1986 Smith Haut Lafitte
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Tasting notes
Certainly fully mature, the 1986 Château Smith Haut Lafitte nevertheless needs air to show at its best, and while it evolves nicely in the glass, it could easily benefit from 30-60 minutes in a carafe. Medium ruby-hued, it offers mature red and black fruits as well as textbook Graves damp earth, cold fireplace, and leafy tobacco. Medium to full-bodied and nicely balanced, with a core of sweet fruit, drink this charming, elegant Grave over the coming decade, as it’s not getting any better.
Critic scores
Jeb Dunnuck
About the producer
Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte is one of the leading lights of Pessac-Léognan today – all thanks to Daniel and Florence Cathiard, who took over the property in 1990 and have since transformed the estate, converting to biodynamics and crafting wines of increasing finesse.