2023 Smith Haut Lafitte
Prezzo di mercato
Opzioni di acquisto
Note di degustazione
This is a weighty and serious wine in 2023. Blackberry, huckleberry, with more delicate violet, lavender and pepper leap from the glass, supported by graphite, woodsy forest floor and faint liquorice. Firm, grippy tannins spread across the palate, ending on a slightly astringent note. There is such a fresh and energetic quality to this wine, with juicy red fruit and lovely acidity, despite the densely packed fruit and more savoury notes. Definitely a wine to age for decades to come. The 2023 is particularly memorable for the Cathiard family as King Charles III and Queen Camilla chose to visit the estate during the harvest. As such every bottle of both the red and white will bear a commemorative label to mark the occasion. Aged in 60% new oak, with 14% alcohol and 3.65 pH. Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
Punteggi della critica
Punteggio medio
James Suckling
Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate
Altre recensioni e punteggi
Blackcurrants, smoky tobacco, graphite, and hints of espresso all emerge from the 2023 Château Smith Haut Lafitte, a gorgeous effort based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. This is the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon ever used in the blend, largely due to mildew, yet the team also loved the quality of the Cabernet in the vintage. Medium to full-bodied, it has a concentrated, focused mouthfeel, plenty of ripe tannins, and a chalky, mineral, fresh feel on the finish. I love the overall balance as well as the purity here. Hide bottles for just 4-5 years and it's going to blow you away over the following 30 years. Drink 2029-2055.
The 2023 Smith Haut Lafitte is packed with sumptuous black cherry fruit, gravel, dried herbs, licorice and tobacco. Floral overtones appear with air, adding layers of dimension and complexity. There's a bit more Cabernet Sauvignon in this year's blend because Merlot suffered more through mildew episodes. That yields a Grand Vin that is a bit less sensual in the early going but also more explosive and powerful.
The 2023 Smith Haut Lafitte, which has more Cabernet than usual due to the mildew-affected Merlot and the quality of the Cabernet itself. It has a really lovely bouquet that makes an immediate impact: blackberry and boysenberry fruit, subtle hints of violet and cassis. Very pure and well-defined. The palate is medium-bodied with silky tannins, perfectly pitched acidity, very harmonious and poised, with a gradual build toward the finish. This is one of the best reds that you will find in the 2023 vintage in Bordeaux — superb.
Informazioni sul produttore
Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte è oggi uno dei protagonisti di Pessac-Léognan, tutto grazie a Daniel e Florence Cathiard, che rilevarono la proprietà nel 1990 e da allora hanno trasformato la tenuta, convertendosi alla biodinamica e producendo vini di crescente finezza.