The 2004 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte was the winning bottle in the January Installment of Pick My Next Bottle. The wine was decanted for one hour and served with steaks.
Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte has a history in Bordeaux that dates back over 800 years. The estate started out life as part of the Du Boscq holdings in the Graves region. It was Du Boscq who planted vines in 1365 on a gravelly plateau called Lafitte. This attributed to a portion of the Chateau’s name. Jumping ahead a almost four hundred years, George Smith bought the Graves estate in 1720. Smith added his name to the property which we now know of as Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte. Today, Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte is owned and managed by Daniel and Florence Cathiard. The Cathiard’s purchased the the winery and estate in 1990 from well known Bordeaux negociant Louis Eschenauer.
Dark maroon in color. 13% ABV. Fantastic nose of red fruits, smoke, leather and graphite. Rich and elegant with tons of structure. More full bodied than expected with prominent tannins. Cherries, currants, tobacco and cassis on the palate. The finish is tremendous. This wine is drinking beautifully right now and should continue to do so for another 5-7 years.
My rating: 92 points.
The 2012 version of this wine is widely available for $75 and should be on every Bordeaux lovers shopping list. More broadly wines from the 2004 vintage of Bordeaux can be picked up at a discount to recent vintages like 2009 and 2010 and represent a great value in today’s market.
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Nice historical note and review, Tom! I have several bottles of Smith Haut Lafitte’s red and white wines, although nothing from the 2004 vintage. I’ve yet to open any but they sure sound delish. Can hardly wait to try one. Cheers!