1994 Smith Haut Lafitte
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Tasting notes
The 1994 Smith Haut Lafitte has a slightly rustic nose with ferrous red berry fruit, touches of licorice and a bit of furniture polish. Fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly dry tannins on the entry. It's a little chocolaty in style, missing some complexity on the savory finish. Not bad considering its age and vintage, though it would pale against the far superior wines being produced by the Cathiards these days. Tasted at the château.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Magnum. Dark blackish ruby with a rusty edge. Much more direction and focus than the 1990. Seems more than four years younger. Vigorous palate attack. Very sweet start with dry end and masses of lively fruit in the middle. A little bit of dried-blood impression (old Merlot) on the end. Good freshness. Not intense but very nice balance. (JR)
This was a quite remarkable wine, which seemed to get younger and younger in the glass. Pale gold, not initially that attractive on the nose, with a developed woody (not oaky) aroma, touches of boxwood, honey and lanolin. Classic aged Sauvignon Blanc nose – at first. On the palate, creamy, fresh and even some lemon and apricot fruit still there. But it just got fresher and fresher in the glass and that initial woodiness seem to clear away to more delicate subtle aromas. (JH)
This property is worthy of readers' interest as the wines continue to go from strength to strength (this is also true of the gorgeous dry white wines being made at Smith-Haut-Lafitte). A surprisingly soft, supple, velvety-textured 1994, Smith-Haut-Lafitte has managed to subdue the potential for astringent tannin in this vintage. This wine possesses a healthy purple color, a smoky, spicy, blackcurrant-scented nose, sweet, medium-bodied, well-endowed flavors, a youthfulness and grapiness that does not yet exhibit the complexity of the 1993, and a moderately tannic finish. The 1994 should reach maturity in 2-4 years, and last for 15-18.
About the producer
Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte is one of the leading lights of Pessac-Léognan today – all thanks to Daniel and Florence Cathiard, who took over the property in 1990 and have since transformed the estate, converting to biodynamics and crafting wines of increasing finesse.