2014 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc
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Tasting notes
Pure and precise with a hint of sherbet grapefruit on the nose. Restrained. There is depth here. The length of flavour is particularly impressive. Real depth. Energy. Excellent and there is more to come from this. Minerality. Another excellent Smith. Joss Fowler, FINE+RARE, April 2015.
Critic scores
FINE+RARE
Wine Spectator
More reviews and scores
The 2014 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc doesn’t have the weight of it younger brother, yet is still gorgeous on all accounts. Caramelized limes, citrus oil and exotic floral notes all emerge from this fresh, lively 2014 that has good concentrated and notable acidity. I love its texture, it’s impeccably balanced, and should cruise for a decade or more, although there’s no harm drinking today.
The 2014 Smith-Haut-Lafitte Blanc is now more expressive than when I tasted it from barrel. It offers engaging scents of citrus fruit, Mirabelle and orange pith that gradually gathers intensity in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity, finely tuned citrus fruit married with Clementine and yellow plum, seguing into a spicy finish that lingers in the mouth. It is a delicious, complex Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc that should age well over the next 12-15 years.
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.