Wine Advisor
Smith Haut Lafitte, Blanc 2017
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2017 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is very clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Rich, voluptuous and creamy, the 2017 has so much to offer. Citrus peel, white flowers and mint are all generous in the glass. More than that, the 2017 offers an interplay of tension and textural opulence that is incredibly appealing. The blend is 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon and 5% Sauvignon Gris.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2017 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is magnificent. In the glass, the 2017 reminds me of the superb 2013, but with less austerity and more depth. Jasmine, lemon confit, white flowers and mint are finely cut. Above all else, the 2017 Blanc is a wine of energy and pure pedigree. I loved it. The blend is 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon and 5% Sauvignon Gris.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2017 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc has a really enticing bouquet with Granny Smith apples, Mirabelle, freshly sliced pear and light, flinty aromas. There is plenty of energy here, perhaps even more than the following vintage. The palate is medium-bodied with pretty orange rind and tangerine notes on the entry. This is very focused and full of tension, the finish quite saline with impressive persistency.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2017 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc was deprived of a hectare parcel of 80-year old Sauvignon that was pulled up last year. It has a focused bouquet with mineral-driven citrus fruit, yellow plum and honeysuckle, the 50% new oak nicely integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with taut citrus fruit laced with pineapple and tangerine. There is a subtle tropical undercurrent to this Smith Haut-Lafite Blanc. It fans out generously towards the finish with a long and satisfying, lightly honeyed finish. This is a very fine white Smith Haut-Lafitte, already surfeit with pedigree that should age with style and panache.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2017 Blanc prances out of the glass with pretty, cheerful scents of fresh green apples, lemongrass, lime leaves and white peaches plus spicy touches of fresh ginger, coriander seed and white pepper. Medium-bodied, the palate has fantastic intensity and tension, with a racy backbone cutting through the tightly knit citrus and spice layers, finishing long and mineral laced.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
A blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc with 5% Sauvignon Gris and 5% Sémillon, the Smith Haut Lafitte 2017 Blanc offers up gorgeous, super-intense scents of pink grapefruit, white peaches, kumquats and ginger with wafts of under-ripe pineapple, lime blossoms and crushed rocks. Medium-bodied, it's very polished, sophisticated and wonderfully electric in the mouth, with sparks of citrus fruits, tropical notions and floral perfume exploding on the palate, finishing with epic persistence.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This shows serious density and beauty with fantastic complexity and dimension. Full-bodied yet so fresh and beautiful. Layered and tight at the same time. Exciting to follow this one.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This is fabulous white with sliced apples, pears, stones, flint and light cream. Really incredible. Full-bodied, yet so tight and polished with superb finesse and density at the same time. A fantastic Smith white. A blend of 90% sauvignon blanc, 5% sauvignon gris and 5% semillon. Drink or hold.
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.
