Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte 2021

JAMES SUCKLING: "This is extremely perfumed, with violets, lavender, forest fruit and beeswax. Medium- to full-bodied with creamy, round tannins. It’s delicious already with a lovely balance, showing dark fruit, meat and chocolate with a hint of smoke. Straight and driven, it has a long finish for the vintage. 63% cabernet sauvignon, 33% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. From organically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but even better in a year or two."

DECANTER: "You might question this was a 2021 vintage, with its structure, style and charm combined with drinkability and ageability. A vibrant nose: pink roses, blackcurrants, strawberries, vanilla and milk chocolate, touches of pepper and toast. Supple, with bounce and energy, a firm frame but with a juicy, bright core of red berry fruits. Not light but not plush, dense but balanced, fun and friendly with precision and focus, as well as lots of flavour and texture."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2021 Smith Haut Lafitte, a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot reveals a deep, complex bouquet of dark berries, spices, licorice, pencil lead and flowers intertwined with hints of menthol. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and seamless, it's suave and concentrated, with velvety, elegant tannins and a refined, penetrating finish."

WEINWISSER: "Der 2021er hat eine massive, viskose Farbe, top. Er bestätigt nach der Abfüllung den sehr positiven Eindruck der Primeurs-Verkostungen. Druckvoll und konzentriert zeigt er sich sehr süß, massiv und ätherisch in der Nase. Fleischig, enorm voll und wuchtig, bleibt er noch etwas jugendlich holzbetont im Geruch. Likörig, reichhaltig, mit viel Cassis im Kernaroma, endlos konzentriert. Rassig und intensiv, satt und kernig im Mund, besitzt er eine massive, Schoko-Graphit-Struktur mit weitgefassten Gerbstoffen. Sehr intensiver Smith Haut Lafitte mit schlanken 13.5 Vol.-%."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "A blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2021 Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge is deep garnet-purple in color. After a little shaking, notes of fresh blackcurrants, black raspberries, and mulberries come bounding out of the glass, followed by suggestions of allspice, dried roses, and Sichuan pepper, with a fragrant waft of lavender. The medium-bodied palate shimmers with vibrant black and red berry layers, supported by fine-grained tannins and compelling tension, finishing long and minerally. Nicely done!"

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Black cherries, orange rind, plums, flowers, blackberries, tobacco and smoke filled aromas get your focus with little effort. There is a richness to the wine due to all of its chocolate, licorice, cherries, and currants. The finish combines salty oceanic influences, dark chocolate, citrus, licorice, chalk, and savory fruits, with chocolate in the lingering, dusty finish. I sense this could be even better with a few years of bottle age. A large part of the success with the 2021 vintage here is the concentration that comes from yields of only 22 hectoliters per hectare. Blending 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2027-2050."

JEB DUNNUCK: "Another Graves that reminds me slightly of the 2014, the 2021 Château Smith Haut Lafitte has straight-up classic notes of cassis and blackberry fruits interwoven with smoked tobacco, smoky, gravelly earth, and spicy nuances. Medium-bodied, beautifully balanced, and incredibly elegant, with ultra-fine tannins, it's going to round into form with just 3-4 years of bottle age and will still be drinking beautifully at age 20."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, dezente Ockerrandaufhellung. Zart nach Lakritze und Brombeerkonfitüre, feine Edelholzwürze, ein Hauch von Nougat. Mittlere Komplexität, feine Kirschfrucht, gute Frische, gut integrierte, feine Tannine, salzig-zitronig im Abgang, bald zugänglich, verfügt über Reifepotenzial."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Provides a step up in substance, with steeped red and black currant fruit laced with tobacco, bay leaf and worn leather accents. Features flashes of warm earth and iron that underscore the finish, also showing depth and grip. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2035. 10,000 cases made, 2,400 cases imported."