Château Smith Haut Lafitte 2009

Characteristics and tasting advice for Château Smith Haut Lafitte 2009

Tasting

Nose
Red and black fruits, spices, aromatic herbs, cedar, licorice, clove, and graphite are among the many fragrances that mingle harmoniously in a broad, expressive nose.

Palate
Combining generosity, balance, and freshness, the palate delights with its silkiness and delicate tannic structure.

A great red wine from Pessac-Léognan, rich and elegant

The estate

Located in the heart of the Pessac-Léognan appellation and dating back to 1365, Château Smith Haut Lafitte is one of the oldest estates in Bordeaux. This magnificent property entered a new era of its history when it was purchased by Daniel and Florence Cathiard in 1990. Driven with passion and ambition by the Cathiard couple, Château Smith Haut Laffite has risen to the ranks of the most beautiful properties in the Graves, with wines renowned worldwide for their elegance and style, both red and white.

The vineyard

This Château Smith Haut Laffite 2009 is a Pessac-Léognan wine produced from vines averaging 38 years of age. The estate uses its own vine stocks thanks to a mother vine preserved in the nursery on the island of Lalande.

The vintage

The 2009 vintage presents conditions similar to 2005 (temperatures) and 2000 (rainfall), favorable to optimal ripening thanks to a dry, sunny summer and cool nights. The growth stoppage around July 20 and deep rooting allowed for a long, even ripening. A satellite maturity map guided plot-by-plot harvesting, while vibration destemming and optical sorting refined the extractions.

Harvest took place from September 25 (young Merlots) to October 14 (Cabernet Francs). The wines obtained are dark, dense, with great precision, and offer a powerful, complex, and elegant aromatic bouquet: red and black fruits, spices, aromatic herbs, cedar, licorice, clove, graphite.

Winemaking and aging

Vinification in small wooden vats. Gentle extraction through regular punch-downs. Aged for 18 months in barrels (65% new) from the estate’s in-house cooperage.

Blend

Cabernet Sauvignon (64%)
Merlot (30%)
Cabernet Franc (5%)
Petit Verdot (1%).