Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc, Pessac Léognan, 2017

Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc, tasted En Primeur, offers a more muscular, impactful interpretation of the vintage, as it exudes grassy citrus and tropical notes of pineapple and passion fruit. Quite solid and firm on the palate, those 60-80 year old vines make their presence felt. It may need a little time to unwind, or perhaps is more clearly a wine for the table, the benefit of the doubt suggests that these wines do come good with time. 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon and 5% Semillon Gris (which imparts an extra kick of creaminess in the wine, we are told). Raised in 50% new oak.