2005 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac-Léognan Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note
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2005
Château Smith Haut Lafitte (Pessac-Léognan)
Coffee, smoke, baked cherries, tar, caramel and thyme open the nose. Combining round textures with freshness, this can be enjoyed now, as you can see from the secondary notes, if you allow it an hour or two of air. But a few more years will add more softness and complexity along with additional time to integrate the oak into the wine. 7,630 Views Tasted Jun 28, 2015Smoke, coffee, licorice and spicy, blackberry jam notes open this concentrated wine. The wine is rich with lush, ripe, berries, but the oak remains noticeable. There is a touch of dryness in the dark berry and vanilla finish. Hopefully, the oak will dissipate with more bottle age. If the oak becomes better integrated, the wine will deserve a much higher score. 13,364 Views Tasted Feb 5, 2012This kicks into high gear with its spicy cassis, chocolate, espresso, vanilla bean, smoke and blackberry scented nose. This full bodied, fat, rich, supple, concentrated wine offers offers a long flashy, dark berry filled finish. 16,727 Views Tasted Jun 15, 2009Dense, thick, rich with a strong palate note of intense, black cherry. Very ripe. While this can be enjoyed young, 10 years will really bring it together. Better than the 2000. 7,603 Views Tasted Jan 20, 2008 |
When to Drink Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time
Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte needs time before it begins to show its true character. Smith Haut Lafitte needs at least 8-10 years of aging in good vintages until it is ready to be enjoyed. Young vintages can be decanted for 2-3 hours or more. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume.
Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment. Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 12 and 30 years of age after the vintage.
Serving Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte with Wine, Food, Pairing Tips
Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift. Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes. Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte is also good with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta.
The white wine of Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte is best served with a myriad of different seafood dishes, shellfish, crab, lobster, sushi, sashimi, chicken, pork, and veal, as well as Asian cuisine.
In July 2011, Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte purchased a majority of the vineyard property belonging to the neighboring estate, Chateau Le Thil. 11.6 hectares of vines and 8.2 hectares of verdant parkland went to Smith Haut Lafitte. Much of that land is located next to Smith Haut Lafitte and was actually part of the original estate that was owned by Lodi Duffour Dubergier.
In essence, this reunited the original vineyards. Le Thil belonged to his nephew, from whom the de Laitre family is descended. The remaining vineyard land was sold to Les Carmes Haut Brion.
In July 2014, the Cathiard family continues expanding their holdings in Bordeaux with the purchase of Chateau Beauregard in Pomerol and Bastor Lamontagne in Sauternes. They sold Bastor Lamontagne in 2019. The Pomerol and Sauternes properties were purchased in a partnership between the Moulin Family, the owners of the large, French chain of Galerie Lafayette stores, and the Cathiard Family.
In 2019, The Cathiard family continued expanding their holdings when they purchased Flora Springs in Napa Valley, in the Rutherford appellation. Floral Springs is a historic property, founded in 1885.