Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Grand Cru Classé, Pessac Léognan, 2025
We used to love the wines at Smith Haut Lafitte, but something's changed. The 2025 feels a bit thick and overambitious. Initially there is some floral interest, peonies and minty cassis then the palate turns to mulberry and charcoal. This feels too extracted and whist there is lots of unctuous black fruit and minerals, it is a bit austere and joyless. Finishes with drying tannins.
critic reviews
The 2025 Smith Haut Lafitte was picked between September 3 and 30 at 28 hl/ha and raised in 50% new oak. It has a well-defined bouquet with mainly black fruit intertwined with Earl Grey, sous-bois and cigar box scents, a much more classical style of Smith Haut-Lafitte compared to recent vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, a subtle tobacco note that percolates through the black fruit, more structure coming through towards the sapid finish with a dash of black pepper on the aftertaste. This will fill out in barrel and should become a refined and quite delicious Smith Haut-Lafitte that will repay time in bottle.
Fabien Teitgen and Tracey Dobbin have indicated that they would prefer I not taste the 2025 vintage, noting that my recent assessments diverge from those of several other critics and that, in the current market context, published scores can have an immediate impact on both perception and commercial positioning. In light of this, I will refrain from tasting the 2025 Smith Haut Lafitte for publication. I remain, of course, available to taste the wines, and readers who wish to form their own judgment can refer to my recent reviews.
The 2025 Smith Haut Lafitte is a very classy, elegant wine. Lavender, spice and mint open first, followed by a burst of black/purplish fruit. Medium in body, with terrific freshness, the 2025 is impeccably done. The lighter style vis-à-vis most years is quite attractive.