Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc 2021

JEFF LEVE, THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER

Green apples, pineapple, flowers, vanilla, lemon chiffon and orange blossoms crowd into the nose. Energetic, crisp, fresh, clean and pure with a fabulous pop in the mouth from all the layers of sweet, but vibrant fruits. The touch of peppery spice in the finish adds another dimension. The wine was produced from a blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris and 5% Semillon. 13.5% ABV. Drink from 2023-2035

ADRIAN VAN VELSEN - VVWINE.CH

Jeb Dunnuck

The Grand Vin 2021 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc checks in as the usual blend of 90% Sauvignon and 5% each of Semillon and Sauvignon Gris. It has a kiss of green in its gold hue as well as brilliant aromatics of melon, stone fruits, minty herbs, chalky mineral, and flowers. Complex, nuanced, and medium to full-bodied, with both richness and elegance, it's a brilliant white in the making.

VERTDEVIN

The nose is beautifully elegant, complex and classy, revealing a lovely multi-layered intensity. There are hints of lemon, tart green apple and slightly zest combined with hints of crunchy berries and a subtle hint of fresh oak, a subtle hint of menthol. The palate is fruity and offers juiciness, freshness, good definition, a wide range of aromas, delicacy and finesse, a tangy structure, a lovely delicate/fine/airy texture, energy, purity and a slight crystalline quality. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy green apple, lemon and, more slightly, yuzu, combined with hints of exotic berries, a subtle hint of fresh pineapple, fresh flowers, a subtle hint of tangy tangerine, a subtle hint of toast, almond, a subtle hint of gunflint, fresh mirabelle plum, verbena, physalis, a subtle hint of smokiness and vanilla. Good length. A discreet hint of positive bitterness on the finish/persistence.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

At this early stage, the 2021 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc appears set to number among the best white wines this estate has produced to date. Wafting from the glass with aromas of crisp orchard fruit, nectarine, grapefruit, pastry cream and smoke, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, with a concentrated core of fruit, racy acids and a taut, chiseled profile, concluding with a saline finish. Balancing texture and tension to compelling effect, this beautifully integrated, characterful white is going to be thrilling to revisit in bottle.

Decanter Magazine

Toasted oak, lanolin, honeyed caramel, lemon zest and red apple peel on both the nose and palate. This has an unctuosity, a richness to the texture giving beautiful honeyed lemon touches with Semillon fatness and intensity from the Sauvignon. It’s sleeping a little right now, feels as if it’s calm and quiet, not yet ready to show the world what it’s about but you do get a precision and detail along the edges, a real sculpting of elements. I love the presentation, such a success for the vintage, excellent winemaking on show. It's the soft vibration you get as the flavours travel from start to finish that is so promising - a lot of life and immense enjoyment to come from this.

James Suckling

This has so much depth and power, with complex notes of flint, oyster shell, white pepper, dried mango, lemon, papaya, apricot stone and chalk. Medium-to full-bodied. Bright, yet creamy. It’s so long and concentrated. Wait and see. 90% sauvignon blanc, 5% semillon, 5% sauvignon gris. From organically grown grapes.