2008 - Ch Smith Haut Lafitte Cru Classé Pessac-Léognan
06A8SMHL _ 2008 - Ch Smith Haut Lafitte Cru Classé Pessac-Léognan - 12x75cl
Colour
Red
Producer
Château Smith Haut Lafitte
Region
Pessac-Léognan
Grape
Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot / Cabernet Franc
Drinking
2014 - 2026
Case size
12x75cl

2008 CH SMITH HAUT LAFITTE CRU CLASSÉ PESSAC-LÉOGNAN - 12x75cl

Colour
Red
Producer
Château Smith Haut Lafitte
Region
Pessac-Léognan
Grape
Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot / Cabernet Franc
Drinking
2014 - 2026
Case size
12x75cl

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Tasting Notes

  • RP1

    Robert Parker, May 2011,
    Score: 92

    One of the stars of the vintage, this elegant, smoky wine has hints of barbecue pit intermixed with sweet black currants and cherries. Dark purple and medium to full-bodied, its impressive finesse and wonderful purity make for a surprisingly forward style of Smith-Haut-Lafitte to drink over the next 15 or so years. Drink: 2011 - 2026

  • RP

    Robert Parker, April 2009,
    Score: 93-95

    The 2008 Smith-Haut-Lafitte, which is somewhat reminiscent of the brilliant 1998, exhibits sweet cassis, tobacco leaf, earth, and barbecue characteristics in its complex aromatics. The wine reveals ripe, supple tannin, medium to full body, gorgeous fruit, impeccable purity, and a luscious texture. It should be relatively approachable in its youth, and last for 25+ years. The final composition was 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, and 7% Cabernet Franc. Drink: 2009 - 2034

  • JR

    Jancis Robinson, Apri l2009,
    Score: 16.5++

    Something a little cheesy on the nose. Sweet start but a lack of concentration. A little slack. Rather green tannins. A bit austere. But confident and with real attack and bite. Lots there. All on the finish. Impressive on the finish, which makes me think I may have underrated it. Absolutely no tartiness. This seemed an especially pure Smith, quite a departure from some previous vintages, or a next step on the road for Smith: less seductive and going for pure individuality.

  • WS

    Wine Spectator, April 2009,
    Score: 89-92

    Displays blackberry, blueberry, mineral and flowers. Full-bodied, with firm tannins and a solid core of fruit. Balanced and very pretty, with lovely length.

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Producer

Château Smith Haut Lafitte

Equally known for its red and white wines, Smith Haut Lafitte is particularly notable for producingclean, concentrated and consistent wines - qualities which have enabled it to be one of the mostpopular châteaux in the Graves region.

Region

Pessac-Léognan

Stretching from the rather unglamorous southern suburbs of Bordeaux, for 50 km along the left bank of the river Garonne, lies Graves. Named for its gravelly soil, a relic of Ice Age glaciers, this is the birthplace of claret, despatched from the Middle Ages onwards from the nearby quayside to England in vast quantities. It can feel as though Bordeaux is just about red wines, but some sensational white wines are produced in this area from a blend of sauvignon blanc, Semillon and, occasionally, muscadelle grapes, often fermented and aged in barrel. In particular, Domaine de Chevalier is renowned for its superbly complex whites, which continue to develop in bottle over decades. A premium appellation, Pessac-Leognan, was created in 1987 for the most prestigious terroirs within Graves. These are soils with exceptional drainage, made up of gravel terraces built up in layers over many millennia, and consequently thrive in mediocre vintages but are less likely to perform well in hotter years. These wines were appraised and graded in their own classification system in 1953 and updated in 1959, but, like the 1855 classification system, this should be regarded with caution and the wines must absolutely be assessed on their own current merits.