Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge 2017

Pessac-Leognan, Grand Cru Classé

Units	Size	Case size	GBP Price:	Quantities	Buy
18	75cl Bottle	Case 6	£330 per Case	Cases	[Add to shopping basket]

Tasting Notes
One of the many bottles that I have enjoyed this year that make me want to recommend the 2017 vintage for drinking right now. It's not going to be the most long-living of Bordeaux years, but this fragrant, nuanced bottle has a charm that is already evident, with fresh raspberries and grilled plum notes, along with liquorice, sage and gunsmoke. Showcasing the precision and finesse of the winemaking team, this can be approached now with a few hours in a carafe, although it will deepen further over the next decade. The yield in this vintage was 35hl/h after some frost. 60% new oak. Fabien Teitgen technical director. Tasted at the château during the Connoisseur Week, and again over supper at my house later in the year. Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2024-2040 07 December 2023
The 2017 Smith Haut Lafitte is fantastic. Rich, sumptuous and opulent, the 2017 dazzles with total class. Inky blue and purplish fruit, chocolate, licorice, menthol, sage and lavender infuse the 2017 with striking layers of depth and complexity. A wine of tremendous character and balance, the 2017 is flat-out gorgeous and very clearly one of the wines of the year. Score: 97 Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2025-2037 01 March 2020
The 2017 Smith Haut Lafitte has an open and expressive bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit, pressed iris petals mixed with subtle marine notes, iodine and seaweed. It is not as powerful as the 2018 but it is nicely focused. The palate is fresh on the entry with crisp tannins and vibrant black fruit. There is superb energy towards the graphite and mint infused finish. There is a lot of energy in this 2017 that actually renders it quite approachable, though I would prefer to leave bottles down in the cellar for several years. Score: 94 Neal Martin, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2023-2045 01 February 2020
A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Smith Haut Lafitte opens slowly to reveal complex notes of crushed black cherries, black currants and wild blueberries with touches of lavender, pencil lead, cast iron pan and a waft of aniseed. Medium-bodied and elegant with great freshness and quiet intensity, it has firm, grainy tannins and a sustained yet ethereal mid-palate, with a long, energetic, mineral-laced finish. Score: 94 - 96 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 27 April 2018
Smells sweet-fruited and sweetly oaky. Lovely fruit flavour on the palate – dark-red fruit – could perhaps do with just a little more fruit stuffing in the middle but this may just need a bit longer in barrel. Finishes fresh and the tannins are dry and refined. A sleeping beauty perhaps? Score: 17 Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2024-2037 25 April 2018
The 2017 Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte checks in as 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, fermented in oak tanks and aging in 60% new French barrels. It has a fresher, more lively style than normal but shows a beautiful purity and clarity in its crème de cassis, graphite, spring flower, and gravelly mineral-like aromas and flavors. Its acidity is nicely integrated, it has fine, ripe tannin, and a balanced style that’s going to evolve nicely. It’s certainly a terrific wine from winemaker and director Fabien Teitgen. Score: 93 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com 23 April 2018
This is a solid Smith for the vintage with blackberry and blackcurrant character. Full to medium body, firm and silky tannins and a lingering finish. Excellent potential here. Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 05 April 2018
This has a good core of dark plum and blackberry fruit, with a twinge of licorice snap mixed in. A hint of bramble on the finish, with the vintage’s refined, fresh acidity as well. Score: 91 - 94 James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 04 April 2018

Tasting Notes

One of the many bottles that I have enjoyed this year that make me want to recommend the 2017 vintage for drinking right now. It's not going to be the most long-living of Bordeaux years, but this fragrant, nuanced bottle has a charm that is already evident, with fresh raspberries and grilled plum notes, along with liquorice, sage and gunsmoke. Showcasing the precision and finesse of the winemaking team, this can be approached now with a few hours in a carafe, although it will deepen further over the next decade. The yield in this vintage was 35hl/h after some frost. 60% new oak. Fabien Teitgen technical director. Tasted at the château during the Connoisseur Week, and again over supper at my house later in the year.

Score: 95

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2024-2040 07 December 2023

The 2017 Smith Haut Lafitte is fantastic. Rich, sumptuous and opulent, the 2017 dazzles with total class. Inky blue and purplish fruit, chocolate, licorice, menthol, sage and lavender infuse the 2017 with striking layers of depth and complexity. A wine of tremendous character and balance, the 2017 is flat-out gorgeous and very clearly one of the wines of the year.

Score: 97

Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2025-2037 01 March 2020

The 2017 Smith Haut Lafitte has an open and expressive bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit, pressed iris petals mixed with subtle marine notes, iodine and seaweed. It is not as powerful as the 2018 but it is nicely focused. The palate is fresh on the entry with crisp tannins and vibrant black fruit. There is superb energy towards the graphite and mint infused finish. There is a lot of energy in this 2017 that actually renders it quite approachable, though I would prefer to leave bottles down in the cellar for several years.

Score: 94

Neal Martin, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2023-2045 01 February 2020

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Smith Haut Lafitte opens slowly to reveal complex notes of crushed black cherries, black currants and wild blueberries with touches of lavender, pencil lead, cast iron pan and a waft of aniseed. Medium-bodied and elegant with great freshness and quiet intensity, it has firm, grainy tannins and a sustained yet ethereal mid-palate, with a long, energetic, mineral-laced finish.

Score: 94 - 96

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 27 April 2018

Smells sweet-fruited and sweetly oaky. Lovely fruit flavour on the palate – dark-red fruit – could perhaps do with just a little more fruit stuffing in the middle but this may just need a bit longer in barrel. Finishes fresh and the tannins are dry and refined. A sleeping beauty perhaps?

Score: 17

Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2024-2037 25 April 2018

The 2017 Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte checks in as 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, fermented in oak tanks and aging in 60% new French barrels. It has a fresher, more lively style than normal but shows a beautiful purity and clarity in its crème de cassis, graphite, spring flower, and gravelly mineral-like aromas and flavors. Its acidity is nicely integrated, it has fine, ripe tannin, and a balanced style that’s going to evolve nicely. It’s certainly a terrific wine from winemaker and director Fabien Teitgen.

Score: 93 - 95

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com 23 April 2018

This is a solid Smith for the vintage with blackberry and blackcurrant character. Full to medium body, firm and silky tannins and a lingering finish. Excellent potential here.

Score: 95 - 96

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 05 April 2018

This has a good core of dark plum and blackberry fruit, with a twinge of licorice snap mixed in. A hint of bramble on the finish, with the vintage’s refined, fresh acidity as well.

Score: 91 - 94

James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 04 April 2018

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