Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Cru Classé Pessac Léognan, 2016
Florence Cathiard referred to 2016 as 'the catastrophe that never was… As with politics, nothing happened as expected, but in our vineyard everything turned out well in the end!’ This is yet another very smart Smith Haut Lafitte. This estate continues to produces sexy wines, but always preserves a sense of modesty; these are generous, but never tarty. The 2016 is fashioned from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot and will be aged in 60% new oak barrels. There is a glorious bouquet of kirsch, crème de cassis, graphite and clove. This is really seductive and silky. The fruit is so pure and suave, but there is plenty of underlying power and structure. Luxurious yet tense and vital, this is a very smart Smith with a very long cassis and gravel finish. Textbook SHL.
critic reviews
Floral edge, with a ton of crayon and cocoa bean, love the sculpted character, bitter aniseed and fennel, characterful and hard to resist, sappy and juicy with mouthwatering finish, just beginning to flirt with its drinking window. Official organic conversion began in this vintage, with certification coming in 2019. Fabien Teitgen technical director.
The 2016 Smith Haut-Lafitte has an opulent, lavish bouquet with layers of black cherry, Christmas cake, dark chocolate and vanilla. This wants to make an impression. The palate is very seductive, featuring lush red berry fruit, brown spices and saturated tannins. Some new oak is evident on the finish, but that will be subsumed with bottle age. I can see this aging well. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
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.