Château Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac Leognan 2008
Château Smith Haut Lafitte
This wine displays a very dark red robe. The bouquet is expressive and very complex with hints of black and red fruit (cherry and blackcurrant) smoky notes and touches of flint, spices, liquorice and clove. This wine is dense and big on the palate with a nice velvety tannin structure. It then opens up to reveal an attractive balance of concentration and aromatic harmony. And the spicy hints of clove, the blackcurrant and liquorice come back to the fore along with the characteristic note of gunflint so distinctive to our gravelly terroir. The 2008 vintage is clearly a powerful, concentrated, well-balanced, silky wine that will age well.
Wine Enthusiast
An elegant wine, smooth and rounded, bringing out smoky fruits over tannins that smooth out as the fruit unfolds. Less opulent than some previous vintages, the wine shows restraint and aging potential.
Score: 93.
—Roger Voss,
April
01,
2011.
Wine Advocate
One of the stars of the vintage, this elegant, smoky wine has hints of barbecue pit intermixed with sweet black currants and cherries. Dark purple and medium to full-bodied, its impressive finesse and wonderful purity make for a surprisingly forward style of Smith-Haut-Lafitte to drink over the next 15 or so years.
Score: 92.
—Robert Parker,
May
2011.
Wine Spectator
This expressive red shows intensity with grace, balancing pure black cherry, mineral and tobacco flavors with toasty oak and fresh acidity. The tannins are firm but ripe, fading to a floral, smoky finish. Drink now through 2018. 6,665 cases made.
Score: 91.
—James Suckling,
April
30,
2011.
All sizes are 750mL unless otherwise noted.
Vintages and ratings subject to change at any time.
All pricing and availability subject to change.
Artwork does not necessarily represent items for sale.
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Burghound.com was the first of its kind to offer specialized, and more importantly, exhaustive coverage of a specific wine region. The first Issue was released in January of 2001 and there are now subscribers in more than 50 countries and nearly all 50 states. Allen Meadows spends over four months a year in Burgundy and visits more than 300 domaines during that time.
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Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine
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James Suckling
I rate wines using the 100-points scale. I have used this point system for close to 25 years. I still believe it is the simplest way to rate a wine, with its origins from grade school in the United States. A wine that I rate 90 points or more is outstanding (A), and worth buying. If I rate a wine 95 points or more (A+), it is a must buy.
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Malt Advocate magazine is America's leading whisky magazine. It's the number one source for whisky information, education and entertainment for whisky enthusiasts.
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