Smith Haut Lafitte - Pessac Leognan Blanc 2018 (750ml)
Price: $180.00
| Producer | Smith Haut Lafitte |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Subregion | Pessac-Leognan |
| Varietal | Bordeaux Blend White |
| Vintage | 2018 |
| Sku | 1006746 |
| Size | 750ml |
James Suckling: 98 Points
Purity of fruit here with plum and cherry aromas as well as wet earth and spice. Light stone. Very floral and vivid. Full-bodied with layers of ripe tannins that are balanced and polished. Savory finish. Incredibly polished and refined. Goes on for minutes. One of the finest Smith-Haut Lafittes I have tasted. Drink after 2024.
jdJeb Dunnuck: 97-100 Points
Checking in as 60% Cabernet Sauvignon 34% Merlot 4% Cabernet Franc 2% Petit Verdot brought up in 60% new French oak the 2018 Château Smith Haut Lafitte reveals a saturated purple color as well as rock star notes of crème de cassis blueberries graphite crushed rocks and spice. Deep profoundly concentrated beautifully seamless and textured on the palate it reminds me of the 2009 with its opulent powerful style. It's a brilliant wine from this terrific estate and up with the top wines in the vintage. Hats off to director Fabien Teitgen who continues to make an elegant yet powerful uncompromising style of wine.
Wine Enthusiast: 96-98 Points
This well-rounded wine offers flavors of ripe yellow fruit apple and pear with bright acidity to balance. The texture concentration and intensity linger on the finish. The wine will age well.
Wine Spectator: 94-97 Points
Already very full in feel with alluring tangerine verbena orange blossom bitter almond and brioche notes. Long and lush this is coming together in a hurry and is set to be one of the showier wines of the vintage.
Wine Advocate: 94-96 Points
The Smith Haut Lafitte 2018 Blanc is composed of 90% Sauvignon Blanc 5% Sémillon and 5% Sauvignon Gris aging in 50% new oak barriques. It features intense scents of lime leaves pink grapefruit white peaches and green mango with hints of yuzu lemon meringue pie crushed rocks and coriander seed. Medium to full-bodied the palate is laden with energetic citrus and stone fruit layers with a satiny texture and bold freshness finishing long and mineral laced.
Vinous: 95 Points
The 2018 Smith Haut Lafitte was very impressive in barrel and now in bottle it delivers. Wonderful precision on the nose subtle at first but unfurling with each swirl of the glass revealing scents of blackberry and crushed stone iris petals like before and maybe a touch more violet. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tension and good structure. This is a very tight Smith Haut Lafitte and even affording it 3?4 hours of decanting it remains more reserved vis-à-vis recent vintages. It eventually offers plenty of black fruit black olives a light marine influence and a pinch of cracked black pepper on the sturdy finish. An outstanding Smith Haut Lafitte given the vintage. (Drink between 2023-2050)
