Le Petit Haut Lafitte 2018 (Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte)

Drink now or cellar for up to 14 years. No need to decant before serving. Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte had a reputation as a bit of an underachiever until it was purchased żeby the former Olympic ski champion Daniel Cathiard in 1990. Cathiard quickly made significant changes including dramatically reducing the usage of chemicals and herbicides in the vineyards and fully renovated the winery. He also brought on board Michel Rolland as winemaking consultant and increased the amount of new oak barrels used to age the estate’s wines. Thanks to this new direction, the chateau is now considered one of Graves’ finest. In total they have 55 hectares of vineyards planted on the well-draining gravel soils which are so typical of the region. Le Petit Haut Lafitte is their second wine which is made from the estate’s younger Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot vines. Following vinification the wine is aged in French oak barrels, 50% of which are new, for 10-12 months before bottling. The nose is dark and brooding with plenty of dark plums, cassis and blackberry and deeper undertones of spice, tobacco leaf, herbs, and woodsmoke from the oak ageing. On the palate there’s a robust full body, grippy tannins and a well-built structure which will help this wine age beautifully in the cellar over the next decade or so. If you don’t have the patience to wait that long, it can also be enjoyed now with roast beef, barbecued ribs, or hearty game stews.