White dry
A rich, lemon-coloured wine with aromas of pear, lemongrass, fresh pineapple and lemon, complemented by notes of wet stone, mandarin peel and flint. On the palate, the wine is substantial with an oily texture, yet retains a fresh acidity. The aromas on the palate are joined by accents of tropical fruit and mandarin flavours. The wine has a long and intense finish.
Serve at 10–12 °C with baked halibut steak in caper sauce, soft cheeses or fresh vegetable salad.
The sliced apples and pears with lemon blossoms and hints of dried pineapple and flint follow through to a medium body with brightness and energy. The finish is impressive with white pepper, crushed sea salt and spice. Really great finish here. All about energy. 90% sauvignon blanc, 5% semillon and 5% sauvignon gris. Better after 2028 but already a joy to taste.
Lovely perfumed notes, floral, intensely fruity with vanilla, elderflower, green apple, pear, peach and white blossom, expressive and aromatic. Succulent and juicy straight away, a real hit of citrus juice, sharp and intense, so lively and yet the texture is quite filling giving a well balanced mouthfeel. Calm but layered, you feel the precision of each aspect, the soft toasted notes, bitter grapefruit and lemon peel, crisp green apple and mineral salinity - each is carefully presented. It’s rich and has concentration but keeps the focus delivering a supremely drinkable and nuanced wine. I love the mineral tang and long length. You get the feeling of a large, warm vintage but the acidity and focus is there, so it doesn't end heavy. Lots to like here and one of the best whites of 2022. 3.2pH
Château Smith Haut Lafitte is currently one of Pessac-Léognan’s most successful wineries. Despite a long history of 800 years, this farm was not famous for its extremely high quality wine, but that changed when it was purchased in 1990 by Daniel and Florence Cathiard. Former ski champions and sports shop owners have relentlessly begun to renovate and modernize the winery, which now boasts a multi-stage grape picking system (grapes are selected both by hand and with an optical sorter), an in-house ripening workshop and a state-of-the-art winery. Fermentation of the wine takes place in 30 different fermentation tanks. In the vineyards, work is also carried out to achieve the highest quality - the harvest is hand-picked only and the grapes are grown and cared for in accordance with the principles of ecology and biodynamic viticulture. All these investments did not go in vain - since 2000, the quality of both white and red wine wines has started to improve incredibly.