1999 Smith Haut Lafitte
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Tasting notes
A classically-structured vintage, showcasing tertiary flavours of forest floor, tar, soy sauce, blackberry, raspberry and soft waves of soot and campfire smoke. Enjoyable, very much in its drinking window. 1995 was the first year at the estate for technical director Fabien Teitgen, so this was his fourth vintage, and the end of the first decade under Daniel and Florence Cathiard as owners.
Critic scores
Average Score
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
The 1999 Smith Haut Lafitte at 20 years of age has a delightful bouquet of soy-tinged red fruit, warm gravel and black truffle, slightly Burgundian in style. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin. It feels mature but there is body and grip here, the tannins melted with hoisin toward the oriental finish. (NM)
Deep gold. A bit rich and sweet and decayed. Not dead by any means but just a little too sweet for an energy level one seeks. Nice undertow though. Some sweetness and alcohol but not real energy. (JR)
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.