2017 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Le Petit Blanc, France, Bordeaux, Pessac-Leognan, Wine Reviewc

This was consumed against a 2016 La Carte de Haut Brion Blanc and the crowd seemed split. Although these are very similar wines on paper, they were quite different in the glass and everyone seemed to have a clear favorite. An 80/20 split of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. This is a rounder, softer wine with a bigger profile. It is light golden in color. The nose has plenty of vanilla with some lemon creme and a slight floral quality. On the palate, this is soft with tart red apples and some peach. A bit of minerality. Nice finish. This is drinking well now although I don't know that it improves much. It should drink well for ten years. A nice match for lobster or shell fish.

Grade:

A-

Score:

Vintage:

2017

Current Price:

$40.00USD

2005 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc, France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Leognan, Wine Review

Vintage:

2005

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$85.00USD

This house may be better known now for their reds, but they make some fantastic whites as well. And, as this bottle shows, they can be quite age worthy. Medium golden in color. The nose is nice with lemons, lemon peel, along with spice and vanilla. There is a fair amount of oak still on the nose. On the palate, plenty of lemons, slight wax, vanilla and spice. Mild oak tannins. Long finish. There is still plenty of fruit left but also plenty of oak. This should continue to slowly age out from here, but won't get any better. Good finish. This will work well with salmon or roasted d

2008 Château Smith Haut Lafitte, France, Bordeaux, Pessac-Leognan, Wine Review

Vintage:

2008

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$90.00USD

Pop and pour, this is drinking very well. Purple in color, opaque and bright. The nose is great with cassis, black cherries, tobacco and spice. Full bodied. On the palate, this has nice tight layering that unwinds in the glass. Light tannins. Notes of cassis, black cherries, slight chocolate, and char. Great balance. Long finish. Still a bit on the young side but no harm in opening a bottle. This will drink well for another ten to fifteen years. Great on its own, even better with food. Pot roast would be a great choice.

2016 La Clarté de Haut-Brion Blanc, USA, France, Bordeaux, Pessac-Léognan, Wine Review

Vintage:

2016

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$85.00USD

What an outstanding wine. This is the second wine of Haut Brion Blanc. My first time trying this. it is a blend of 76.3% Sémillon and 23.7% Sauvignon Blanc. It has a silvery/pale yellow/gold color to it. Very pretty nose with lemons, chervil and minerals. On the palate, the lemons come thru along with some vanilla and minerality. Very crisp with nice acidity. Pin point focus. Of course this is very young, but it is delicious. On a warm summer evening, this goes down very easily. This is expensive and as good as this is now, it should improve. I would cellar for three to five yea

1996 Château Haut-Brion, France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Leognan, Wine Review

Vintage:

1996

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$460.00USD

Typically, Haut Brion is my favorite of all the first growths. Perhaps because the blend is a bit different. This vintage is 50% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 11% Cabernet Franc. At age 24, this is just about at maturity. Purple/ruby in color, but starting to show some browning. Mostly clear and bright. The nose has black cherries, cherries, tobacco and slight earthiness. On the palate, a nice tart but sweet fruit - cherries, black cherries and slight black raspberries. Layers of complexity. Long finish. This won't get better from here, but should have ten to fifteen years a

2008 Château Haut-Brion, France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan, Wine Review

Vintage:

2008

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$450.00USD

This is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc. A gorgeous wine that is still very young. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose is pretty classic for Haut Brion with cassis, crushed gravel, slight asphalt and strawberries. On the palate there are silky but firm tannins. Deep and complex, the layers unwind in the glass. Cassis and black cherries, slight strawberries over gravel and earth. Great balance. Long finish. This needs another ten years to maturity and should be there for a couple more decades after that. It is delicious right now but give it air.

2017 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Le Petit Blanc, France, Bordeaux, Pessac-Leognan, Wine Reviewc

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