Château Smith Haut Lafitte - Le Petit 2019

Le Château Smith Haut Lafitte is one of the must-have names in the Pessac-Léognan appellation, dubbed the "most Graves of Graves" due to the atypical nature of its terroir. Domaine was founded in 1365 and was then named Haut Lafitte for its geographical location. Then, when Georges Smith, a merchant of Scottish origin, acquired it in the 18th century, he added his name to it and built the Carthusian monastery we know today.

Grand Cru Classé in red in the Graves classification, Château has been owned since 1990 by Daniel and Florence Cathiard, who for several years have been committed to a bio-precision approach that combines innovation and traditional techniques in both vineyard and cellar. The wines are produced organically without chemical inputs, enriched with biodynamic methods that contribute to the expression of the terroir. 

Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte red 2019 is extremely fine with silky tannins and beautiful aromas and flavours of Cabernet Sauvignon. Medium-bodied, with notes of blackcurrant, liquorice and dark chocolate. A great finesse and a good structure with a lot of aging potential.

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot.  Aged for 14 months in barrels (20% new barrels). Average vine age: 11 years old.

"The 2019 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte is fabulous. Rich, powerful and vibrant, Le Petit packs a serious punch. Readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off this jewel of a wine. Black cherry, plum, new leather, licorice, mocha and dried herbs build as this effusive, generous wine shows off its racy, alluring personality. I loved it." - 93 points, Vinous

"Spices, such as cloves and white pepper, with violets and dark fruit follow through to a full body with firm, chewy tannins and a polished yet intense finish. Open tannins. An ash-like undertone to it. Try after 2027." - 94 points, James Suckling

"The more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated second wine, the 2019 Le Petit Haut Lafitte is dense purple. with a promising bouquet of cassis, cedary spice, tobacco leaf, and background oak. It picks up some classic Graves scorched earth notes as it sits in the glass and is medium to full-bodied, has a concentrated, layered, balanced mouthfeel, and a great finish. A serious, impressive wine, it will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and drink brilliantly over the following 10-15." - 93 points, Jeb Dunnuck

Producer: Château Smith Haut Lafitte

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

Appellation: Pessac-Léognan

Vintage: 2019

Size: 750ml