Château Smith Haut Lafitte is a famous Bordeaux wine. Located in Martillac in the Pessac-Léognan AOC, Château Smith Haut Lafitte is a grand cru within the classification of Graves wines.
History of Château Smith Haut Lafitte
A long history
Château Smith Haut Lafitte comes from a long and great history of more than six centuries. It was only in the middle of the 18th century that the famous Scottish merchant George Smith bought the estate and gave it his name. A century later, in 1842, Lodi Martin Duffour Dubergier, then mayor of Bordeaux, raised the château to the rank of Grand Cru Exceptionnel. In 1990, Florence and Daniel Cathiard acquired the château with the firm intention of continuing the estate’s tradition of excellence. To learn more about this great Bordeaux wine, head to the château’s website.
The logo of Château Smith Haut Lafitte
The logo of Château Smith Haut Lafitte is made up of three sets of elements. Starting from the bottom, there are three fleurs-de-lis that are the witnesses of the family who founded the vineyard during the 14th century (the Verrier du Bosq family). Above, there is a crescent, the emblem of the port of Bordeaux. Finally, three branches symbolise the three children of George Smith. !château smith haut lafitte logo Logo of Château Smith Haut Lafitte
The wines of Château Smith Haut Lafitte
The estate offers three wines: red, white and a second wine. The excellence is reflected in the production methods and in the attention given to quality. Through all these elements, you understand the intensity of the work carried out at the estate and the commitment to the beauty of the wine.
Production of the wines
Château Smith Haut Lafitte made a video for its 2016 harvest. You’ll be able to discover superb images of the estate in it. The owners and the winemakers also detail the wine’s properties and how the bottles are produced. Through manual harvesting, the production is of great quality. There’s no doubt this video will delight the enthusiasts among you.
Château Smith Haut Lafitte: red wine
The red wine is the emblem of Château Smith Haut Lafitte, which today produces around 10,000 cases of it per year. It trades at around 80 euros, a modest sum nonetheless for a wine of such quality. Silky and delicate, this wine has an excellent balance that will satisfy you. What’s more, the blend is largely dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon. You also find Merlot and Cabernet Franc in it. Since 2003, the wine has also included a light touch of Petit Verdot. Finally, it should be stressed that the 2009 vintage received a score of 100/100 from Robert Parker: a clean sweep.
Château Smith Haut Lafitte: white wine
The white wine, for its part, is produced to the tune of 2,500 cases per year. This white wine has an incredible aromatic palette that makes it a wine apart. Grown from old vines on eleven hectares of Günzian gravel and from manual harvesting, this white wine is of great quality. It should be noted that the 2009 vintage is as exceptional as its red cousin: it received a score of 98/100 from Robert Parker.
Les Hauts de Smith: the estate’s second wine
Finally, Les Hauts de Smith is the estate’s second wine. It comes in rosé, white or red. More accessible, these are excellent wines made from the young vines and the less qualitative growth of the estate. However, the attention given to these wines makes them excellent companions. You can keep them in the cellar for around ten years without any problem.
Visiting Château Smith Haut Lafitte
It’s possible to visit Château Smith Haut Lafitte and do many activities. Alone or in a group, this visit will be the chance to discover more about the estate and taste a few vintages of its wines. From 19 to 120 euros per person, you’ll find the activity that suits you to enjoy your time at the château.
Buying a bottle of Château Smith Haut Lafitte
The price of a bottle of Château Smith Haut Lafitte naturally varies depending on the vintage. The 2009 vintage is the most expensive: around 250 euros for a bottle. The other vintages of the wine trade between 60 and 150 euros. The mechanism is the same for the white Château Smith Haut Lafitte. Bottles of this wine trade between 60 and 110 euros, with the exception of the 2009 vintage, for which you should count on around 130 euros. Finally, count on around 25 euros for a bottle of the château’s second wine: Les Hauts de Smith. So, you know the whole history of this famous château. We’ll see you again very soon to discover more. Perhaps Château Smith Haut Lafitte will be the subject of a podcast: we hope so! Photo of Château Smith Haut Lafitte by Benjamin Zingg. Licence Creative Commons SA 2.5 Generic.
