The 2019 Smith-Haut-Lafitte is a Bordeaux blend from the esteemed Pessac Leognan sub-region in Bordeaux, France. Known for its intense complexity and elegance, this wine features a deep red color and offers a harmonious blend of flavors and aromas.
James Suckling awarded this wine a near-perfect score of 99, highlighting its "intense blackberry and graphite character" with a "cashmere-like texture." He suggests that this wine is "tightly wound" and thought-provoking, recommending it for enjoyment from 2028 onwards. Jeb Dunnuck also praised the 2019 vintage with a score of 98, noting its "rich, powerful style" and "unctuously textured beauty" with cassis, blueberry, and black raspberry flavors. Dunnuck considers it one of the most concentrated wines of the vintage.
Jeff Leve describes this wine as "almost opaque," emphasizing its "voluptuous, seductive, silky" nature. He notes layers of dark red fruit that provide a sensuous finish. Leve predicts further improvement over two to three decades. Decanter's review, which scores the wine at 97, appreciates its "soft, fragrant nose" and the slow expansion of flavors, crediting its "charming and seductive" qualities.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate scores it 96, praising its "complex bouquet" and "elegantly muscular" structure. The review acknowledges the estate's recent viticultural and stylistic enhancements that have contributed to the wine's balanced nature. Vinous also awards a score of 97, describing it as "very harmonious, elegant and poised."
Wine Spectator offers a 95 score, noting its "broad, rich and caressing" nature with cassis, plum, and blackberry notes. Jane Anson gives an exceptional score of 99, highlighting its "concentrated, textured, creamy" profile, indicating its potential longevity. Wine Enthusiast scores it 98, appreciating its rich black fruit and fine structure, with a projection for aging well.
Overall, the 2019 Smith-Haut-Lafitte is a wine of considerable acclaim, poised to age gracefully over the coming decades.