97 Points
97 Points
95 Points
95 Points
94 Points

Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge Grand Cru Classe 2021

SKU: CSHL202110 UCAU

$275.00

Unit price: per

Deep garnet-purple colored, downright hedonic on the nose.

Notions of warm cassis, chocolate-covered cherries, Black Forest cake and black raspberries.

Remarkable energy and brightness with densely packed, rich, ripe black fruits.

Critic Scores

97 // James Suckling

"Lots of clove, black-licorice and cigar-box character. Already perfumed. Medium body with fine, chalky and precise tannins. Lead-pencil shavings. Well framed and structured with a fresh, lengthy and spicy finish. Extremely long and intense. 63% cabernet sauvignon, 33% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. From organically grown grapes."

97 // Vinous

"The 2021 Smith Haut Lafitte was picked from September 22 to October 14, and matured in 60% new oak. It has an open, expressive bouquet of blackberry, freshly rolled tobacco and subtle crushed rock aromas, well-defined though obviously not as flamboyant as the previous three vintages. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh and mineral-driven, with fine tannins, a touch of chalkiness, and hints of seaweed on the estuarine finish, even though it lies a few kilometers from the Gironde! Classic in style, and maybe a little austere for some on the finish, yet it feels long in the mouth. Fabien Teitgen and his team have overseen a superb Smith Haut-Lafitte, even though I suspect that it will not reach the heights of the 2010 or the 2016."

95 // Jeb Dunnuck

"The flagship 2021 Château Smith Haut Lafitte checks in as 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and a splash of Petit Verdot. It's a rich, powerful wine, delivering lots of ripe black fruits (currants, some cassis), notes of scorched earth and graphite, medium to full body, ripe tannins, and a great mid-palate. It shows the straight, focused style of the vintage yet brings plenty of mid-palate depth, ripe, building tannins, and outstanding length. 93-95+"

95 // The Wine Advocate

"A brilliant wine, the 2021 Smith Haut Lafitte offers up aromas of blackberries, violets, coniferous forest floor and dark chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and seamless, it's deep and impressively multidimensional, with good concentration, beautifully refined tannins and notable purity of fruit, concluding with a long, penetrating finish. The fruit of a severe selection, this blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot is testament to the Cathiard family's unwavering commitment to quality."

94 // Decanter

"Gorgeous aromas on the nose, so expressive with blackcurrant, plum, damson, strawberry and red cherry all abounding out of the glass. This has style and substance on the palate, the sour cherry, blackcurrant and blueberry covered in the terroir markers of slate, graphite, pencil lead and liquorice which are the drivers on the palate, the fruit taking a backseat right now though there is cohesion with verticality and an undercurrent of freshness. The energy is there, almost latent, it’s under the surface, brimming, not yet ready to go but it will be there in time. This has refinement and you feel they haven't pushed too hard. It’s definitely got the markers of the vintage, the coolness of the year, showing the grapes and terroir even more clearly in the glass, especially the spiced Cabernet aspects. I love the style and the no frills effect. It’s got a super long length too with enough class on show you know it will age well."

Product Details

Red

2021

Cabernet Blend

Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte

Graves, Bordeaux, France

15 Plus Years

Cork

14.5%

750ml (Bottle)

In Stock

Quantity

Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.

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Description
ChÃ¢teau Smith-Haut-Lafite has been transformed during the last decade from being a perennial underachiever to being one of the leading estates in the Graves region.

Deep garnet-purple colored, downright hedonic on the nose, rolling sensuously out of the glass with notions of warm cassis, chocolate-covered cherries, Black Forest cake and black raspberries with nuances of cinnamon toast, lilacs, camphor and iron ore.

Medium to full-bodied, the palate juxtaposes remarkable energy and brightness with densely packed, rich, ripe black fruits, framed by wonderfully ripe, finely grained tannins and fantastically invigorating freshness, finishing long with mineral-tinged fireworks.
Tasting Profile

Light

Full

Low Tannin

Tannic

Sweet

Dry

Low Acidity

High Acidity

Aroma:

Blueberry, Boysenberry, Herbal

Palate:

Blue Fruits, Cassis, Graphite

Food Pairings:

Pork

Red Meat

Tasting Notes

Description

ChÃ¢teau Smith-Haut-Lafite has been transformed during the last decade from being a perennial underachiever to being one of the leading estates in the Graves region.

Deep garnet-purple colored, downright hedonic on the nose, rolling sensuously out of the glass with notions of warm cassis, chocolate-covered cherries, Black Forest cake and black raspberries with nuances of cinnamon toast, lilacs, camphor and iron ore.

Medium to full-bodied, the palate juxtaposes remarkable energy and brightness with densely packed, rich, ripe black fruits, framed by wonderfully ripe, finely grained tannins and fantastically invigorating freshness, finishing long with mineral-tinged fireworks.

Tasting Profile

Light
Full

Low Tannin
Tannic

Sweet
Dry

Low Acidity
High Acidity

Aroma:

Blueberry, Boysenberry, Herbal

Palate:

Blue Fruits, Cassis, Graphite

Food Pairings:

Pork

Red Meat

Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte

Bordeaux’s Château Smith Haut Lafitte estate dates back to the 14th century with the house of Verrier Du Boscq, who planted vines on a gravelly plateau named Lafitte. Scotsman Georges Smith bought the estate in 1720, adding his name to the place. The Louis Eschenauer company, who had been distributing these wines since the early 1900s, bought the estate in 1958. Then, in 1990, Daniel and Florence Cathiard fell in love with the château and bought it, with the aim of perpetuating its tradition of excellence. The château falls under the Pessac-Léognan appellation and is ranked among the Crus Classés for red wine in the Classification of Graves wine of 1953 and 1959. The winery and vineyards sit south of Bordeaux in the commune of Martillac. The vineyard is a single block (now 80 hectares) on a Günz gravel plateau and produces six wines – both red and white. Each boasts its own unique blend and distinctive aromatic profile.

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