2020 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, Rouge Cru Classe, Pessac-Leognan, Bottle (750ml)
Price On Request
100JD99JS99JA
Critic key
JD = Jeb DunnuckJS = James SucklingJA = Jane Anson
- Rating
- JD100/JS99/JA99
- Producer
- Smith Haut Lafitte
- Vintage
- 2020
- Region
- Bordeaux
- Appellation
- Pessac-Leognan
- Country
- France
- Grape Varietal
- 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot
- Classification
- Cru Classe
- Format
- Bottle
- Volume
- 750mL
- ABV
- 14.5
- Type
- Still
- Color
- Red
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Product Description
JD100 (Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte) "Absolutely pure gold and reminding me of the 2009 (or is it the 2010?), the 2020 Château Smith Haut Lafitte sports a dense purple hue to go with incredible aromatics of blackberries, blueberries, scorched earth, wood smoke, and acacia flowers. One of the most concentrated, rich, and sexy wines in the vintage, this massive and extraordinarily opulent 2020 shows the vintage's pure, elegant profile yet backs it up with sensational levels of fruit and texture. Based on 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it already offers pleasure given its wealth of fruit, but it deserves 7-8 years of bottle age and will evolve for 40-50 years. Not enough can be said about the quality of these wines. Bravo to Florence and Daniel Cathiard, as well as to director Fabien Teitgen, for another incredible achievement."
JS99 "Extremely fresh and deep in the nose with raspberry and blackcurrant character, as well as stone, fresh green tobacco and ink. Full-bodied with a dense center palate and gorgeous fine yet steely tannins. It calms down at the end with berries, citrus and some lavender. Salty at the end. Very minerally. Flinty. From organically grown grapes. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Give it four or five years to come around." JS Mar 2023
JA100 "ove the powerful and beautifully judged deep ruby colour. We are in full stride of great Smith Haut Lafitte once again, very much in primary fruit phase, and I would suggest putting it away for at least another three to four years to really soften up - look instead to the 2017 or 2019 of recent vintages. Intense, concentrated, chocolate drops, blackcurrant pastille, totally delicious and full of character and lift. Really does lift off through the palate from beginning to end, a totally class wine, fennel and dried mint leaf. Black and gold label celebrating 30 years of the Cathiards at Smith Haut Lafitte." JA for IB Mar 2026 "Intense, concentrated, chocolate drops, blackcurrant pastille, totally delicious and full of character and lift. Really does lift off through the palate from beginning to end, a totally class wine, fennel and dried mint leaf. Black and gold label celebrating 30 years of the Cathiards at Smith Haut Lafitte. 80% new oak, Fabien Teitgen technical director." JA
JS99 "Extremely fresh and deep in the nose with raspberry and blackcurrant character, as well as stone, fresh green tobacco and ink. Full-bodied with a dense center palate and gorgeous fine yet steely tannins. It calms down at the end with berries, citrus and some lavender. Salty at the end. Very minerally. Flinty. From organically grown grapes. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Give it four or five years to come around." JS Mar 2023
JA100 "ove the powerful and beautifully judged deep ruby colour. We are in full stride of great Smith Haut Lafitte once again, very much in primary fruit phase, and I would suggest putting it away for at least another three to four years to really soften up - look instead to the 2017 or 2019 of recent vintages. Intense, concentrated, chocolate drops, blackcurrant pastille, totally delicious and full of character and lift. Really does lift off through the palate from beginning to end, a totally class wine, fennel and dried mint leaf. Black and gold label celebrating 30 years of the Cathiards at Smith Haut Lafitte." JA for IB Mar 2026 "Intense, concentrated, chocolate drops, blackcurrant pastille, totally delicious and full of character and lift. Really does lift off through the palate from beginning to end, a totally class wine, fennel and dried mint leaf. Black and gold label celebrating 30 years of the Cathiards at Smith Haut Lafitte. 80% new oak, Fabien Teitgen technical director." JA