2018 Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte Blanc, Pessac-Léognan

2018 Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte Blanc, Pessac-Léognan

There's an appealing green hue to the colour of this wine. White flowers and fresh ginger on the nose with nice citrus fruit and a touch of riper stone fruit on the palate. Well-balanced with a lovely energy.

Critic score
94.75/100 info

This wine is now sold out. Please get in touch with your advisor or one of our team on [email protected] or 01473 313 300 for more information or guidance on an alternative.

Wine details

  • Region & country
    Pessac-Léognan, Graves, Bordeaux, France
  • Grape
    90% Sauvignon Blanc
    5% Sauvignon Gris
    5% Semillon
  • Maturity
    Ready 2020 - 2027info
  • Colour
    White
  • Sweetness
    Dry
  • Style
    Still
  • Unit Volume
    Bottle (75cl.)
  • ABV
    14.5%

Tasting notes

The Smith Haut Lafitte 2018 Blanc is composed of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon and 5% Sauvignon Gris, aging in 50% new oak barriques. It features intense scents of lime leaves, pink grapefruit, white peaches and green mango with hints of yuzu, lemon meringue pie, crushed rocks and coriander seed. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is laden with energetic citrus and stone fruit layers, with a satiny texture and bold freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (April 2019)
(94—96)/100

You can feel a touch more ripeness here than in some years but they have beautifully captured flavours of fleshy yellow pears, freshly cut herbs and some slate and saline minerality. This should manage a long life and I am surprised here, as with a few whites this year, by the grip and sense of fun in the wine. It's not quite the 2017 again, but has its own claim for attention. 50% new oak. Harvested 24 August to 17 September, by far the longest ever at SHL. Technical director Fabien Teitgen said he started picking early because he was worried about losing acidity, but found it was actually much better than expected. 28hl/ha yield.

Jane Anson, Decanter (April 2019)
(94)/100

This is very dense and deep with glorious fruit and a creamy textured, very long finish. A superb young white. Energetic yet textured. Lots of sliced-lemon, lime and apple character with some cream. Top.

James Suckling, jamessuckling.com (April 2019)
(97—98)/100

The 2018 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is gorgeous. One of the more pure, crystalline wines of the year, the Blanc is airy, lifted and very pretty. Time in the glass brings out attractive textural richness and creaminess in the lemon peel, floral and mint notes, with light tropical overtones that develop on the finish. In 2018, the Blanc is a wine of real brilliance and class. Tasted two times.

Antonio Galloni, vinous.com (April 2019)
(91—94)/100

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