Region | |
---|---|
Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pessac-Léognan |
Colour | White |
Type | Still |
11 hectares at Smith Haut Lafitte are planted with white varieties - 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris and 5% Semillon. A top performer in recent vintages.
Fabulous aromas of white-peach pie, lemon, grapefruit and cream. Complex. Full-bodied, dense and linear. Bright and creamy texture. Gorgeous grace and complexity. Lasts for minutes.
The white Smith Haut Lafitte 2016 features vivacious, cheery notes of fresh lemons, lime leaves, and Bosc pears, plus hints of orange blossom and beeswax. Medium-bodied, the palate is racy and intense with a satiny texture and a very long minerally finish.
This grips you from the first moment, a significant and striking jump up in quality when you get to this grand vin, representing 55% of white production. Rich and controlled, this fills out on the-mid palate with lime and lemon zest, then floods it with gentle saffron spicing and grilled almonds, full of the SHL signature richness and control. Stephane Derenoncourt and Michel Rolland both consult. 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon and 5% Sauvignon Gris.
Drinking Window 2020 - 2040
Smells more candified than the 2017. More muted and just slightly dull at this stage though it may perk up in bottle. Some astringency on the end.
Drink 2020-2026
The white of the vintage is the 2016 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc. It’s a magical elixir based on 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris, and 5% Sémillon that was brought up in 50% new oak. Deep, layered, and powerful, yet also vibrant, it has sensational notes of crushed citrus, liquid rock, white flower, lime pith, and honeyed grapefruit. It shows the classic, balanced style of the vintage yet offers thrilling depth and concentration and is a tour de force in white Bordeaux. Drink it any time over the coming two decades. Get it if you can! Drink 2019-2039.
Mineral freshness the nose is bright the start of the palate lean spicy white pepper with underlying mineral. Richer in the middle ripe grapefruit fleshy but the mineral and citrus refresh the finish is racy and long. 2028-26
Year in year out, this is close to the top of any line-up of white Bordeaux. The oak integration, as ever, is very stylishly done, adding note of toast and nutmeg to the tangy, complex, appealingly stony, pink grapefruit and pear-like wine beneath. 2018-26
The Smith-Haut-Lafitte 2016 Blanc is the classic blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris and 5% Sémillon, picked from 12 to 24 September and matured in 50% new oak. It has a complex bouquet with citrus fruit, peach skin, lemon curd and a touch of lanolin that unfolds wonderfully in the glass. The palate is very well balanced with a touch of wild honey on the entry. There is a spicy vein to this white Pessac-Léognan with a dab of ginger enlivening the refreshingly feisty finish. Bon vin! Drink 2021 - 2040.
A dense and powerful white with wonderful depth and phenolic tension. Shows very pretty sliced-apple, lemon and pear character. Excellent finish. 90% sauvignon blanc with the rest semillon and sauvignon gris. Excellent follow-up to the 2015.
The Smith Haut Lafitte 2016 Blanc is a blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris and 5% Sémillon matured in 50% new oak. It reveals gregarious pineapple and green guava notes giving way to tantalizing fresh grapefruit and green apples scents plus wafts of orange blossom, crushed rocks and honey drizzled peaches. Medium to full-bodied with a gorgeous satiny texture, the palate is jam-packed with tropical and citrus flavors, finishing long and deliciously savory. 2020 - 2037
Heady, spicy, deep flavoured and a great exhibition of what makes excellent dry white bordeaux distinctive and delicious. Lanolin and rich lemon syrup notes but very fresh and long on the finish. Perhaps not the most intense vintage of this wine but I would happily drink this now.
Drink 2017-2024