Les Hauts de Smith Pessac-Léognan 2016 - Second vin
Bordeaux
Red
Sold individually
Drink or Keep
93/100
Vinous
-
88-90/100
Robert Parker
-
89/100
Wine Spectator
-
15,5/20
RVF
-
93/100
James Suckling
-
93/100
Wine Enthusiast
"Suave, very elegant and full-bodied on the palate, this is a spherical wine that is very accessible and gourmet." (Le Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France 2021 - RVF). An expressive red with lovely fresh red fruits (cherry, strawberry, raspberry) that give it a beautiful aromatic elegance...
Features
Estate
Château Smith Haut Lafitte
Cuvée
Les Hauts de Smith
Vintage
2016
Designation
Pessac-Léognan
Region
Bordeaux
Grape varieties
60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon
Terroirs
Gunzian gravels promote natural soil drainage
Viticulture
Cultivation according to biodynamic principles
Harvest
Manual in micro crates
Winemaking
After double sorting before and after destemming, to eliminate all undesirable elements (stalk fragments), the unstalked grapes are fermented in vats. Tannins and color are extracted by punching down and/or pumping over. Maceration then follows at 26-28° for a period that is specific to each vat and is determined by tasting (between 4 and 6 weeks).
Breeding
14 months in barrels (20% new wood) made in our integrated cooperage
Tasting & pairing
Eye
Very dark, dense red
Nose
Already open, with a beautiful expression of red fruit (raspberry, cherry) and blackcurrant. With agitation, the nose becomes more complex, with notes of sweet spices and toast.
Mouth
Straightforward, with good concentration and good body. The wine is round and delicate, with lovely tannins and smoothness. The palate is long and unctuous, with a long, fresh finish and great aromatic expression of red and black fruits (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries), spices (cinnamon, star anise...) and terroir notes of gunflint.
Serve
At 17-18°C, decant if necessary
Drink before
2029
Food and wine pairing
Enjoy with a rack of suckling pig, pan-fried ceps à la bordelaise, rump steak, entrecote steak, etc.
Château Smith Haut Lafitte
Pessac-Léognan
Expert opinion
Bettane & Desseauve
Domaine rated (2020 guide) 4*Stars (Top-quality producers, the glories of French winegrowing)
About the domain :
A flagship property in Martillac for the quality of its facilities and its openness to wine tourism with the superb Sources de Caudalie establishment (5-star hotel-spa and two-Michelin-starred restaurant, La Grand'Vigne), Smith Haut-Lafitte is also a pioneering vineyard in its category for its viticultural philosophy, which Daniel Cathiard describes as bio-precision, the aim being to combine the best of nature with the best of science. Florence and Daniel Cathiard, who acquired the property in 1991, can be proud of the work accomplished on the 78 hectares of vineyards. Respect for the terroir, precise winemaking, integrated cooperage, dynamic communication: in just a quarter of a century, the Cathiards have become part of the Bordeaux legend! The wines have found their true personality: no more woody excesses, they are now racy, perfectly expressing their terroir and bursting with energy. Hauts-de-smith and le-petit-haut-de-smith receive the same attention as the grand vin, and it shows!
Guide des Vins Gault & Millau
Domain rated 5*Stars (Outstanding production)
About the domain :
The Cathiards are a success story in the French wine industry. After buying the estate in 1990, they turned it towards a quality approach, both in the vineyard and in the cellar, and established it as a top-of-the-range business - including the creation of a vinotherapy center. Like a growing number of châteaux, Smith Haut-Lafitte has adopted a "bio-organic" approach, using organic anti-botrytis agents, massal selections, horse-drawn ploughing, composting...
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
Rated (2017 guide) 88-90/100 (Wonderful wine)
Domain rated Recommended (Wine producer recommended by Robert Parker - The Wine Advocate)
About the wine:
The 2016 Les Hauts de Smith Rouge is a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 60% Merlot from the young vines of Smith Haut Lafitte. It is aged in 20% new barrels. It has a simple but attractive bouquet of blackberry, brown spice and just a touch of vanilla from that oak. The palate is medium-bodied, with fine, grainy tannins on the attack, plenty of leather-tinged black fruit and a slight iron scent. The acidity is well balanced and the finish is long and tender. Probably suitable for early drinking, as it is more accessible than others; nevertheless, it should drink well for several years.
About the domain :
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Rated (guide 2021) 15.5/20 (Good wine)
Domaine rated (2020 guide) 2*Stars (These great estates, often blessed with fabulous terroirs, are must-haves which, because of their consistency and the excellence of their production, must be included in the cellars of discerning wine lovers).
About the wine:
Suave, very elegant and full-bodied on the palate, this spherical wine is very accessible and delicious.
About the domain :
This estate has come a long way since Florence and Daniel Cathiard bought it in 1990. From a ruined cru classé and a virtually abandoned vineyard, these two neo-winegrowers, trained in the school of supermarket distribution in the case of the former and in communications in the case of the latter, have made a name for themselves. Firstly, to produce a wine that is undoubtedly among the elite of Bordeaux production, and secondly, to make Smith Haut-Lafitte an essential stopover for wine tourism. If the wines were at first a little too mature and woody, their style has been greatly refined over the last ten years. The texture of the reds, the measure of extractions and the more delicate tannic masses are all part of a more contemporary, less demonstrative taste. The whites have also followed this trend, with the influence of ageing much less pronounced in recent vintages. Smith Haut-Lafitte wines are enjoying international success and strong price growth.
Wine Spectator
Rated 89/100 (Very good wine)
Wine Enthusiast
Wine rated (2017 guide) 93/100
About the wine:
Barrel sample. Second wine produced by the estate, 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, the palate is slightly spicy with juicy red fruit. The wine is full of acidity with a crisp aftertaste. It will develop relatively quickly. Drink after 2023.
Vinous A. Galloni
Wine rated 93/ 100
James Suckling
Wine rated (2019 guide) 93/100
About the wine:
Fresh aromas of blackcurrant and cherry with hints of flowers. Full-bodied, very tight and firm, with silky tannins and a lovely, long finish. Lively and lively. Second wine of Château Smith Haut Lafitte. Mainly Merlot with some Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink after 2022.
Customer reviews
Customer rating
4/5
on 9 reviews
Note and review by M. GILLES D. Published on 16/12/2022
It's hard not to succumb to the temptation of tasting this cuvée before the holidays. The brilliance of the exceptional 2016 vintage can be felt on the palate right from the opening. It is characterized by a suave, harmonious sensation, thanks to the particular density and depth of the dapper, ripe fruit, sprinkled with spices, but also because of the prominent, juicy acidity that adds a touch of nervousness to the volume. The whole is backed by supple, polished and perfumed tannins, supported by a satiny patina of the most elegant. This classically velvety, feline cuvée finishes with a long, resonant aftertaste. After essential decanting, Smith's second wine sublimated a salmis of pheasant, porcini mushrooms and potatoes sautéed in butter. Score = 4.2.
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Note and review by M. FRANCOIS J. Published on 07/02/2024
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Note and review by M. CLEMENT C. Published on 15/06/2023
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Note and review by M. JOEL P. Published on 26/03/2023
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Note and review by M. NICOLAS P. Published on 12/02/2023
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Note and review by M. THOMAS K. Published on 25/01/2023
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Note and review by M. GILDAS M. Published on 02/11/2022
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Note and review by Mme YVONNE S. Published on 03/10/2022
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Note and review by M. JEAN LOUIS G. Published on 26/06/2022
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