Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte (Futures Pre-sale) 2009

"The finest wine ever made by proprietors Daniel and Florence Cathiard, the 2009 Smith-Haut-Lafitte exhibits an opaque blue/purple color in addition to a glorious nose of acacia flowers, licorice, charcoal, blueberries, black raspberries, lead pencil shavings and incense. This massive, extraordinarily rich, unctuously textured wine may be the most concentrated effort produced to date, although the 2000, 2005 and 2010 are nearly as prodigious. A gorgeous expression of Pessac-Leognan with sweet tannin, emerging charm and delicacy, and considerable power, depth, richness and authority, it should age effortlessly for 30-40+ years. Bravo!"

100 Points

The Wine Advocate

"This is really loaded, with crushed plum, blueberry, cassis, fig and blackberry paste flavors all melded together, along with notes of tar, pastis and violet. Very long and dark, but polished and pure, with terrific fruit offset by a great tug of earth on the finish. Should cruise easily in the cellar. Best from 2015 through 2035."

96 Points

Wine Spectator

"Aromas of flowers, dried citrus fruit and blueberries follow through to a full body, with firm and silky tannins and a long, long finish. Gorgeous fruit and structure. Polished and powerful. Best red ever from Smith. Best in 2018. "

96 Points

James Suckling

"Robust and rich wine, balancing well the rich fruits, flavors of plum juice and sweetness along with very firm, solid tannins.
Barrel Sample: 93-95 Points "

95 Points

Wine Enthusiast

"Deep ruby-purple. Aromas of smoky plum, blackberry syrup, cinnamon and canele (a Bordeaux specialty made from a caramelized batter containing rum and vanilla) are very ripe but not exaggerated, and nicely lifted by floral and mineral topnotes. Very fresh in the mouth, with almost delicate but very deep flavors of dark berries, cedar and minerals. Finishes long and pure, with noticeable saline and grapey nuances. This highly successful wine manages a tricky balancing act between superripeness and just the right amount of freshness; in fact, this seems almost understated to me even though it boasts a extremely high IPT of 100 and possesses outstanding depth and substance. It also relies much less on oak for weight and structure than a couple of recent vintages, and therein lies a good measure of its success. Should be one of the red wine stars of '09.
Barrel Sample: 92-95 Points "

95 Points

International Wine Cellar