Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge 2019 (750ML)

94 DE / 94 JS / 94 VM / 94 WI / 93 JA / 93 JD / 16.5 JR

Decanter 2021 Top Value Wines

Green bell pepper, eucalyptus, dark chocolate and perfumed cherries and blackcurrants on the nose - so much aromatic intensity. Immediate impact on the palate with weighty tannins that are ample and mouthcoating giving the softly sweet raspberry and red cherry flavours structure and grip. A juicy core is offset by hints of wood spice which linger on the finish so this needs more time but there is excellent vibrancy and life here and strong markers of the vintage and terroir. - Gerogina Hindle, Decanter

Spices, such as cloves and white pepper, with violets and dark fruit follow through to a full body with firm, chewy tannins and a polished yet intense finish. Open tannins. An ash-like undertone to it. Try after 2027. - James Suckling

The 2019 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte is fabulous. Rich, powerful and vibrant, Le Petit packs a serious punch. Readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off this jewel of a wine. Black cherry, plum, new leather, licorice, mocha and dried herbs build as this effusive, generous wine shows off its racy, alluring personality. I loved it. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

The 2019 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge is made from 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a little coaxing to bring out notes of blackcurrant pastilles, stewed black and red cherries, and baking spices, leading to an earthy undercurrent of mossy tree bark and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a very serious backbone of firm, ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting the taut black fruits, finishing on a mineral-tinged note. This wine should age well!- Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent

This is a 2nd wine that you can always rely on for confidence and quality, and that begs to be opened with friends. Packed with cassis and bilberry fruit, smoked coffee beans and an earthy edge. Sleek and enjoyable, can be drunk now with a carafe and over next 5 to 10 years. Supple tannins, don’t wait too long to maximise enjoyment of the bright fruits. 36hl/h yield, 20% new oak. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

The more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated second wine, the 2019 Le Petit Haut Lafitte is dense purple. with a promising bouquet of cassis, cedary spice, tobacco leaf, and background oak. It picks up some classic Graves scorched earth notes as it sits in the glass and is medium to full-bodied, has a concentrated, layered, balanced mouthfeel, and a great finish. A serious, impressive wine, it will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and drink brilliantly over the following 10-15. - Jeb Dunnuck

Healthy crimson. Vibrant fruit. Still quite youthful and unformed but full of life and pretty ripe. Am I getting biodynamic health here? Good stuff and not overpriced. Possibly for the cellar rather than the table. -Jancis Robinson