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 | 2020 Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte - Pessac Léognan GCC | € 126,00 (€ 152,46) |
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Er werden enkele prachtwijnen gemaakt in Pessac Léognan. Zeker Smith Haut Lafitte. Rijp en evenwichtig met opeenvolgende golven van intens somber fruit uitgebalanceerd in ziltige frisheid. Voor wijnmaker Fabien Teitgen combineert het wijnjaar de densiteit en fraîcheur van 2016 met de kracht van 2009, beide perfecte wijnen voor Smith Haut Lafitte. De pers gaat akkoord met mogelijks perfecte scores vanwege Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Jeb Dunnuck en James Suckling. Voor Jane Anson is dit “a masterclass in restrained Pessac glamour”. Zo evenwichtig. Fijn, smakelijk en succulent met precieze complexiteit en lengte. De 2020 krijgt een uniek label voor de 30 jaar dat Florence en Daniel Cathiard eigenaar is en het 655 jaar bestaan van de wijngaard. De Cathiards blijven niet bij de pakken zitten: “Il se passe toujours quelque chose à Smith Haut Lafitte”. Smith Haut Lafitte bezit een eigen tonnellerie en Yann is de nieuwe meester vatenmaker. Recente ontwikkelingen zijn de aankoop van Flora Spring in Napa Valley vorig jaar en Les Sources de Cheverny in de Loire. Het restaurant op Smith werd verjongd door het dochter Alice. IN DE PERS 96 Neal Martin – vinous.com (Februari 2023) The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte has a glorious, complex bouquet that has evolved very well in barrel. Beautifully-defined with blackberry, peony, sous-bois and crushed stone, very precise and detailed. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy, succulent tannins matched by a countervailing bread of acidity. Very detailed with a judicious touch of white pepper towards the finish that fans out extremely well. This is a deeply impressive Smith Haut Lafitte that is one of the Cathiard's finest in recent years. Drink 2026-2055. 95-97 Neal Martin – vinous.com (Mei 2021) The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte was picked from September 9, the yields 20% down on average due to the dry summer period, and matured in 60% new oak with no vin de presse. This actually blossomed after an hour’s opening, revealing exquisite blackberry, briar, crushed rock and light rose petal scents, very nuanced considering the growing season and the 14.5° alcohol. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a very fine line of acidity that keeps this on its tippy-toes. Disarmingly pure, its silky texture is very appealing, likewise the veering toward more red berry fruit lacked with white pepper toward the finish. This may well surpass the previous two vintages. An outstanding effort from winemaker Fabien Teitgen and his team. Drink 2025 – 2055. 97 Antonio Galloni – vinous.com (Februari 2023) The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte is every bit as captivating as it was from barrel. Ample, rich and explosive, the 2020 offers up an exciting mélange of dark fruit, chcolate, spice, gravel, leather and dried herbs, with a touvh of new oak that adds raciness. This towering, vertical Smith Haut Lafitte won't be ready to drink for a number of years, but it is super impressive. Even with all the intensity, the 2020 retains terrific freshness and energy. Drink 2026-2040. 95-97 Antonio Galloni – vinous.com (Mei 2021) The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte is a thrilling wine of grandeur and spellbinding beauty. The aromatics literally soar out of the glass, perhaps driven by a touch more Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. A vertical, explosive wine, the 2020 possesses tremendous energy. It is a rapturous wine that will delight readers for years to come. A move towards gentler extractions, with less oak impact, allows the purity of the fruit to come through loud and clear. Inky dark cherry, plum, mocha, dried herbs and lavender are all amplified in the 2020, but what I admire most is a total sense of harmony. I can't wait to see how it ages, as evolution has at times been the sole Achilles heel here. Drink 2028 – 2045. 97 Jane Anson – janeanson.com (Februari 2023) Inky colour, charcoal, slate, cocoa bean, blueberry, espresso, grilled sandalwood, espresso, all delivered slowly but surely with punch and power. Palate-hugging confident tannins, this is a brillant wine that edges slowly through the palate, gathering layers and complexity as it goes. 60% new oak. Harvest September 9 to 30, technical director Fabien Teitgen. 60% new oak. Harvest started on September 9 to 30. As I said En Primeur; this is a masterclass in restrained Pessac glamour. 97 Jane Anson – decanter.com (Mei 2021) Powerful on the attack, dense and concentrated at first then brighter on the retro-olfaction with layers of spice, liquorice and flowers. Intense but beautifully precise, with iris and peony aromatics coming in strongly as it opens in the glass. A ton of nuance and complexity, really takes its time, delivering a masterclass in restrained Pessac glamour. Average yields 30hl/ha for the reds. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 60% new oak. Harvest started on September 9 - 30. Drinking Window 2030 – 2050. 95+ William Kelley - robertparker.com (April 2023) The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte is more structured and introverted than its 2019 predecessor, unwinding in the glass with aromas of cassis and plums mingled with notions of pencil shavings, violets and minty new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, its velvety attack segues into a multidimensional mid-palate that's framed by rich, generously extracted tannins that assert themselves on the long, youthfully firm finish. This is a strong effort that's true to the house style and which will reward a little patience. Drink 2028-2055. 98 Lisa Perrotti-Brown - thewineindependent.com (Maart 2023) 98-100 Lisa Perrotti-Brown – robertparker.com (Mei 2021) A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot aging in 60% new barriques, the very deep purple-black colored 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte makes an impactful entrance, opening with flamboyant notes of blackcurrant pastilles, chocolate-covered cherries and molten licorice, leading to nuances of ground cloves, woodsmoke, crushed rocks and dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with opulent black fruit preserves and shimmering mineral sparks, framed by exquisitely ripe and fantastically firm tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epically long-lasting earthy and savory layers. This is the singular voice of Smith Haut Lafitte at its finest, and wow-oh-wow is it worth a listen. This 2020 has an alcohol of 14.5% with a pH of 3.65. The tannins this year were a little higher than 2018 and 2019. A little less than a third of production went into this grand vin. 99 James Suckling – jamessuckling (December 2023) 99-100 James Suckling – jamessuckling (April 2021) So much blackcurrant, graphite and iodine character. Full-bodied. Incredible quality to the tannins. They are polished yet powerful. It’s so long and complete with such depth and toned muscles. Vertical. Very fresh and energetic. Will it be better than the famous 2015? Maybe the best ever. From organically grown grapes. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. 100 Jeb Dunnuck – jebdunnuck.com (Maart 2023) Absolutely pure gold and reminding me of the 2009 (or is it the 2010?), the 2020 Château Smith Haut Lafitte sports a dense purple hue to go with incredible aromatics of blackberries, blueberries, scorched earth, wood smoke, and acacia flowers. One of the most concentrated, rich, and sexy wines in the vintage, this massive and extraordinarily opulent 2020 shows the vintage's pure, elegant profile yet backs it up with sensational levels of fruit and texture. Based on 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it already offers pleasure given its wealth of fruit, but it deserves 7-8 years of bottle age and will evolve for 40-50 years. Not enough can be said about the quality of these wines. Bravo to Florence and Daniel Cathiard, as well as to director Fabien Teitgen, for another incredible achievement. 17+/20 Jancis Robinson – jancisrobinson.com (Mei 2021) Full bottle 1,355 g. Cask sample taken 22 April. Harvest started as early as 9 September until 30 September. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. 60% new barriques. Pioneer of biodynamics and sustainability in Bordeaux. Mid crimson. Nuanced, complex nose suggests masses of ripeness and intense aromas. Interesting dried-bay-leaves note on the nose followed by some slight leafiness. Rich, polished palate – structured juiciness. Then pretty dry on the finish – not quite as luscious on the palate as the nose suggests. Masses of sandy-textured tannins on the finish. Will need lots of time. Drink 2029 – 2045 98 Ella Lister – lefigaro.fr (April 2023) - «Un superbe frisson épicé» Un nez sombre, sérieux, intrigant, saisissant, aux notes de fruits noirs, de pollen de fleurs, de musc et de santal. Pure et ciselée, la bouche est d’une beauté extraordinaire, avec des fruits noirs très fins, une veine de fraîcheur hypnotique et un superbe frisson épicé (poivre du Sichuan). La finale semble éternelle. 95-97 lefigaro.fr (Mei 2021) 98 Jeff Leve - thewinecellarinsider.com (December 2023) 96-98 Yohan Castaing - anthocyanes.fr (Mei 2021) 98 Terre des Vins (Mei 2021) Smith Haut LafitteDe wijngaard van Smith Haut Lafitte is 67 hectare groot. Smith is in essentie een heuvel bedekt met “Graves Günziennes” met als twee voornaamste eigenschappen: een natuurlijke drainage van de bodem en een “effet miroir” voor de zon die reflecteert op de graves. Daar begint alles mee; de rest, te weten de moderne werkwijze, de satellieten en de Vistalys, of de compromisloze toewijding voor het behalen voor superieure kwaliteit zijn legendarisch! Hun tweede wijnen, Les Hauts de Smith en Le Petit Haut Lafitte, biedt schitterende kwaliteit aan een bijzonder redelijke prijs zowel in wit als rood. De beste wijnjaren zijn 2000, 2005, 2010 en natuurlijk 2009, bekroond met een perfecte 100 parkerscore. Een weetje: Smith Haut Lafitte is één van de weinige Châteaux voorzien van een eigen tonnellerie. De andere zijn Haut Brion, Margaux en Lafite. CathiardSmith Haut Lafitte was een halve ruïne in 1990 toen de Daniël en Florence Cathiard het zagen vanuit een helikopter... Ze namen de zaken aan zoals altijd: met gehele toewijding en liefde. Als voormalig lid van het Frans Olympisch skiteam en tevens supermarktmagnaat vond Daniël Cathiard zijn evenknie in zijn dynamische en evenzeer charmante echtgenote Florence. Hun dochters en schoonzonen zijn even bedrijvig: het cosmeticamerk Caudalie en het Hotel & Spa Les Sources de Caudalie, met de restaurants van Smith Haut Lafitte (waarvan één met twee Michelinsterren), zijn in hun beheer. Niemand lijkt deze dynamische familie te kunnen bijbenen... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||