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Smith Haut Lafitte 2020

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pessac-Léognan
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon/Merlot

Daniel and Florence Cathiard transformed this property in the early 1990s and have been making very individual, sexy wines since then which combine flavours of classic earthy Graves with silky and seductive new oak from barrels produced by their in-house cooper. The 67 hectare vineyard is planted with 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot and the remainder Cabernet Franc.

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château Smith Haut Lafitte

Label

Tasting Notes

Absolutely pure gold and reminding me of the 2009 (or is it the 2010?), the 2020 Château Smith Haut Lafitte sports a dense purple hue to go with incredible aromatics of blackberries, blueberries, scorched earth, wood smoke, and acacia flowers. One of the most concentrated, rich, and sexy wines in the vintage, this massive and extraordinarily opulent 2020 shows the vintage's pure, elegant profile yet backs it up with sensational levels of fruit and texture. Based on 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it already offers pleasure given its wealth of fruit, but it deserves 7-8 years of bottle age and will evolve for 40-50 years. Not enough can be said about the quality of these wines. Bravo to Florence and Daniel Cathiard, as well as to director Fabien Teitgen, for another incredible achievement.

100
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, March 2023

Extremely fresh and deep in the nose with raspberry and blackcurrant character, as well as stone, fresh green tobacco and ink. Full-bodied with a dense center palate and gorgeous fine yet steely tannins. It calms down at the end with berries, citrus and some lavender. Salty at the end. Very minerally. Flinty. From organically grown grapes. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Give it four or five years to come around.

99
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, May 2023

The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it storms out of the glass with powerful scents of creme de cassis, wild blueberries, and redcurrant preserves, followed by suggestions of cedar chest, charcuterie, cast-iron pan, and black truffles, with a touch of menthol. The full-bodied palate is densely laden with black fruit layers offset by mineral and red berry accents, supported by firm, grainy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and earthy.

98
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent, March 2023

The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte is more structured and introverted than its 2019 predecessor, unwinding in the glass with aromas of cassis and plums mingled with notions of pencil shavings, violets and minty new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, its velvety attack segues into a multidimensional mid-palate that's framed by rich, generously extracted tannins that assert themselves on the long, youthfully firm finish. This is a strong effort that's true to the house style and which will reward a little patience.

95+
William Kelley, Wine Advocate, April 2023

The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc has a well-defined bouquet with honeysuckle, jasmine, touches of chalk and citrus fruit, the floral component becoming more expressive with time in the glass. Fine mineralité. The palate is very well balanced with grapefruit and yellow plum, hints of nectarine, bitter lemon joining the chorus line with aeration. It feels long and tensile and it should give up to 20 years' drinking pleasure.

94
Neal Martin, vinous.com, February 2023

Inky colour, charcoal, slate, cocoa bean, blueberry, espresso, grilled sandalwood, espresso, all delivered slowly but surely with punch and power. Palate-hugging confident tannins, this is a brillant wine that edges slowly through the palate, gathering layers and complexity as it goes. 60% new oak. Harvest September 9 to 30, technical director Fabien Teitgen. 60% new oak. Harvest started on September 9 to 30. As I said En Primeur; this is a masterclass in restrained Pessac glamour.

97
Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com, February 2023

Full bottle 1,355 g. Cask sample taken 22 April. Harvest started as early as 9 September until 30 September. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. 60% new barriques. Pioneer of biodynamics and sustainability in Bordeaux.
Mid crimson. Nuanced, complex nose suggests masses of ripeness and intense aromas. Interesting dried-bay-leaves note on the nose followed by some slight leafiness. Rich, polished palate – structured juiciness. Then pretty dry on the finish – not quite as luscious on the palate as the nose suggests. Masses of sandy-textured tannins on the finish. Will need lots of time.
Drink 2029 – 2045

17+
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2021

The 2020 is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The wine will be aged for 18 months in 60% new french oak barrels from yields of 30hl/ha. Three quarters of the vineyards here are now biodynamically farmed - the remainder will follow in the next year. Harvest began on 9th September, which is the third earliest on record. All the fruit was in before the end of September. Deep ruby-purple hue. The nose is fragrant with violet and sweet plum, but also accented with exotic cinnamon and anise from the oak. The palate is very refined, with juicy red fruit to the fore. Underneath there is an edge of cassis too. The tannins are ultre refined, giving a cashmere texture. There is real persistence to the fruit, suggesting good potential once the oak fully integrates.

93/95
Farr Vintners, Farr Tasting, April 2020

(65% CS, 30% M, 4% CF, 1% PV; 40% GV; 14.5% ABV; 60% new)
Crisply red and blackcurrant ripe; elegant and beautifully contained within its large scale, wears its alcohol with great ease. Long, refined, and complex, aromatic, elegant, complete, and impressive, a beautiful performance. And remains very Graves in its gravelly, minerally character. A sort of finer 2010? Lovely. 2028–40+.

93/94
Michael Schuster, The World of Fine Wine, May 2021
Read more tasting notes...

A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot aging in 60% new barriques, the very deep purple-black colored 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte makes an impactful entrance, opening with flamboyant notes of blackcurrant pastilles, chocolate-covered cherries and molten licorice, leading to nuances of ground cloves, woodsmoke, crushed rocks and dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with opulent black fruit preserves and shimmering mineral sparks, framed by exquisitely ripe and fantastically firm tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epically long-lasting earthy and savory layers. This is the singular voice of Smith Haut Lafitte at its finest, and wow-oh-wow is it worth a listen. This 2020 has an alcohol of 14.5% with a pH of 3.65. The tannins this year were a little higher than 2018 and 2019. A little less than a third of production went into this grand vin.

98/100
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, May 2021

The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte was picked from September 9, the yields 20% down on average due to the dry summer period, and matured in 60% new oak with no vin de presse. This actually blossomed after an hour’s opening, revealing exquisite blackberry, briar, crushed rock and light rose petal scents, very nuanced considering the growing season and the 14.5° alcohol. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a very fine line of acidity that keeps this on its tippy-toes. Disarmingly pure, its silky texture is very appealing, likewise the veering toward more red berry fruit lacked with white pepper toward the finish. This may well surpass the previous two vintages. An outstanding effort from winemaker Fabien Teitgen and his team. 2025 - 2055

95/97
Neal Martin, vinous.com, May 2021

So much blackcurrant, graphite and iodine character. Full-bodied. Incredible quality to the tannins. They are polished yet powerful. It’s so long and complete with such depth and toned muscles. Vertical. Very fresh and energetic. Will it be better than the famous 2015? Maybe the best ever. From organically grown grapes. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot.

99/100
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, May 2021

Inky colour, charcoal, slate, cocoa bean, blueberry, espresso, grilled sandalwood, espresso, all delivered slowly but surely with punch and power. Palate-hugging confident tannins, this is a brillant wine that edges slowly through the palate, gathering layers and complexity as it goes. 60% new oak. Harvest September 9 to 30, technical director Fabien Teitgen. 60% new oak. Harvest started on September 9 to 30. As I said En Primeur; this is a masterclass in restrained Pessac glamour.

97
Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com, February 2023

Powerful on the attack, dense and concentrated at first then brighter on the retro-olfaction with layers of spice, liquorice and flowers. Intense but beautifully precise, with iris and peony aromatics coming in strongly as it opens in the glass. A ton of nuance and complexity, really takes its time, delivering a masterclass in restrained Pessac glamour. Average yields 30hl/ha for the reds. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 60% new oak. Harvest started on September 9 - 30.

Drinking Window 2030 - 2050

97
Jane Anson, Decanter.com, May 2021
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.