Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte 2019

Ripe and silky, with alluring warmed cassis and mulled plum flavors and a red licorice accent. The finish, carried by lightly singed cedar and grilled savory notes, lets the fruit take the lead. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2031. 6,000 cases made, 1,500 cases imported.

Green bell pepper, eucalyptus, dark chocolate and perfumed cherries and blackcurrants on the nose – so much aromatic intensity. Immediate impact on the palate with weighty tannins that are ample and mouthcoating, giving the softly sweet raspberry and red cherry flavors structure and grip. A juicy core is offset by hints of wood spice that linger on the finish, so this needs more time, but there is excellent vibrancy and life here and strong markers of the vintage and terroir.

Spices, such as cloves and white pepper, with violets and dark fruit follow through to a full body with firm, chewy tannins and a polished yet intense finish. Open tannins. An ash-like undertone to it. Try after 2027.

The 2019 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte has a lively bouquet of blackberry, briar and just a hint of espresso, classic in style and nicely focused. The palate is medium-bodied with a smooth texture and quite approachable in style (not “furry,” as I found last year). It builds pleasantly toward the finish, which displays impressive density combined with elegance. A couple of years in bottle will do this fine.

Cedar, tobacco leaf, herbs, cherries and blackberries crowd the nose. Elegant, soft, polished and fresh, the wine is refined, energetic, lusciously textured, with a finish that resonates thanks to its cocoa-tinged, dark red pit fruits and a hint of chocolate that comes in at the very end. Drink from 2023-2035.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the rim. A hint of candied violets, black cherries, nuances of orange zest, cassis and liquorice. Good complexity, fresh with firm tannins, sweet cherries, salty finish, has good ageing potential.

Deep purple. Open bouquet with ripe wild strawberries, followed by tobacco leaf and juniper. On the elegant palate, sandy extract and a finely brittle texture. A focused finish with blue berries and rosewood.

Dense, creamy, a touch of smoked caramel on the finish, brilliant quality, with tobacco leaves, cigar box, turmeric, truffle, cassis and blueberry. This is one of my value wines of the vintage, really one to recommend and to seek out—it feels concentrated and comfortable.

The 2019 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge is made from 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a little coaxing to bring out notes of blackcurrant pastilles, stewed black and red cherries, and baking spices, leading to an earthy undercurrent of mossy tree bark and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a very serious backbone of firm, ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting the taut black fruits, finishing on a mineral-tinged note. This wine should age well!

[ Primeurs 2019 scores: 91-92 ] More precise and elegant than Les Hauts de Smith, thanks to a higher proportion of Cabernet, but produced in small quantities.

Dark, intense, and beautiful color. Very aromatic nose with pure, ripe fruit. Precise on the attack, perfumed and delicate to the touch, the wine unfolds straight and true, on a soft core, well supported by the aroma. It’s very good.