Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte Le Petit (Futures Pre-Sale) 2021
- Decanter
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James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Dark chocolate, licorice and slate with pretty notes of rose and violet that softly edge the nose. The raspberry, strawberry and blueberry fruit has a touch of sharpness, though I love the edges of chalk and slate minerality that give it real direction and linearity with little movement up or down as the flavors travel across the palate. All the elements are well delivered, elegant and really in focus. This has excellent attention to detail and lots going on. A characterful pick in 2021.
Barrel Sample: 92 -
James Suckling
Medium-bodied with fine, tight tannins and a just-ripe core of black fruit. Some dark clove and black pepper, too. Fresh and focused.
Barrel Sample: 91-92 -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Le Petit Haut Lafitte is showing well today, evoking aromas of spices, pencil lead and dark berries. Medium-bodied, elegant and round, it’s elegantly tense with powdery tannins, concluding with a charming, fresh finish. It's a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot that matured in 30% new oak barrels.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2021 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte is more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated, and I think a step up over the Les Hauts de Smith. Cassis, graphite, ripe tobacco, and some earthy notes all flow to a medium-bodied, focused, elegant Cabernet that has the purity and fruit to drink nicely right out of the gate yet enough structure to keep for 10-12 years.
Barrel Sample : 89-91
Other Vintages
2022- Decanter
-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker
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.