2009 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac-Léognan Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note

60888 Views

2009 Château Smith Haut Lafitte  (Pessac-Léognan) 98 Now, with just a few minutes of air you find truffle, smoke, fennel, black cherry, smoke and cocoa, dark chocolate notes. Full bodied, concentrated, the tannins are soft, the texture is round, the fruits are sweet, but there is oak needing to be better integrated into the wine. Give it another 5-8 years in the cellar, and if the oak fully integrates, this is going to be a great wine! Now, with just a few minutes of air you find truffle, smoke, fennel, black cherry, smoke and cocoa, dark chocolate notes. Full bodied, concentrated, the tannins are soft, the texture is round, the fruits are sweet, but there is oak needing to be better integrated into the wine. Give it another 5-8 years in the cellar, and if the oak fully integrates, this is going to be a great wine! 6,131 Views   Tasted Sep 20, 2019  • Buy This Wine For The Lowest Price DOWNLOAD TASTING NOTE | Post to This is becoming compelling, now that the wine has dropped most of its baby fat. It also continues adding complexity, softness and secondary nuances. Silky, lush and polished, the velvet tannins are the perfect backing for the smoky, dark, ripe berries, licorice and earthy scents. The wine is long, which is a good thing, as it feels just great on your palate. This is becoming compelling, now that the wine has dropped most of its baby fat. It also continues adding complexity, softness and secondary nuances. Silky, lush and polished, the velvet tannins are the perfect backing for the smoky, dark, ripe berries, licorice and earthy scents. The wine is long, which is a good thing, as it feels just great on your palate. 8,583 Views   Tasted Mar 23, 2018 Like all great wines, this keeps getting better as it ages. Fat, rich, ripe, juicy, lush, opulent, round and dense, the wine is packed with ripe blackberries, plum, espresso, spice, earth and cigar wrapper. While this is good now, it's going to be much better with age as the wine gains in complexity and pulls together. Like all great wines, this keeps getting better as it ages. Fat, rich, ripe, juicy, lush, opulent, round and dense, the wine is packed with ripe blackberries, plum, espresso, spice, earth and cigar wrapper. While this is good now, it's going to be much better with age as the wine gains in complexity and pulls together. 12,987 Views   Tasted Sep 22, 2014 This is a property on a roll. Using slightly less oak has allowed more freshness and purity to shine through. Licorice, chocolate, juicy black plum liqueur and espresso scents create the perfume. There is a beautiful sensation of pure, rich fruit, freshness and sensuous textures. It’s a step up from every previous vintage produced by the Cathiard’s and Fabien Teitgen. As hard as it is to believe, their 2010 could end up a better wine! This is a property on a roll. Using slightly less oak has allowed more freshness and purity to shine through. Licorice, chocolate, juicy black plum liqueur and espresso scents create the perfume. There is a beautiful sensation of pure, rich fruit, freshness and sensuous textures. It’s a step up from every previous vintage produced by the Cathiard’s and Fabien Teitgen. As hard as it is to believe, their 2010 could end up a better wine! 16,143 Views   Tasted Jan 30, 2012 2009 Smith Haut Lafitte is dark ruby. Its nose is of truffle, earth, spice, smoke, coffee, berry and caramel. Full bodied and filled with ripe, fleshy, opulently textured fruit. If all the oak fully integrates (and I suspect it will), this will be a very strong wine. The fleshy finish has elements of chocolate, coffee, dark berries, and pit fruits. 94/96 Pts 2009 Smith Haut Lafitte is dark ruby. Its nose is of truffle, earth, spice, smoke, coffee, berry and caramel. Full bodied and filled with ripe, fleshy, opulently textured fruit. If all the oak fully integrates (and I suspect it will), this will be a very strong wine. The fleshy finish has elements of chocolate, coffee, dark berries, and pit fruits. 94/96 Pts 17,044 Views   Tasted Aug 26, 2010

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.

www.smith-haut-lafitte.com