Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc 2021 (750ML)

98-99 JS / 96-98 VM / 95-97 JD / 96 DE / 94-96+ WI / 94-96 WA / 92 JA

This has so much depth and power, with complex notes of flint, oyster shell, white pepper, dried mango, lemon, papaya, apricot stone and chalk. Medium-to full-bodied. Bright, yet creamy. It’s so long and concentrated. Wait and see. 90% sauvignon blanc, 5% semillon, 5% sauvignon gris. From organically grown grapes. - James Suckling

The 2021 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is one of the great white wines of the vintage. Soaring in its aromatic intensity and sheer volume, the 2021 saturates every corner of the palate with its unctuousness and richness. Even with all of that volume, the 2021 remains bright and sculpted. Crushed rocks, lemon confit, orchard fruit, white pepper and mint build into the memorable finish. The 2021 is positively stunning, that's pretty much all there is to it. - Antonio Gallino, Vinous Media

The Grand Vin 2021 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc checks in as the usual blend of 90% Sauvignon and 5% each of Semillon and Sauvignon Gris. It has a kiss of green in its gold hue as well as brilliant aromatics of melon, stone fruits, minty herbs, chalky mineral, and flowers. Complex, nuanced, and medium to full-bodied, with both richness and elegance, it's a brilliant white in the making. - Jeb Dunnuck

Toasted oak, lanolin, honeyed caramel, lemon zest and red apple peel on both the nose and palate. This has an unctuosity, a richness to the texture giving beautiful honeyed lemon touches with Semillon fatness and intensity from the Sauvignon. It’s sleeping a little right now, feels as if it’s calm and quiet, not yet ready to show the world what it’s about but you do get a precision and detail along the edges, a real sculpting of elements. I love the presentation, such a success for the vintage, excellent winemaking on show. It's the soft vibration you get as the flavours travel from start to finish that is so promising - a lot of life and immense enjoyment to come from this. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter

The 2021 Smith Haut Lafitte blanc is composed of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon, and 5% Sauvignon Gris, aging in 50% new oak. A little closed to begin, it opens out to reveal notes of fresh pineapple, green mango, and lime cordial with wafts of lemon grass, sea spray, and coriander seed. The palate is medium-bodied with super-intense, tight-knit citrus and tropical fruit layers, framed by a satiny texture and electric backbone, finishing very long and energetic. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

At this early stage, the 2021 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc appears set to number among the best white wines this estate has produced to date. Wafting from the glass with aromas of crisp orchard fruit, nectarine, grapefruit, pastry cream and smoke, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, with a concentrated core of fruit, racy acids and a taut, chiseled profile, concluding with a saline finish. Balancing texture and tension to compelling effect, this beautifully integrated, characterful white is going to be thrilling to revisit in bottle. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate

Enjoyable, with an unfussy juicy feel and touches of pencil lead and gunsmoke alongside the citrus fruit. One to sink into over a plate of oysters with a group of friends. They have managed to deliver exactly what you want Les Hauts de Smith to deliver; pleasure. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux