Château Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge

Château Smith Haut Lafitte is a Bordeaux wine from the Pessac-Léognan appellation, ranked among the Grands Crus Classés for red wines in the Classification of Graves Wine of 1953 and 1959. The winery and vineyards are located south of the city of Bordeaux, in the commune of Martillac. The estate originates in the 14th century with the house of Verrier du Boscq who planted vines on a gravelly plateau named Lafitte in 1365. In 1720, it was bought by the Scotsman Georges Smith who added his name to the lieu-dit, and who built the manor house of the property.

In 1990, Daniel Cathiard bought Smith Haut Lafitte and embarked on an investment programme, including the building of a new cellar. The vineyard area consists of 67 hectares, 56 hectares of which are planted with grape varieties of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. The remaining 11 hectares are cultivated with white varieties of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon and 5% Sauvignon Gris. The Grand Vin, Château Smith Haut Lafitte, is annually produced in 10,000 cases of the red wine and 2,500 cases of the dry white wine.

 

A top-notch success, the dense ruby/purple-coloured 2006 Smith-Haut-Lafitte offers aromas of smoky, juicy blackcurrants, graphite, earth, truffles, and forest floor. Full-bodied with superb purity, noticeable but sweet tannins, this round, generously long wine should drink nicely for 15–20 years or above