1981 | Château Smith Haut Lafitte | Pessac-Leognan

Delicate and impressive depth on the nose. The finish is quite unique, rich and long lasting.

Producer Information

Château Smith Haut Lafitte is located in Pessac-Léognan on the Left Bank of the Garonne River. During the 1959 Classification of the Graves it was rated as Grand Cru Classé for its red wine. Nowadays the estate is also considered to produce one of the foremost examples of white Bordeaux. Cabernet Sauvignon usually accounts for 60-65 percent of the red grand vin. Merlot contributes around 30 percent, and small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot round out a typical blend. The wine is aged in barrel for around 18 months, with 60-65 percent new wood. The white grand vin is usually Sauvignon Blanc-dominant, with around five percent each of Sémillon and Sauvignon Gris. The wine is fermented and aged in barrel, resting on its lees for a year. Half of barrels are new in both stages. The second wines are the Le Petit Haut Lafitte white (introduced in 2013) and red (from 2010). They are made from lots identified during the blending of the grand vins. With the second wines, the red is designed to show more of a rounder, Right Bank style, and is usually a 55:45 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, aged in barrel for 14 months. The white is an 80:20 Sauvignon Blanc - Sémillon combination, also vinified like the grand vin, but with around 10 months of barrel maturation. The Les Hauts de Smith duo are now the third wines of the estate. They are usually matured in barrel for the same length of time as their Petit Haut Lafitte, but with a lower proportion of new oak. The 78 hectares (193 acres) of organic vineyard (and the château) sit on a low hill of stones and pebbles deposited by the Garonne River. This gravelly soil offers not only superb drainage, but also reflects sunshine to amplify its benefits to the vines and fruit. The vineyard is farmed organically and produces its own compost. A horse is used to plow the more fragile soils of the white wine vineyard. Biodiversity efforts include the siting of beehives around the estate. Smith Haut Lafitte has its own vine nursery, situated on Ile de Lalande in the middle of the Garonne. All grapes are harvested by hand by a team of more than 100 pickers. Picking dates and various other viticultural practices are influenced by row-by-row imaging from the Oenoview satellite system. A Vistalysis optical system scans each berry, identifying and removing lesser-quality fruit. The vat room was recently renovated and now operates entirely by gravity flow. Vats are sized to allow flexibility in managing individual parcels of fruit. On arrival the grapes are sorted using high-tech computerized optical systems. The red wine cellar is one of the largest underground facilities in Bordeaux, holding up to 1000 barrels. The property is also unusual in retaining an on-site cooper. Grapes have been grown on the site since 1365. Smith Haut Lafitte takes its name from the gravel plateau first cultivated in 1365 (and known as Lafitte) and 18th Century owner George Smith, a Scottish wine merchant. He built the manor house on the site in Pessac-Léognan. In 1958, it was purchased by the Louis Eschenauer company, which invested into the winery and its vineyards. Since 1990, the property has been owned by Florence and Daniel Cathiard. The château is unrelated to first growth Château Lafite Rothschild, despite the similarities in the name. The Cathiard family are also known for the Caudalie company, whose beauty care products are made from grape seeds and vine cuttings. Les Sources de Caudalie is a well known "Spa Vinotherapie", set among the Smith Haut Lafitte vines. A similar facility has also been established in the Cheverny region of the Loire Valley.

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