Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc 2021

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.

The 2021 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc was picked September 2–20 and raised in 50% new oak. It needs some time to really cohere in the glass and certainly is not as immediate as the Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte. Eventually, it reveals fresh lime, pineapple, honeysuckle and touches of curry leaf. The taut, fresh palate is well balanced and intense, with a fine bead of acidity. Complex with plenty of salinity, this is a cerebral Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc that will benefit from three or four years in the cellar.

The 2021 Blanc has developed gracefully since en primeur, delivering attractive aromas of ripe pear, peach, lime tree leaves, verbena and mint intertwined with mineral, smoky nuances. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and concentrated, with a broad attack and fleshy mid-palate, it exhibits compelling purity and tension, concluding with a saline, mint-inflected finish. It has the potential to improve in the cellar over the next decade or more. Drink 2023-2040.

The blend is 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris and 5% Semillon in 2021. Pale lemon colour in the glass. Intense, rich and oily fruit on the nose, showing lemon curd, clementine, beeswax and honeysuckle on the nose. The palate is boldly oaked, smoky and toasty, but balanced with the intense, ripe fruit. There are hints of tropical pineapple and mango together with finer citrus fruit. This succulent, seductive Smith Haut Lafitte is one of the finest examples of the vintage, managing to balance opulent fruit, spicy wood and steely acidity. Very long and lightly chalky on the finish.

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.

The 2021 Smith Haut Lafitte blanc is composed of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon, and 5% Sauvignon Gris, aging in 50% new oak. A little closed to begin, it opens out to reveal notes of fresh pineapple, green mango, and lime cordial with wafts of lemon grass, sea spray, and coriander seed. The palate is medium-bodied with super-intense, tight-knit citrus and tropical fruit layers, framed by a satiny texture and electric backbone, finishing very long and energetic.
2025-2035

Skilful winemaking on display here, sculpted flavours and textures, a sense of momentum and push-and-pull through the palate. Quince, white pear, mango, nectarine, peach, with savoury white tea, liqourice, mandarin peel and lemongrass, all delivered with pummice stone minerality. This has complexity and poise, and is along the wines of the vintage. Harvest September 2 to 20.

90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris, 5% Sémillon. Cask sample.
Reductive and a little green on the nose – less opulent than more-mature vintages on the nose but then it’s very broad and mouth-filling with some lanolin notes. Quite complex, combining many different elements. Still unformed.
Drink 2024 – 2036