2013 Château Smith Haut Lafitte
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Tasting notes
Fresh sweet and spicy on the nose. Some energy and a hint of depth. Lovely Graves fruit in the mouth. Easy and laid back. This is all here and will want a few years in the cellar. Long and elegant, this is proper wine. Joss Fowler, FINE+RARE, April 2014.
Critic scores
FINE+RARE
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
The 2013 Smith Haut Lafitte probably has one over the Domaine de Chevalier at the moment: a little more fruit and amplitude, certainly more delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, one of the spiciest Pessac-Léognan wines, yet there is just a scintilla of under-ripeness right on the finish. But at least there's personality in situ. Tasted at Bordeaux Index's 10-Year On tasting.
Magnum. Looks quite evolved. Fresh, quite evolved and interesting nose. Lots of lifted pleasure on the palate without ugly tannins. They're there but only in the right balance with the fruit. Good, appetising wine! (JR)
Attractive grilled oak aromatics, with depth still evident in the core of the wine. Lacks estate signature if you are looking for the confident punch of Smith Haut Lafitte in most vintages, but this has balance and autumnal fruits, and a soot-ash-gunsmoke edge that adds complexity, all wrapped up in fine tannins that are still providing a gentle hug to the fruit. Served out of magnum (clearly a sensible choice), this is ready to drink but in no hurry to drink up.
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.