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Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac Leognan Rouge 2016 750ml

size
750ml
country
France
region
Bordeaux
appellation
Graves
subappellation
Pessac Leognan
WNR
99
DC
98
WA
98
WE
97
WS
97
JS
97
JD
97
VM
95
WNR
99
Rated 99 by Winery
Rated 99 - The 2016 Smith Haut Lafitte has a deep garnet color. It bursts onto the scene with dramatic notes of crème de cassis, blueberry compote, and chocolate-covered cherries, plus suggestions of star anise, lavender, and fallen leaves, with a touch of iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is an exercise in elegance and sophistication, framed by exquisitely ripe, plush tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and with an achingly beautiful perfume. - The Wine Independent ... More details
Image of bottle
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Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac Leognan Rouge 2016 750ml

SKU 821005
Sale
Qualifies for 12 Ship Free
Choose 12 bottles, get free shipping
$147.90
/750ml bottle
$132.95
/750ml bottle
Quantity
* This item is available for online ordering only. It can be picked up or shipped from our location within 4-6 business days. ?
Professional Ratings
WNR
99
DC
98
WA
98
WE
97
WS
97
JS
97
JD
97
VM
95
WNR
99
Rated 99 by Winery
Rated 99 - The 2016 Smith Haut Lafitte has a deep garnet color. It bursts onto the scene with dramatic notes of crème de cassis, blueberry compote, and chocolate-covered cherries, plus suggestions of star anise, lavender, and fallen leaves, with a touch of iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is an exercise in elegance and sophistication, framed by exquisitely ripe, plush tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and with an achingly beautiful perfume. - The Wine Independent
DC
98
Rated 98 by Decanter
A brilliant wine, one of the best ever at this property. Straight from the first nose you feel an added dimension and aromatic complexity to this bottle. The diversity of flavours tumbles out on the attack, from brambled autumnal fruits to tighter, fresher black cherry and cassis notes. The body is deeply coloured, full of life and pleasure, with rich, deep cassis and high but generous alcohol that's not intrusive but showing through in the smooth texture. It was great En primeur and is even better today. 1% Petit Verdot finishes the blend. Drinking Window 2026 - 2042.
WA
98
Rated 98 by Wine Advocate
Composed of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot and matured in 60% new oak for 18 months, the 2016 Smith Haut Lafitte has a very deep garnet-purple color, opening with sensuous scents of warm black cherries, blackberry pie, star anise and fragrant lilacs with hints of chocolate box, cigar box and pencil lead plus wafts of truffles and crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, rich and seductive, it completely fills the palate with perfumed black berry preserves and superbly plush tannins, finishing epically long and beautifully layered.
WE
97
Rated 97 by Wine Enthusiast
This hugely dense wine is complex and full of juicy, succulent, smoky Cabernet Sauvignon. The tannins are at the service of the fruits. The wine still has a long way to go before maturity. Don't think about drinking it before 2025. (Cellar Selection)
WS
97
Rated 97 by Wine Spectator
Quite ripe, with lush waves of cassis, cherry preserve and raspberry puree flavors gliding through in no hurry, but maintaining definition and cut along the way as bramble, tar and melted licorice snap notes slowly emerge throughout. The finish features an intense echo of pastis and sweet tobacco, showing serious latent grip. Best from 2023 through 2038. 8,333 cases made.
JS
97
Rated 97 by James Suckling
The blackcurrant and blueberry aromas are lifted and beautiful. Lots of flowers, too, together with some mushroom and dried-flower undertones. Full-bodied with firm and very silky tannins giving a lovely texture. Bright acidity lifts the finish and gives it drive and force. Better after 2025.
JD
97
Rated 97 by Jeb Dunnuck
Moving to the reds, the 2016 Château Smith Haut Lafitte checks in as 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot that spent 18 months in 60% new oak. It’s undeniably a more elegant, reserved style from this estate, yet it still offers full-bodied richness and depth, with a classic perfume of cassis, black currants, cold fireplace, wood smoke, and tobacco. Deep, nicely concentrated, seamless, and, again, incredibly elegant, it’s going to flesh out nicely with short-term cellaring and keep for 20-30 years.
VM
95
Rated 95 by Vinous Media
The 2016 Smith Haut-Lafitte has an opulent, lavish bouquet with layers of black cherry, Christmas cake, dark chocolate and vanilla. This wants to make an impression. The palate is very seductive, featuring lush red berry fruit, brown spices and saturated tannins. Some new oak is evident on the finish, but that will be subsumed with bottle age. I can see this aging well. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
Product Details
size
750ml
country
France
region
Bordeaux
appellation
Graves
subappellation
Pessac Leognan
Overview
Rated 99 - The 2016 Smith Haut Lafitte has a deep garnet color. It bursts onto the scene with dramatic notes of crème de cassis, blueberry compote, and chocolate-covered cherries, plus suggestions of star anise, lavender, and fallen leaves, with a touch of iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is an exercise in elegance and sophistication, framed by exquisitely ripe, plush tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and with an achingly beautiful perfume. - The Wine Independent
green grapes

Varietal: Red Bordeaux

The blended red wines of Bordeaux have gone down in history as the finest wines every produced, with collectors and many of the general public still eagerly anticipating the wineries of this region's new releases to this day. The secret to Bordeaux's monumental success has been their careful blending of high quality grape varietals, controlled and protected by French law. In Bordeaux, wineries can only produce red wines using a blend of two or more of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec or Carménere grape varietals, with the latter two becoming less and less commonly seen on bottles. The vast majority of Bordeaux red wines use Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grape varietals, boosted by a little Petit Verdot. These three grapes compliment each other beautifully as they age in oak, rounded out their tannins and the high astringency of the Sauvignon, and resulting in wonderfully complex flavors and aromas.
barrel

Region: Bordeaux

The Bordeaux region of France is possibly the most famous and widely respected wine region in the world. Known primarily for its exceptional blended red wines, made most commonly with Cabernet Sauvigon, Merlot and Petit Verdot grape varietals, it also produces superb dry white wines (both blended and single variety), alongside the highly esteemed sweet wines of Sauternes. All of these wine types use a careful mix of traditional wine-making methods alongside modern techniques, as well as more experimental and unorthodox practices such as turning their grapes over to the noble rot which intensifies the flavors in the sweet wines. Bordeaux benefits greatly from its position amongst wide river basins, and the cooling Atlantic breezes which blow across the rolling vineyards which cover this region.
fields

Country: France

French winemakers are subjected to several laws and regulations regarding the wines they produce, and how they can be labeled and sold. Such procedures are designed to increase the overall quality of the country's produce, and also to ensure that wines made in each particular region or appellation are of a character and type which is representative of the area. Thankfully for consumers of wine world-wide, the French have a particularly high reputation to uphold, and seem to do so flawlessly. Every year, wineries from all over France produce millions upon millions of bottles of fine wine, making the most of their native grape varieties and the excellent terrain which covers most of the country. From the expensive and exquisite red wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy, to the white wines and cremants of central France, the French are dedicated to providing the world with wines of the highest quality and most distinctive character.
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More Details
green grapes

Varietal: Red Bordeaux

The blended red wines of Bordeaux have gone down in history as the finest wines every produced, with collectors and many of the general public still eagerly anticipating the wineries of this region's new releases to this day. The secret to Bordeaux's monumental success has been their careful blending of high quality grape varietals, controlled and protected by French law. In Bordeaux, wineries can only produce red wines using a blend of two or more of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec or Carménere grape varietals, with the latter two becoming less and less commonly seen on bottles. The vast majority of Bordeaux red wines use Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grape varietals, boosted by a little Petit Verdot. These three grapes compliment each other beautifully as they age in oak, rounded out their tannins and the high astringency of the Sauvignon, and resulting in wonderfully complex flavors and aromas.
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Region: Bordeaux

The Bordeaux region of France is possibly the most famous and widely respected wine region in the world. Known primarily for its exceptional blended red wines, made most commonly with Cabernet Sauvigon, Merlot and Petit Verdot grape varietals, it also produces superb dry white wines (both blended and single variety), alongside the highly esteemed sweet wines of Sauternes. All of these wine types use a careful mix of traditional wine-making methods alongside modern techniques, as well as more experimental and unorthodox practices such as turning their grapes over to the noble rot which intensifies the flavors in the sweet wines. Bordeaux benefits greatly from its position amongst wide river basins, and the cooling Atlantic breezes which blow across the rolling vineyards which cover this region.
fields

Country: France

French winemakers are subjected to several laws and regulations regarding the wines they produce, and how they can be labeled and sold. Such procedures are designed to increase the overall quality of the country's produce, and also to ensure that wines made in each particular region or appellation are of a character and type which is representative of the area. Thankfully for consumers of wine world-wide, the French have a particularly high reputation to uphold, and seem to do so flawlessly. Every year, wineries from all over France produce millions upon millions of bottles of fine wine, making the most of their native grape varieties and the excellent terrain which covers most of the country. From the expensive and exquisite red wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy, to the white wines and cremants of central France, the French are dedicated to providing the world with wines of the highest quality and most distinctive character.