1990 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc

Daniel and Florence Cathiard's first vintage. The vineyard needed a lot of work on arrival, and this is on the tawny side colour-wise, with smoked earth and sharp fennel notes, soy, umami, iron, just skirting full ripeness, although there is charm here, and it is not entirely giving up the ghost. The estate was purchased at the end of 1990, just after harvest, so all they could do was carry out severe sorting, meaning only around 30% of production in the 1st wine. Small amount of new oak, around 20%.