Wine Advisor
Smith Haut Lafitte, Blanc 2013
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2013 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is beautiful, but it is going to need time in bottle before offering its best drinking. Today, the 2013 is intensely mineral and tightly wound, both of which bode extremely well for the future. The combination of aging in barrel on the lees but blocking the malolactic fermentation results in a white of unusual texture, pedigree and pure class. Fans of the Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc, and that includes me, will not want to miss the 2013. The blend is 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon and 5% Sauvignon Gris.
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
(90% sauvignon blanc, 5% semillon and 5% sauvignon gris; 50% new oak): Bright straw yellow. Captivating aromas of tangerine, lemon, grapefruit, white flowers and aromatic herbs. Bright and juicy on the palate, with a laser beam of acidity lifting the bitter grapefruit, yellow melon and lemon verbena flavors. Finishes long, clean and savory, with sneaky concentration to the flint and saline nuances. One of the best white wines from this estate in memory. Technical director Fabien Teitgen noted that in 2103, our ability to identify ripeness levels in our different plots and to monitor leaf growth and development via satellite imagery allowed us to harvest and then vinify individual parcels in small wooden vats at the best possible point in time, which was a big help. Teitgen also believes that the optical sorting machines were especially useful in 2013 and help explain the outstanding quality of this 2013 white.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
A blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% each of Semillon and Sauvignon Gris, the Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc has a tightly wound bouquet: sultry at the moment with light gooseberry and Granny Smith apples. The palate is well balanced with a fine line of acidity, citrus lemon and lime zest, with a gradual build towards its precise finish. Excellent. Tasted March 2014.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This spectacular dry white is usually 90% Sauvignon Blanc and the balance Sauvignon Gris. Copious notes/aromas of peach, honeyed grapefruit, spring flowers and a caramelized melony aspect can be found in this very elegant, pure, complex dry white. Medium-bodied, crisp, fresh and deep, this 2013 can evolve for 12-15 years or more.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2013 Smith-Haut-Lafitte Blanc offers a payload of grapefruit, guava and melon aromas that are beautifully integrated with the oak. The palate is fresh and vibrant, very harmonious with a hint of sour lemon that complements that subtle tropical tone. It slips down the throat with ease, completing a gorgeous white Bordeaux. If you are intent on buying just one wine in this off-vintage, this is the one I would load up on.
About the Producer
Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte is located in the village of Martillac in the Pessac-Leognan appellation, south of Bordeaux, France, and is a Grand Cru of the Graves appellation. The Château Smith Haut Lafitte complex is quite large, with a château, winery and large underground cellars, as well as a sizeable resort hotel (Les Sources de Caudalie), the Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa, the Caudalie restaurant, and the gardens, water and wine garden. The courtyard also features gardens, flowing water and a number of artistic sculptures, including a sculpture by Barry Flanagan called "The Flying Rabbit", as well as wonderful works by Chinese sculptor Huang Yongping and Italian artist Mimmo Paladino, among others. The Smith Haut Lafitte winery Smithers Lafitte has 78 hectares of vineyards planted with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, while the white varieties include 90% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Petit Verdot. Sauvignon Blanc, 5% of Sauvignon Gris and 5% of Semillon. The average age of the red vines is 38 years and the average age of the white vines is 40 years. The wines are fermented in stainless steel tanks or in large oak barrels, depending on the variety and the plot. After fermentation, the red wines are aged for 18 months in 60% new barrels and the white wines for 12 months in 50% new barrels. The wines are not filtered before bottling and have a unique, slightly smoky aroma that fully reflects the true nature of the Graves origin. The winery is currently being upgraded and will be 100% gravity-fed when the renovation is complete. The grapes are harvested at perfect ripeness, gently broken and fermented to extract the smoothest and softest tannins and flavours, and the wine is then aged for several years to reveal its qualities: crisp and complex aromas, balanced and full-bodied, elegant and firm on the palate. Currently, Château Smith Lafitte produces six wines: one red and one white, one red and one white, two secondary wines called Le Petit Haut Lafitte, and one red and one white, two tertiary wines called "Les Hauts de Smith". Château Smith Lafitte has stabilised in recent years, receiving high ratings from critics and the press in several vintages, and has been well received by the market. The top vintages of the winery into the 20th century are 2005, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
