CHATEAU SMITH HAUT LAFITTE Blanc Grand Cru Classe de Graves, AOC Pessac-Leognan 2023 Bottle BIO/ORG

Description

The 2023 Smith-Haut-Lafitte Blanc is an outstanding vintage that has received high praise, including 97-98 points from James Suckling for its complexity and velvety tannin structure, showcasing notes of spice, crushed seashells, and citrus blossom. The Wine Advocate awarded it 94-96 points, praising its layered aromas of white fruits, smoke, and spring flowers, alongside a fleshy core of fruit and refreshing acidity, culminating in a mineral finish. Decanter also scored it 96 points, noting its expressive profile with green apple, apricot, and tropical fruit, balanced by a touch of bitterness. Vinous offered 95-97 points for its creamy texture and poised acidity, while Jancis Robinson highlighted its floral and citrus notes, affirming its position as a superb choice for connoisseurs.

*****

JAMES SUCKLING 97-98 points
17 Apr, 2024 – Another exceptional vintage for Smith-Haut-Lafite Blanc. It’s so complex and structured, offering a palate that feels similar to the texture of a red wine with a velvety tannin structure. There’s a lot going on here. Spice, crushed seashell and citrus blossom. Salty, too. Weightless and so long. 90% sauvignon blanc, 5% sauvignon gris and 5% semillon.

THE WINE ADVOCATE (94-96) points
Drink Date: 2025 - 2045
Aromas of white fruits, crisp orchard fruits, spices, smoke, spring flowers and pear introduce the 2023 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc, a medium to full-bodied, layered and textured wine with a fleshy core of fruit and racy acids, concluding with a mineral, fresh and long finish highlighted by delicate notes of thyme and garrigue. Comprising 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon and 5% Sauvignon Gris and matured in 50% new oak, this blend is among the finest white wines produced at this address.

DECANTER 96 points
Drinking Window: 2026 - 2038
Strong aromatics, on the expressive side with herbal accents, spiced wood, green apple, quince, apricot, mango, peach honeycomb and elderflower. Very floral. Fresh and expansive, mineral and direct, but a good body full of fruit, freshness and honey characters. Definitely more opulent and exotic than the others in the range with hints of tropical fruit - pineapple and mango but also some lovely bitterness which adds tension to balance it out. A good combination, more vibrancy and energy than in previous years. Succulent and sumptuous with salinity. Very good and very easy to drink. Ageing 50% new oak.

VINOUS 95-97 points
The 2023 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc was picked from August 23 to September 9 at 36hL/ha and matured in 50% new oak. It has a reticent bouquet at first, requiring a few swirls of the glass to reveal touches of orange pith, peach skin, wild fennel and light pressed white flower scents. The palate is very well balanced with a lovely creamy texture, counterbalanced by the taut line of acidity. Very poised and focused, it's somehow almost Corton-Charlemagne-inspired on the finish (perhaps due to the umami). This is a seriously fine white Pessac-Léognan. - Neal Martin

JANCIS ROBINSON 17.5 points
Initially discreet then opens to reveal floral, citrus and vanilla notes. Large on attack with plenty of succulent fruit, then drive and persistence on the finish. An extra edge of ripeness compared with many but freshness as well. Very much in the house style. (JL)