2003 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc
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No tasting note was given.
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Medium yellow. More exotic, musky aromas of stone fruits and resiny oak. Fat, ripe, sweet and rich; can't match the young 2004 for flavor definition, but this is impressively full-bodied and opulent, almost viscous, in the style of the vintage. A low-acid, high-alcohol version of white Graves , with a chewy, minerally finish. I'd drink think in the medium term, as the alcohol may overwhelm the fruit seven or eight years from now.
Aromatic nose combines honeysuckle and peach. Juicy, bright and spicy, with substantial fat leavened by a lemony flavor. Rich, intensely flavored and impressively long for a white Graves from this vintage. Since 2000, this blend has also included 5% semillon to go with the 90% sauvignon blanc and 5% sauvignon gris. Florence Cathiard was surprised at the wine's aromatic lift, noting that the wine had shut down completely after the fermentation.
No tasting note was given. Apr 2006, www.robertparker.com
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.