Château Smith Haut Lafitte 2016

Quite ripe, with lush waves of cassis, cherry preserve and raspberry puree flavors gliding through in no hurry, but maintaining definition and cut along the way as bramble, tar and melted licorice snap notes slowly emerge throughout. The finish features an intense echo of pastis and sweet tobacco, showing serious latent grip. Best from 2023 through 2038. 8,333 cases made.

Pure perfection in a glass, the 2016 offers notes of cherry, liquorice, smoke, graphite, plum and eucalyptus. It is fresh and racy. This is a perfectly balanced wine, full of energy and freshness, juicy and fleshy on the palate, with a classic tannic frame and a long yet persistent finish. Drink it over the coming two or three decades. Bravo!

The blackcurrant and blueberry aromas are lifted and beautiful. Lots of flowers, too, together with some mushroom and dried-flower undertones. Full-bodied with firm and very silky tannins giving a lovely texture. Bright acidity lifts the finish and gives it drive and force. Better after 2025.

Dark crimson with purple rim. The first sniff makes me smile. So inviting in its dusty, pure-fruited fragrance. Fragrant with anticipated pleasure. Exceptional tannic finesse giving an elegant structure for the fresh, lively fruit. Dry, like layers of fine paper. Long and embryonic but all in perfect harmony. Stunning. (JH)

The 2016 Smith Haut Lafitte is flat-out stunning. Rich, ample and explosive, the 2016 has tremendous energy and tension to counterbalance the wine’s dark, generous fruit. I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted a young Smith Haut Lafitte with such extraordinary balance. In 2016, the Grand Vin is tense and pulsing with energy. Hints of lavender, spice, menthol and crème de cassis emerge in the glass, but the 2016 stands out for its feel and exceptional harmony. The combined effects of picking a bit early, gentler vinification and reducing oak impact are having a profound effect at Smith Haut Lafitte. Thinking of some of the highly regarded wines of the last decade here, 2009 and 2010 in particular, well, 2016 is on another level. This is a magnificent showing from proprietors Florence and Daniel Cathiard and their team led by Technical Director Fabien Teitgen.

The depth of color is serious. On the nose, there are dark red fruits, licorice, smoke, herbs, and espresso bean. The wine is clearly intense, yet also lifted, which is very hard to achieve! The oak is better integrated than in previous vintages, and the velvety, silky texture on the palate is completely captivating. Everything is in balance and harmony here. The finish is seamless. This is going to age very well.

Deep, dark ruby with an opaque core, discreet brightening at the rim. Delicately floral on the nose with underlying Black Forest berries and fine savory wood notes, an attractive bouquet. On the palate, complex, juicy, round and fruity, with ripe black cherries, noticeable supporting tannins and a chocolatey finish.

The nose offers gently toasted oak with coffee, dry spices, ripe dark fruit and wet tobacco. The palate is dense yet fresh, with layers of savoury dark fruit, a finely tuned and polished tannin structure, fine oak underneath, well-preserved freshness and an ample, dense and long finish.

Moving to the reds, the 2016 Château Smith Haut Lafitte checks in as 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot that spent 18 months in 60% new oak. It’s undeniably a more elegant, reserved style from this estate, yet it still offers full-bodied richness and depth, with a classic perfume of cassis, black currants, cold fireplace, wood smoke, and tobacco. Deep, nicely concentrated, seamless, and, again, incredibly elegant, it’s going to flesh out nicely with short-term cellaring and keep for 20-30 years.

65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot, 60% new barriques, lower alcohol than 2010 or 2014. Deep garnet. Seductive nose of ripe blueberries, morello cherries, lilac and blackberry jelly, with coconut, turmeric (sweet spice) and chocolate notes in the background. On the palate, silky texture with supportive tannins; the tightly knit body is present and fully coats the palate. The feminine start is underestimated, then it strikes, and it can still gain further! Shows freshness, sweetness and length. Fabien Teitgen notes a particularity: this year, the seeds were ripe earlier than the skins!

Kunz barrel sample 17: (65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot, 35 hl/ha) Velvety, dense, powerful, complex bouquet with tobacco, subtle prunes, vanilla, roasted notes, praline, mint. Tightly knit, finely opulent, elegant palate with powerful fruit, dark, dense aromatics, plenty of fine tannins, creamy texture, long, dense finish. Has room to improve.

(65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot, 35 hl/ha) Velvety, dense, powerful, complex bouquet: tobacco, subtle prunes, vanilla, roasted notes, pralines, mint. Tightly woven, finely opulent, elegant palate with strong fruit, dense dark aromatics, plenty of fine tannins, creamy texture, long, dense finish. Can improve further. 18/20 2022 - 2040

The 2016 Smith Haut Lafitte has a deep garnet color. It bursts onto the scene with dramatic notes of crème de cassis, blueberry compote, and chocolate-covered cherries, plus suggestions of star anise, lavender, and fallen leaves, with a touch of iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is an exercise in elegance and sophistication, framed by exquisitely ripe, plush tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and with an achingly beautiful perfume.

Black fruits, zan, spices, white pepper, floral. Fresh palate, supple tannins, broad, creamy, very lovely mouthfeel.

Purple with violet hues. A complex, intense bouquet with spicy, floral and fruity notes. Hints of violets and iris. The nose is multi-faceted, combining notes of licorice wood, blueberries and redcurrants. With aeration, I detect smoky touches, found here and there in wines from this appellation, as well as notes of black pepper. And I clearly pick up the Cabernet Sauvignon! Yes, it smells of grapes and wine; I love how clearly the varietal side—a much‑overused term—of Cabernet Sauvignon is expressed! Intense, racy, juicy and creamy attack. Beautiful balance between charming notes and fine tannins. The latter are perfectly integrated and ideally provide support alongside the structure. They are dense and powerful, yet leave enough room for the other elements. A truly great Smith Haut Lafitte that takes hold of the palate in a subtle yet assertive way. It is great, truly great, and certainly one of, if not THE, best Smith Haut Lafitte ever! It will go far, if there’s enough in the cellar, because given the pleasure it already provides in its youth, patience will be hard!

Beautiful, deep dark color. An intense, refined nose with ripe, pure fruit and a lightly toasted nuance. Rich on the attack, smooth as it unfolds, very fruity, powerful and caressing, yet also gentle, the wine progresses with savor toward a long, sapid finish, marked by black fruit and violet, with a tannic touch that will melt with time. Note that decanting is very beneficial.

96–98. Barrel Sample. With its dense structure, superb acidity and black currant fruits, this is a great wine from the estate owned by Daniel and Florence Cathiard. A majority old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon (with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot) gives the wine the concentration it needs to mature slowly. This elegant wine will be ready to drink after 2032.