James Suckling - 99 points
#1 French Wine of the Year 2022
Intense blackberry and graphite character coming out of the glass, together with dried violets, ink and some asphalt. Full-bodied with wonderfully integrated tannins that spread across the palate and then draw you deep into the wine. Lead-pencil and blackcurrant aftertaste. Tightly wound with a cashmere-like texture. A whole and thought-provoking wine. Try after 2028 and beyond.
The Wine Independent - 99 points
The 2019 Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge comes from terroir composed of 60% gravel and 40% clay and is a blend of around 2/3 Cabernet Sauvignon and 1/3 Merlot with a splash of Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs considerable swirling to unlock notes of blackcurrant preserves, stewed plums, and juicy blackberries, with hints of candied violets, licorice, espresso, and tapenade, plus wafts of crushed rocks and wood smoke. Full-bodied, rich, and opulent in the mouth, it has very firm, super-ripe, fine-grained tannins and bold freshness to support the voluptuous, mineral-accented fruit, finishing very long and achingly perfumed. (9/2022)
Jane Anson - 99 points
Sumptuous, seductive and extremely poised. This inches forward with layers of bitter chocolate, smoked caramel, liquorice root, fresh mint leaf, rosebud and black truffle. Behind all this sits caressing, slate-filled tannins that give real grip to the palate. Within 15 minutes of opening you feel even more volume in the mid palate, before things close in towards a mouthwatering salinity on the finish. Shows why Le Petit Smith Haut-Lafitte is so exceptional in this vintage. Full of signature Smith Haut Lafitte gloss, but this is also a serious wine that will reward ageing. (12/2021)
Jeb Dunnuck - 98 points
Reminding me a little of the 2009, the 2019 Château Smith Haut Lafitte has a rich, powerful style in its cassis, blueberry, and black raspberry fruit as well as its chalky minerality, smoked earth, tobacco, and lead pencil shaving-like aromas and flavors. A blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, this rich, unctuously textured beauty has terrific concentration, sweet tannins, and the vintage's hallmark elegance and finesse. One of the most concentrated, powerful wines in the vintage, it needs 4-5 years of bottle age (or a healthy decant) and will evolve for 30+ years if stored properly. Not enough can be said about what proprietors Daniel and Florence Cathiard, as well as winemaker Fabien Teitgen, continue to achieve at this estate. (4/2022)
Specifications
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Sub-Region | Pessac Leognan |
| Classification | Grand Cru Classe Graves |
| Vintage | 2019 |
| Grape | Cabernet / Merlot |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Critics Score | 99 Points |
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