Château Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac-Léognan blanc 2021

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Martillac’s flagship estate, renowned for the quality of its facilities and its commitment to wine tourism, featuring the superb Sources de Caudalie complex (a 5-star hotel-spa and the two-Michelin-starred restaurant La Grand’Vigne), Smith Haut-Lafitte is also a pioneering vineyard in its category for its viticultural philosophy, which Daniel Cathiard describes as “bio-precision,” with the goal of combining the best of nature with the best of science. Florence and Daniel Cathiard, who acquired the estate in 1991, can be proud of the work accomplished across the 78 hectares of vineyards. Respect for the terroir, precision in winemaking, an integrated cooperage, and dynamic communication: in just a quarter of a century, the Cathiards have firmly established themselves in the legend of Bordeaux! The wines have found their true personality: gone are the days of excessive oak; they are now racy, perfectly expressing their terroir and brimming with energy. Hauts-de-Smith and Le-Petit-Haut-de-Smith receive the same care as the grand vin, and it shows!

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

While the straw-yellow color’s reserved appearance reflects the vintage’s challenges, the bouquet—more expressive, with lovely notes of white flowers, lemon, peach, almond, and toast—shows that these challenges have been successfully overcome. This impression is confirmed by a palate that is as broad as it is long, enlivened and extended by a beautiful freshness. 2025–2033

Guide des Vins Gault & Millau

About the estate:

The Cathiards are a success story in the French wine industry. After purchasing the estate in 1990, they shifted its focus toward quality—both in the vineyard and in the cellar—and positioned it as a high-end brand, notably by establishing a wine therapy center on the premises. Like an increasing number of châteaux, Smith Haut-Lafitte has adopted a "bio-organic" approach: using organic anti-botrytis treatments, practicing mass selection, plowing with horses, and making compost...

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the estate:

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

What a journey this estate has been on since 1990, the year Florence and Daniel Cathiard took it over! Starting with a Cru Classé in ruins and a vineyard that was virtually abandoned, these two new winemakers—he trained in the retail sector and she in communications—have built a name for themselves that carries real weight. First, they set out to produce a wine that undoubtedly ranks among the elite of Bordeaux production, and then to make Smith Haut-Lafitte an essential stop on any wine tourism itinerary. While the wines were at times a bit too ripe and oaky in their early days, their style has greatly refined over the past decade. The texture of the reds, the controlled extraction with more delicate tannins, result in wines that fit into a more contemporary, less ostentatious style. The whites have also followed this trend, with the influence of aging being much less pronounced in recent vintages. The success continues unabated: Smith Haut-Lafitte wines are enjoying international acclaim and experiencing strong price growth.

Wine Enthusiast

About the wine:

Tasted from the barrel. Fresh and crisp, yet intense with a ripe texture, this wine is the star of the white wines from this vintage. It is tight, with minerality and acidity. Pink grapefruit and a dynamic texture reveal its concentration. This will be a great wine from a great vintage for white wines.

James Suckling

About the wine:

This wine has great depth and power, with complex notes of flint, oyster shell, white pepper, dried mango, lemon, papaya, apricot pit, and chalk. Medium-bodied to full-bodied. Bright yet creamy. It’s incredibly long and concentrated. Just wait and see... 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon, 5% Sauvignon Gris. Grapes from organic farming.

Vert de Vin

About the wine:

The nose is beautifully elegant and complex, exuding elegance and classicism, with lovely layers and intensity. It features notes of lemon, tart green apple, and a hint of zest, combined with hints of crisp berries, a subtle touch of fresh oak, and a subtle hint of mint. The palate is fruity, offering juiciness, freshness, good definition, a beautifully broad aromatic profile, a deliciously refined character, a tangy structure, a lovely delicate, fine, and airy texture, energy, purity, and a touch of crystalline clarity. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy, juicy green apple, lemon, and a hint of yuzu, combined with touches of exotic berries, a subtle hint of fresh pineapple, fresh flowers, a discreet hint of tart mandarin, a subtle hint of toast and almond, a subtle hint of flint, fresh mirabelle plum, verbena, physalis, and a subtle hint of smoke and vanilla. Good length. A subtle hint of pleasant bitterness on the finish/aftertaste.

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

About the wine:

Green apples, pineapple, floral notes, vanilla, lemon zest, and orange blossom flood the nose. Lively, crisp, fresh, clean, and pure, it delivers a fabulous explosion on the palate thanks to layers of sweet yet vibrant fruit. A hint of peppery spice on the finish adds another dimension. Best enjoyed between 2023 and 2035.

Tastingbook - Markus Del Monego

About the wine:

Bright yellow with green highlights. An expressive and complex nose of ripe fruit, juicy pear, sweet peach, grapefruit zest, candied lemon peel, notes of basil and aromatic herbs, vanilla, and sweet spices, with very subtle oak in the background. On the palate, excellent structure and depth; a great wine with tremendous length, echoing the flavors of the nose.