Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte, Blanc, Pessac Léognan, 2023
critic reviews
This is full of gentle cardamom and cumin spices, with white flower aromatics that builds and expands through the palate, totally delicious, with definite structure and grip, touch of bitterness on the finish. this is a single point upscore from En Primeur reflecting that this is a serious white. Harvest August 23 through to September 9. 50% new oak for ageing, 36hl/h yields.
The 2023 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc has a more complex nose than the Les Hauts de Smith Blanc, yellow fruit mixed with mirin and jasmine, well-defined and focused. The palate is well balanced with a less creamy texture, higher acidity and tension, a healthy dash of ginger toward the finish. Again, this has an attractive texture and should age well in bottle.
A blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon, Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc 2023 is aging in 50% new oak. It shoots from the glass with vibrant scents of yellow apples, lemon grass, and juicy pears, leading to nuances of candle wax and coriander seed. Medium-bodied, the palate is soft-textured, with a lively backbone and layers of savory flavors, finishing on a spicy note.
As usual, a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon matured 50% in new oak, the 2023 Le Petit Haut Lafitte Blanc offers up aromas of spring flowers, citrus, lime tree leaves and menthol. Medium-bodied, satiny and round, its satiny with a fleshy core of fruit, bright acids and an elegant, ethereal finish enhanced by gastronomic bitterness. It will offer a broad drinking window.