Château Smith Haut Lafitte - Pessac-Léognan blanc 2025 (Primeurs)

Martillac’s flagship property, renowned for the quality of its facilities and its commitment to wine tourism, featuring the superb Sources de Caudalie resort (a 5-star hotel and spa, and La Grand’Vigne, a restaurant with two Michelin stars), Smith Haut-Lafitte is also a pioneering estate 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 on-site cooperage, and dynamic communication: in just a quarter of a century, the Cathiards have firmly established themselves as legends of Bordeaux! The wines have found their true personality: gone are the days of excessive oak; they are now refined, perfectly expressing their terroir and brimming with energy. Hauts-de-Smith and Le-Petit-Haut-de-Smith receive the same care and attention as the grand vin, and it shows!

Aromas of vanilla, caramel, warm honey, wax, dried herbs, flint, fresh white peach, and apple. Explosive and lively, with magnificent clarity and purity—it offers nuance and complexity—yet it is presented with a lightness and delicacy unusual for a Smith. A fairly refined style, but in reality, the acidity is very well balanced, without being pronounced or overly sharp. Clarity and invigorating freshness. Beautifully structured, sophisticated, with more tension, dynamism, and energy than the 2023. I really enjoy it, with a hint of sweet tropical fruit and bitter notes. The white wine harvest began on August 20 and ended on September 2. A yield of 18 hl/ha. 2028–2038

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 botrytis control methods, practicing massal selection, plowing with horses, and producing compost...

 

What a journey this estate has been on since 1990, the year Florence and Daniel Cathiard purchased it! Starting with a classified growth in ruins and a vineyard that was virtually abandoned, these two new winemakers—he trained in the retail industry and she in communications—have built a name for themselves that commands respect. First, they set out to produce a wine that undoubtedly ranks among the elite of Bordeaux production; then, they turned Smith Haut-Lafitte into a must-visit destination for wine tourism. While the wines were at times a bit too ripe and oaky in their early days, their style has greatly refined itself over the past decade. The texture of the reds, combined with carefully controlled extraction and more delicate tannins, results in wines that reflect 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 shows no signs of waning: Smith Haut-Lafitte’s wines are enjoying international acclaim and experiencing strong price growth.

Vivid aromas of apples, pears, and sliced lemons, with notes of acacia and flint. Full of liveliness. The palate is dense and tight, with pronounced notes of chalk and oyster shells. Extremely long and pure, with dazzling energy on the finish. Crisp and driven by acidity. pH 3.2. A blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon, and 5% Sauvignon Gris.

Notes of honeyed citrus, orange blossom, mint, crushed stone, and brioche emerge from the 2025 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc, a blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris, and the remainder Sémillon, aged 50% in new oak barrels and the rest in once-used oak barrels. It offers a medium-bodied to full-bodied palate, with deep, rich, and complex fruit aromas, as well as a long and harmonious finish. It is one of the best white wines of the vintage.

You’re immediately captivated by a lovely white fruit cream with a hint of anise: a touch of fennel and star anise, a subtle vanilla bean that enhances the yellow fruit, all underscored by a briny note—it’s an extremely well-rounded wine. It’s a (great) white that behaves almost like a (great) red—in its chewiness, its depth, and the tactile dimension that comes alive on the palate, lending great complexity to the texture, and concluding with a salty note beneath the juicy white fruit. This is a truly beautiful wine in the making.

Right from the start, the bouquet highlights the complexity and depth of the 2025 Smith Haut Lafitte. Hints of mirabelle plums and citrus blend with aromas of white-fleshed fruits, anise, and mint. Creamy on the palate, the wine stands out for its harmony—a fusion of its full-bodied and lively qualities with subtle bitter notes that reinforce the flavor profile and the lingering finish. A vibrant, incisive, mouth-watering, and persistent wine. It can certainly be enjoyed young, but it has excellent aging potential… which might prove difficult, given just how delicious it is! 2028–2045