angatoid.
Since purchasing the estate in 1990, Daniel and Florence Cathiard have comrnitted themselves to bio-precision practices which combine innovative viticultural and winemaking techniques, with great respect for the vines, soil, and environment. Organic farming using biodynamic methods and without chemical inputs contributes to the unique expression of the terroir, resulting in elegant, complex, powerful and well-balanced wines.
Estate tours are available 7 days a week and include a visit to the cooperage, 1,000-barrel underground cellar, gravity-flow vat room and Forest of the Senses land art trail featuring monumental art works (booking required).
(Credit: Château Smith Haut Lafitte)
Tasting Notes
"At this early stage, the 2021 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc appears set to number among the best white wines this estate has produced to date. Wafting from the glass with aromas of crisp orchard fruit, nectarine, grapefruit, pastry cream and smoke, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, with a concentrated core of fruit, racy acids and a taut, chiseled profile, concluding with a saline finish. Balancing texture and tension to compelling effect, this beautifully integrated, characterful white is going to be thrilling to revisit in bottle." - William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (4/29/2022), Ratings: (94-96)
"The 2021 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc was picked September 2–20 and raised in 50% new oak. It needs some time to really cohere in the glass and certainly is not as immediate as the Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte. Eventually, it reveals fresh lime, pineapple, honeysuckle and touches of curry leaf. The taut, fresh palate is well balanced and intense, with a fine bead of acidity. Complex with plenty of salinity, this is a cerebral Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc that will benefit from three or four years in the cellar." - Neal Martin, Vinous (5/2022), Ratings: 94-96
"The Grand Vin 2021 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc checks in as the usual blend of 90% Sauvignon and 5% each of Semillon and Sauvignon Gris. It has a kiss of green in its gold hue as well as brilliant aromatics of melon, stone fruits, minty herbs, chalky mineral, and flowers. Complex, nuanced, and medium to full-bodied, with both richness and elegance, it's a brilliant white in the making." - Jeb Dunnuck (6/2/2022) Ratings: 95-97
Stock Status | Pre-Arrival |
---|---|
Appellation | Pessac-Léognan |
Vintage | 2021 |
Brand | Château Smith Haut Lafitte |
Shipping Weight | 3.000000 |