2015 | Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte | Red

Medium to deep garnet-purple, the 2015 Smith Haut Lafitte has a totally dazzling nose of exotic spices—star anise, fenugreek and Sichuan pepper—over a core of chocolate-covered cherries, wild blueberries, plum preserves, violets and earthy wafts of truffles, moss, tilled black soil and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: Medium to deep garnet-purple, the 2015 Smith Haut Lafitte has a totally dazzling nose of exotic spices—star anise, fenugreek and Sichuan pepper—over a core of chocolate-covered cherries, wild blueberries, plum preserves, violets and earthy wafts of truffles, moss, tilled black soil and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced and packing a lot of flavor into a relatively modest package, it fills the mouth with spice and herb-laced black and blue fruit layers, supported by very ripe, very finely grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length.

• James Suckling: The currants and blackberries on the nose are very impressive with wet-earth and lavender undertones. Full body and super-integrated tannins that melt into the wine. The quality of the tannins is incredible with fantastic length and mouthfeel.

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.

DISCLAIMER** This is a single item listing unless otherwise noted in the description. Retailer advises either in stock or in route to their location. Usually ships within one to four business days. Longer processing times may occur especially around holiday(s). Some items may become backordered or delayed without notice due to demand & will ship out upon arrival. Overseas 700ml products typically have longer processing/transit times. You can always verify product availability by calling 1-888-548-0333. Please refer to our cancellations & returns agreement or reach out to our support team at help@caskcartel.com for any additional questions.

Our dedicated team specializes in creating personalized shopping experiences. If you’re looking for a specific item or collection that isn’t appearing on our marketplace, please reach out to us at concierge@caskcartel.com or fill out the product inquiry form and one of our dedicated team members will be in touch.  Whether it’s a product you’ve experienced while traveling or a rare, hard to find item you’ve been searching for, we have an established global network of retailers with the ability to locate and source the rarest and hardest to find products.