Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte (Futures Pre-Sale) 2012
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Wilfred
Wong -
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine
Spectator
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
Easily one of the most opulent wines from Pessac-Léognan and perhaps in the world of international Cabernet Sauvignon blends from anywhere in the world; the 2012 Château Smith Haut Lafitte is a smashing success. The wine shows elegant black fruits and sweet oak in the aroma. On the palate, it is satisfying. Shows well now with braised short ribs. (Tasted: January 30, 2015, San Francisco, CA)
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James Suckling
The finish is gorgeous here with a crunchy, fruity, hazelnut and earthy character. Dense yet balanced with a beautiful texture and length. Creamy tannins. Superb for the vintage. 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot.
Barrel Sample: 94-95 Points -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A brilliant success again, this blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot is a medium-bodied, impressively concentrated wine with copious quantities of red and black fruits. Licorice, roasted herbs and a touch of background oak are present in this slightly precocious wine, which should be accessible when released. It has the depth to evolve for 20 or more years. Talk about a severe selection – only 41% made it into the grand vin!
Barrel Sample: 92-94 Points -
Wine Enthusiast
Dark, extracted and dense, this is a hard-edged wine that initially lacks fruitiness. Only as the wine develops does it show its powerful density and hints of juiciness.
Barrel Sample: 92-94 Points -
Wine Spectator
The layered fig, boysenberry and blackberry pâte de fruit notes are buttressed by ample, yet polished and integrated, ganachecoated tannins, while accents of black tea, ganache and tar course underneath. A really gorgeous display of fruit, showing terroir and cut on the finish. Best from 2018 through 2027.
Thanks to its 55 hectares of superb gravelly vineyards, Smith Haut Lafitte is often referred to as the "archetypical Graves." The estate's history goes back to the Crusades, and a Scottish navigator, George Smith, who became the owner of the estate in the 18th century. He was followed by M. Duffour-Dubergier, Mayor of Bordeaux, and then Louis Eschenauer, a famous wine shipper.
In 1990, Daniel and Florence Cathiard also fell under the spell of this beautiful estate. Since then, they have restored the 16th century tower, renovated the 18th century manor house, built two underground cellars, went back to traditional vine growing methods without chemical herbicides and set up their own cooperage. The perfect elegance, excellent balance and fine structure of Smith Haut Lafitte's red and white wines are the ultimate reflection of the current owners' total commitment to quality.