The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte is seriously impressive—bold, confident, and built for the long haul. It opens with deep, dark fruit, violets, tobacco, and that signature stony, flinty edge from the gravel soils. There's richness here, but it's not flashy—it’s layered, structured, and focused. The tannins are fine but firm, wrapping around a dense core of cassis, raspberry, and savory spice. It’s got lift and minerality, finishing with a salty snap and hints of lavender and citrus. Definitely one to lay down for a few years—it’s a powerhouse in a tailored suit.

James Suckling | JS 99
Published: Nov 19, 2023

Extremely fresh and deep in the nose with raspberry and blackcurrant character, as well as stone, fresh green tobacco and ink. Full-bodied with a dense center palate and gorgeous fine yet steely tannins. It calms down at the end with berries, citrus and some lavender. Salty at the end. Very minerally. Flinty. From organically grown grapes. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Give it four or five years to come around.

Decanter | D 98
Published: Jan 3, 2023
Drink: 2029-2058

Vivid dark purple in the glass, but a remarkable clarity too. Fragrant black cherries, plums, cassis and perfumed aromas with blueberries, balsamic touches and white pepper. Rich, round, grippy and captivating, slightly plush but also tight, where you get a soft chalky, wet stone grip with lively acidity balanced by strict and spiced liquorice-touched fruit. You feel the leanness here but it's so well defined with clarity and precision. A sleeping giant right now, definitely not yet fully expressing itself but slowly grows to a long finish. There's something so utterly seductive about this wine, it's overt, forward, upfront, confident and powerful no doubt, this will need a while before it should be opened, but it’s a shining thoroughbred. Refined and purposeful. There’s a bit of magic in this bottle.

The Wine Advocate | RP 95+
Published: Apr 6, 2023
Drink: 2028-2055

The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte is more structured and introverted than its 2019 predecessor, unwinding in the glass with aromas of cassis and plums mingled with notions of pencil shavings, violets and minty new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, its velvety attack segues into a multidimensional mid-palate that's framed by rich, generously extracted tannins that assert themselves on the long, youthfully firm finish. This is a strong effort that's true to the house style and which will reward a little patience.

Jancis Robinson | JR 17++
Published: Nov 15, 2024
Drink: 2030-2050

65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.
Very deep, blackish purple. Rich, almost soupy nose with lots of sweetness. Then the tannins cut in underneath. They are pretty rasping. May well preserve the wine for a usefully long time but they are very obvious now. Subtle perfume – and it’s the first time at this tasting I have used the S-word. But it’s still very dry on the end.

Smith-haut-lafitte.com

Tasting Notes from Fabien Teitgen, Winemaker:
The color of the wine is dark red, almost black with blueish hues. Very expressive on the nose with red fruits and black fruits flavors. A good swirl in the glass releases a large range of flavors and spices. Star anis, liquorice as well as empyreumatic notes and flint stones from the günzien gravels. It goes very wide and powerful on the palate at first, then the well-defined structure and smoothness of the wine gives it all its balance, fresh and full body.

Technical Specs

Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Natural Cork
Vintage: 2020
Oak: French oak barrels
Varietals: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
Vineyard: Approximately 78 hectares on the Günzian gravel plateau of Martillac, with gravel soils over limestone and clay; average vine age approximately 48 years
Harvest: 9–30 September 2020
Vinification: Hand-harvested grapes, sorted and transferred by gravity into small wooden vats; fermentation with indigenous yeasts and gentle extraction through manual punch-downs
Ageing: 18 months in French oak barrels, 60% new oak; aged on lees and racked once
Winemaker: Fabien Teitgen
Region: Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France
Classification: Grand Cru Classé de Graves

Serving Temperature: 16–18°C
Decanting: Decant for approximately 2 hours before serving; allow additional aeration if the wine remains closed
Food Pairing: Roast lamb, beef tenderloin, venison, duck, game dishes, grilled mushrooms, truffle preparations and mature hard cheeses