Château Smith Haut Lafitte 2008 is the red Grand Vin of this long-established Pessac-Léognan estate in Graves, classified Grand Cru Classé (1959). Today it is best known for a confident, modern take on classic Left Bank structure, and the 2008 is widely reviewed as a strong success for the vintage.
Several critics call out its balance of smoke-tinged Graves character and ripe fruit. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate rates it 92 and calls it “one of the stars of the vintage,” highlighting an “elegant smoky” profile with “hints of barbecue pit” alongside “sweet black currants and cherries,” and praising its “impressive finesse and wonderful purity.” Wine Spectator (91) similarly notes “intensity with grace,” with “pure black cherry, mineral and tobacco flavors,” plus “toasty oak and fresh acidity,” finishing “floral” and “smoky.”
There are excellent reviews at the mid-90s level. James Suckling scores it 95, describing a “decadent and rich” nose with “meaty undertones,” “almost truffle-like,” and a “big and juicy” palate that “still needs time to soften.” Decanter awards 93 and calls it “a beautiful wine,” pointing to “intensity to the cassis fruits” and a “signature Pessac-Léognan swirl of smoke and grilled almond,” with “flexibility in the tannins.”
Later tastings reinforce its staying power and the estate’s polished style. Jeb Dunnuck (93) writes that it is “still going strong,” and provides technical detail: a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot, “aged in 80% new barrels,” delivering “crème de cassis, cedar pencil, loamy earth, and smoked earth/cold fireplace.” Jeff Leve (93) also notes the 13.5% alcohol and finds “oak… still noticeable,” with “truffle, smoke, black cherry and dark chocolate,” concluding that some oak “needs to further integrate.”
Overall, 2008 Smith Haut Lafitte reads as a complete, smoky-cassis Pessac-Léognan with ripe tannins and enough structure to reward additional time in bottle.
