CRITIC REVIEWS
Neal Martin
The 2015 Smith Haut Lafitte has a lush and generous bouquet with black cherries, raspberry and rose petal scents, those shucked oyster shells that I noticed out of barrel surfacing with aeration. There is wonderful purity here and it blossoms with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a gentle grip on the entry, layers of red berry fruit, allspice, cedar and tobacco with a structure and insistent finish that suggests it will age over many years. This is a sophisticated young Smith Haut Lafitte, precocious in talent and bound to age with style and class. This is a seriously fine Smith Haut Lafitte that I feel will get better and better with age. One to watch.
Yohan Castaing
A gorgeous wine that flirts with perfection, the 2015 offers perfectly ripe blackcurrant aromas as well as delicate hints of graphite, flowers, black cherry and roasted meat. Possessing an almost Smith-like elegance on the palate, it has a fine tannic frame, fruity structure and saline finish. This powerful, full-bodied wine can be preserved for several decades. 2015 marks the 650th anniversary of Smith Haut Lafitte and 25 years of the Cathiard family’s ownership of the estate.