Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac-Leognan 2016
100 Points, Decanter – 99 Points, The Wine Independent – 98 Points, Parker’s Wine Advocate
The 2016 Smith Haut Lafite has it all. A Cabernet Sauvignon dominant blend that spent 18 months in 60% new oak, the wine is seamlessly integrated at this stage with not a single note out of place. It’s deep and sophisticated, opening with warm, scents of black cherries pie, blueberry muffin, and cocoa with lilac, hints of dark chocolate, cigar box and pencil shavings plus a little crushed rock/earthy tone that comes through at the end. The palate delivers what critics call “superbly plush tannins” with an “epically long and beautifully layered” finish. This is the kind of wine that demands all your attention and keeps it with ease. No wonder it received a 100-point score from Decanter in their review from 2021, who referred to this baby as “Pure perfection in a glass.”
Original price was: $190.00.$165.00Current price is: $165.00.
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100 Points, Decanter
“Pure perfection in a glass, the 2016 offers notes of cherry, liquorice, smoke, graphite, plum and eucalyptus. It is fresh and racy. This is a perfectly balanced wine, full of energy and freshness, juicy and fleshy on the palate, with a classic tannic frame and a long yet persistent finish. Drink it over the coming two or three decades. Bravo! ”
99 Points, The Wine Independent
“Composed of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot and matured in 60% new oak for 18 months, the 2016 Smith Haut Lafitte has a very deep garnet-purple color, opening with sensuous scents of warm black cherries, blackberry pie, star anise and fragrant lilacs with hints of chocolate box, cigar box and pencil lead plus wafts of truffles and crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, rich and seductive, it completely fills the palate with perfumed black berry preserves and superbly plush tannins, finishing epically long and beautifully layered.”
98 Points, Parker’s Wine Advocate
“The 2016 Smith Haut Lafitte is flat out stunning. Rich, ample and explosive, the 2016 possesses tremendous energy and tension to play off the wine’s dark, rich fruit. I am not sure I have ever tasted a young Smith Haut Lafitte with such extraordinary balance. In 2016, the Grand Vin is tense and pulsing with energy. Hints of lavender, spice, menthol and crème de cassis open up in the glass, but the 2016 stands out for its feel and exceptional harmony. The combined effects of picking a bit early, vinifiying more gently and reducing the impact of oak are having a profound effect at Smith Haut Lafitte. Thinking of some of the highly regarded wines of the last decade here, the 2009 and 2010 in particular, well, the 2016 is on another level. This is magnificent showing from proprietors Florence and Daniel Cathiard, and their team led by Technical Director Fabien Teitgen.”
Galloni got this one right: “The 2017 is flat-out gorgeous and very clearly one of the wines of the year.”
Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte is one of the very best Left Bank estates with a rich winemaking history and an absolute superstar team at the helm. The estate is in Graves and is surrounded by forests, hedges, and hives. The vines are all at six meters or deeper underground, allowing for a rich and sophisticated expression with a lot of character.
The winery is lead by Fabien Teitgen the managing director, agricultural engineer and enologist who was recently recognized by one wine publication as the Winemaker of the Year in 2021. Their Grand Cru Classe bottling is truly one of the very best representations of Bordeaux each vintage and is as highly decorated as any come. To be granted access to one of their greatest bottlings every, and a library selection at that is truly an honor and one of those rare opportunities that readers don’t want to miss!
Pair this beauty with Steak, Beef Wellington, Roasts, Prime Rib and Lamb.
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