$46.99 on 12+ bottles (use code: 12saves3) 94pts VinousThe 2020 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte is a gorgeous second wine. Dark cherry, grilled herbs, menthol, licorice, plum, spice and tobacco infuse the 2020 with striking aromatic nuance. Cabernet Sauvignon
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$46.99 on 12+ bottles (use code: 12saves3)
94pts Vinous
The 2020 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte is a gorgeous second wine. Dark cherry, grilled herbs, menthol, licorice, plum, spice and tobacco infuse the 2020 with striking aromatic nuance. Cabernet Sauvignon drives the blend, and that is very much in evidence in the wine’s flavor profile and overall structure. There’s terrific depth and density here, not to mention tons of character. Drinking Window: 2025-2035
91-93pts Wine Advocate
Composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, aging in 30% new barriques, the 2020 Le Petit Haut Lafitte has a deep garnet-purple color, rolling out of the glass with alluring scents of blackberry preserves, Black Forest cake and warm cassis, plus wafts of red roses and cinnamon toast with a hint of dried mint. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers plush tannins and soft acidity to support the generous, juicy black fruits, finishing on a lingering minty note. Drink Date: 2025 – 2040
The first part of the year was aquatic, commented Winemaker Fabien Teitgen. The vines began to grow very early, on March 8th. But after we had good flowering. There was some mildew, but there was not too much damage. Because we are organic and biodynamic, we can only use very little copper mixed with plant infusions. This is the phytotherapy part of biodynamics. We try lots of things and we keep what works. When you are certified, you have to work very fast, even on Saturday and Sunday. Our workers live close by and are very dedicated.
“We were not so much impacted by the drought. Its true, the summer was very dry. But the first part of the year gave water to store in our deep clays. The second part of the year was very sunny and warm. Even where our clay is five to six meters down, this gave us the ability to continue the ripening process. We have an early terroir with this storage of water. We ended harvest before the end of September.
“The Cabernet berries were very smallwe would have liked to have had a little more juice. By the time we were picking the Cabernet, the rains came. There was no bursting (of berries) for us. The timing of the water was good. Then, we had to be very careful with the extractionthere was a lot of tannin. So, we did much less pigage. There is no press wine in the blend this year.
“It was really a great pleasure to do this vintage. The grapes were very expressive straightaway of the wines. The aromas in the winery were incredible.
It is clear from tasting the range of wines from Smith Haut Lafitte that they were indeed situated in a sweet-spot location and possessing just the right sort of terroir to hit the absolute heights of greatness this vintage has to offer, with all the hurdles skillfully managed by Teitgen and his team. These wines are truly breathtaking. Bravo!
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