The finest wine ever made by proprietors Daniel and Florence Cathiard the 2009 Smith-Haut-Lafitte exhibits an opaque blue/purple color in addition to a glorious nose of acacia flowers licorice charcoal blueberries black raspberries lead pencil shavings and incense. This massive extraordinarily rich unctuously textured wine may be the most concentrated effort produced to date although the 2000 2005 and 2010 are nearly as prodigious. A gorgeous expression of Pessac-Leognan with sweet tannin emerging charm and delicacy and considerable power depth richness and authority it should age effortlessly for 30-40+ years. Bravo!

Now, with just a few minutes of air you find truffle, smoke, fennel, black cherry, smoke and cocoa, dark chocolate notes. Full bodied, concentrated, the tannins are soft, the texture is round, the fruits are sweet, but there is oak needing to be better integrated into the wine. Give it another 5-8 years in the cellar, and if the oak fully integrates, this is going to be a great wine! Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/search-wine-tasting-notes/?szSearch=2009+Ch%C3%A2teau+Smith+Haut+Lafitte

One of the vintages that saw Smith Haut Lafitte establish its dominance within the Pessac Léognan appellation, still tasting bright and full of supple, rich berry fruits. Cocoa bean, pencil lead and liqourice showcase the Cabernet dominance, this is confident, generous and just a wonderful wine, still young with many decades ahead of it.

Aromas of flowers dried citrus fruit and blueberries follow through to a full body with firm and silky tannins and a long long finish. Gorgeous fruit and structure. Polished and powerful. Best red ever from Smith. Best in 2018.

This is really loaded with crushed plum blueberry cassis fig and blackberry paste flavors all melded together along with notes of tar pastis and violet. Very long and dark but polished and pure with terrific fruit offset by a great tug of earth on the finish. Should cruise easily in the cellar. Best from 2015 through 2035. -JM

Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. The Smith Haut Lafitte ‘09 offered one of the comeliest bouquets in the blind flight of Pessac-Leognan wines: more restrained but showing brilliant delineation and clarity: undergrowth, cigar box and touches of incense infusing the black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins. This is an assertive wine determined to make an impression, with a bold multi-layered finish that suggest it will need at least a decade ageing.