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| Type of Wine | Red |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | |
| Appellation | Pessac-Léognan |
| Winery | Chateau Smith Haut-Lafitte |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Grape | , , , Petit Verdot, , |
| Content (Alc) | 0.75 ltr (14.5%) |
| Drink window | 2028 - 2068 |
In stock
6 items available
The blend for the Smith Haut Lafitte is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot matured in 60% new barriques and this very deep purple-black coloured 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte makes an impressive entrance, opening with flamboyant notes of blackcurrant pastilles, chocolate-coated cherries and melted licorice, leading to nuances of crushed cloves, wood smoke, crushed stone and dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with luscious black fruit preserves and glistening mineral notes framed by beautifully ripe and fantastically firm tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with long-lasting layers of earth and savoury notes. Parker (98-100) concludes his review with: " ....This is the singular voice of Smith Haut Lafitte at its finest, and wow-oh-wow is it worth a listen "
FACT: In the 'Attachments' tab you will find the official fact sheet of this beautiful wine. We will automatically send it to you when you order this wine. The wine is in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you come to pick up the wine you will often also receive a nice discount . You will see your discount immediately when you choose 'Pick up' on the checkout page. We are located in Dordrecht almost next to the A16 with plenty of parking. Click here for our address.
| Block Bundle Options | No |
|---|---|
| Type of Wine | Red |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Appellation | Pessac-Léognan |
| Winery | Chateau Smith Haut-Lafitte |
| Grape | Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon |
| Biological certified | No |
| Natural wine | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Drinking as of | 2028 |
| Drinking till | 2068 |
| Alcohol % | 14.5 |
| Alcohol free/low | No |
| Content | 0.75 ltr |
| Oak aging | Yes |
| Sparkling | No |
| Dessert wine | No |
| Closure | Cork |
| Parker rating | 100 |
| James Suckling rating | 100 |
| Vinous rating | 97 |
| Tasting Profiles | Earthy, Complex, Dark fruit, Dry, Aged on wood, Powerful, Mineral, Tannines |
| Drink moments | Indruk maken, Lekker luxe, Open haard |
Rating
(98 - 100)
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2028 - 2068
Reviewed by
Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Issue Date
20th May 2021
Source
May 2021 Week 3, The Wine Advocate
A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot aging in 60% new barriques, the very deep purple-black colored 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte makes an impactful entrance, opening with flamboyant notes of blackcurrant pastilles, chocolate-covered cherries and molten licorice, leading to nuances of ground cloves, woodsmoke, crushed rocks and dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with opulent black fruit preserves and shimmering mineral sparks, framed by exquisitely ripe and fantastically firm tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epically long-lasting earthy and savory layers. This is the singular voice of Smith Haut Lafitte at its finest, and wow-oh-wow is it worth a listen. This 2020 has an alcohol of 14.5% with a pH of 3.65. The tannins this year were a little higher than 2018 and 2019. A little less than a third of production went into this grand vin.
“The first part of the year was aquatic,” commented Winemaker Fabien Teitgen. “The vines began to grow very early, on March 8th. But after we had good flowering. There was some mildew, but there was not too much damage. Because we are organic and biodynamic, we can only use very little copper mixed with plant infusions. This is the phytotherapy part of biodynamics. We try lots of things and we keep what works. When you are certified, you have to work very fast, even on Saturday and Sunday. Our workers live close by and are very dedicated.
"We were not so much impacted by the drought. It’s true, the summer was very dry. But the first part of the year gave water to store in our deep clays. The second part of the year was very sunny and warm. Even where our clay is five to six meters down, this gave us the ability to continue the ripening process. We have an early terroir with this storage of water. We ended harvest before the end of September.
"The Cabernet berries were very small—we would have liked to have had a little more juice. By the time we were picking the Cabernet, the rains came. There was no bursting (of berries) for us. The timing of the water was good. Then, we had to be very careful with the extraction—there was a lot of tannin. So, we did much less pigéage. There is no press wine in the blend this year.
"It was really a great pleasure to do this vintage. The grapes were very expressive straightaway of the wines. The aromas in the winery were incredible.”
It is clear from tasting the range of wines from Smith Haut Lafitte that they were indeed situated in a sweet-spot location and possessing just the right sort of terroir to hit the absolute heights of greatness this vintage has to offer, with all the hurdles skillfully managed by Teitgen and his team. These wines are truly breathtaking. Bravo!
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
(95-97)
Drinking Window
2028 - 2045
From: 2020 Bordeaux En Primeur: Almost Back to Normal (Jun 2021)
The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte is a thrilling wine of grandeur and spellbinding beauty. The aromatics literally soar out of the glass, perhaps driven by a touch more Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. A vertical, explosive wine, the 2020 possesses tremendous energy. It is a rapturous wine that will delight readers for years to come. A move towards gentler extractions, with less oak impact, allows the purity of the fruit to come through loud and clear. Inky dark cherry, plum, mocha, dried herbs and lavender are all amplified in the 2020, but what I admire most is a total sense of harmony. I can't wait to see how it ages, as evolution has at times been the sole Achilles heel here.
- By Antonio Galloni on May 2021
(95-97)
Drinking Window
2025 - 2055
From: Vingt-Vingt Vins: Bordeaux 2020 (May 2021)
The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte was picked from September 9, the yields 20% down on average due to the dry summer period, and matured in 60% new oak with no vin de presse. This actually blossomed after an hour’s opening, revealing exquisite blackberry, briar, crushed rock and light rose petal scents, very nuanced considering the growing season and the 14.5° alcohol. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a very fine line of acidity that keeps this on its tippy-toes. Disarmingly pure, its silky texture is very appealing, likewise the veering toward more red berry fruit lacked with white pepper toward the finish. This may well surpass the previous two vintages. An outstanding effort from winemaker Fabien Teitgen and his team.
- By Neal Martin on April 2021
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Sign in to unlock professional wine reviews from world-renowned critics
The blend for the Smith Haut Lafitte is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot matured in 60% new barriques and this very deep purple-black coloured 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte makes an impressive entrance, opening with flamboyant notes of blackcurrant pastilles, chocolate-coated cherries and melted licorice, leading to nuances of crushed cloves, wood smoke, crushed stone and dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with luscious black fruit preserves and glistening mineral notes framed by beautifully ripe and fantastically firm tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with long-lasting layers of earth and savoury notes. Parker (98-100) concludes his review with: " ....This is the singular voice of Smith Haut Lafitte at its finest, and wow-oh-wow is it worth a listen "
FACT: In the 'Attachments' tab you will find the official fact sheet of this beautiful wine. We will automatically send it to you when you order this wine. The wine is in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you come to pick up the wine you will often also receive a nice discount . You will see your discount immediately when you choose 'Pick up' on the checkout page. We are located in Dordrecht almost next to the A16 with plenty of parking. Click here for our address.
| Block Bundle Options | No |
|---|---|
| Type of Wine | Red |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Appellation | Pessac-Léognan |
| Winery | Chateau Smith Haut-Lafitte |
| Grape | Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon |
| Biological certified | No |
| Natural wine | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Drinking as of | 2028 |
| Drinking till | 2068 |
| Alcohol % | 14.5 |
| Alcohol free/low | No |
| Content | 0.75 ltr |
| Oak aging | Yes |
| Sparkling | No |
| Dessert wine | No |
| Closure | Cork |
| Parker rating | 100 |
| James Suckling rating | 100 |
| Vinous rating | 97 |
| Tasting Profiles | Earthy, Complex, Dark fruit, Dry, Aged on wood, Powerful, Mineral, Tannines |
| Drink moments | Indruk maken, Lekker luxe, Open haard |
Rating
(98 - 100)
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2028 - 2068
Reviewed by
Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Issue Date
20th May 2021
Source
May 2021 Week 3, The Wine Advocate
A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot aging in 60% new barriques, the very deep purple-black colored 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte makes an impactful entrance, opening with flamboyant notes of blackcurrant pastilles, chocolate-covered cherries and molten licorice, leading to nuances of ground cloves, woodsmoke, crushed rocks and dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with opulent black fruit preserves and shimmering mineral sparks, framed by exquisitely ripe and fantastically firm tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epically long-lasting earthy and savory layers. This is the singular voice of Smith Haut Lafitte at its finest, and wow-oh-wow is it worth a listen. This 2020 has an alcohol of 14.5% with a pH of 3.65. The tannins this year were a little higher than 2018 and 2019. A little less than a third of production went into this grand vin.
“The first part of the year was aquatic,” commented Winemaker Fabien Teitgen. “The vines began to grow very early, on March 8th. But after we had good flowering. There was some mildew, but there was not too much damage. Because we are organic and biodynamic, we can only use very little copper mixed with plant infusions. This is the phytotherapy part of biodynamics. We try lots of things and we keep what works. When you are certified, you have to work very fast, even on Saturday and Sunday. Our workers live close by and are very dedicated.
"We were not so much impacted by the drought. It’s true, the summer was very dry. But the first part of the year gave water to store in our deep clays. The second part of the year was very sunny and warm. Even where our clay is five to six meters down, this gave us the ability to continue the ripening process. We have an early terroir with this storage of water. We ended harvest before the end of September.
"The Cabernet berries were very small—we would have liked to have had a little more juice. By the time we were picking the Cabernet, the rains came. There was no bursting (of berries) for us. The timing of the water was good. Then, we had to be very careful with the extraction—there was a lot of tannin. So, we did much less pigéage. There is no press wine in the blend this year.
"It was really a great pleasure to do this vintage. The grapes were very expressive straightaway of the wines. The aromas in the winery were incredible.”
It is clear from tasting the range of wines from Smith Haut Lafitte that they were indeed situated in a sweet-spot location and possessing just the right sort of terroir to hit the absolute heights of greatness this vintage has to offer, with all the hurdles skillfully managed by Teitgen and his team. These wines are truly breathtaking. Bravo!
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
(95-97)
Drinking Window
2028 - 2045
From: 2020 Bordeaux En Primeur: Almost Back to Normal (Jun 2021)
The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte is a thrilling wine of grandeur and spellbinding beauty. The aromatics literally soar out of the glass, perhaps driven by a touch more Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. A vertical, explosive wine, the 2020 possesses tremendous energy. It is a rapturous wine that will delight readers for years to come. A move towards gentler extractions, with less oak impact, allows the purity of the fruit to come through loud and clear. Inky dark cherry, plum, mocha, dried herbs and lavender are all amplified in the 2020, but what I admire most is a total sense of harmony. I can't wait to see how it ages, as evolution has at times been the sole Achilles heel here.
- By Antonio Galloni on May 2021
(95-97)
Drinking Window
2025 - 2055
From: Vingt-Vingt Vins: Bordeaux 2020 (May 2021)
The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte was picked from September 9, the yields 20% down on average due to the dry summer period, and matured in 60% new oak with no vin de presse. This actually blossomed after an hour’s opening, revealing exquisite blackberry, briar, crushed rock and light rose petal scents, very nuanced considering the growing season and the 14.5° alcohol. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a very fine line of acidity that keeps this on its tippy-toes. Disarmingly pure, its silky texture is very appealing, likewise the veering toward more red berry fruit lacked with white pepper toward the finish. This may well surpass the previous two vintages. An outstanding effort from winemaker Fabien Teitgen and his team.
- By Neal Martin on April 2021
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
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