Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte, Blanc, Pessac Léognan, 2023
critic reviews
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.
A little more gunsmoke and slate than the Hauts de Smith, with a structure and salinity that takes you to a more serous level, still with the easy pleasure of ripe citrus and pear fruits. Excellent quality, 36hl/h yields.
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.