{"product_id":"2018-smith-haut-lafitte-blanc","title":"2018 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe 2018 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is one of the benchmark dry whites of Pessac-Léognan, a serious, cellar‑worthy Bordeaux blanc that manages to be both vibrant and luxurious. Crafted from 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon and 5% Sauvignon Gris, and aged in 50% new French oak, it captures the estate’s signature tension between richness and precision. As a Grand Cru Classé from a venerable Graves terroir with more than eight centuries of history, this is a white Bordeaux that more than earns its growing reputation among collectors and enthusiasts alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTasting Notes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the glass, the 2018 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc shows a luminous pale straw color with hints of green at the rim, signaling freshness and youth. The nose is immediately expressive, opening with bright notes of fresh grapefruit, lemon tart and lime leaf, layered with suggestions of sea spray, green mango, yuzu, and crushed wet stones. Subtle oak-derived nuances of pastry cream and toasted hazelnut sit elegantly in the background, never dominating the pure fruit.\n\nOn the palate, this is medium to full-bodied with a striking combination of energy and silkiness. Intense citrus and orchard fruit flavors—grapefruit, Meyer lemon, pomelo and white peach—are framed by a strong mineral spine and a saline edge that lengthens the finish. The texture is beautifully polished, almost creamy, yet the wine remains taut and linear, with mouthwatering acidity and a long, steely, almost ‘stainless’ finish. Still youthful, the 2018 has the structure and concentration to develop gracefully; kept in a proper cellar, it will gain complexity over at least the next 10–15 years, evolving toward notes of honey, beeswax, toasted nuts and lanolin while retaining its core freshness.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduction\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChâteau Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is sourced from the estate’s gravelly plateau in Pessac-Léognan, where deep Günzian gravels mixed with sand and pockets of clay provide excellent drainage and natural concentration, while the proximity to the Garonne moderates temperatures. The vines—predominantly Sauvignon Blanc with smaller parcels of Sémillon and Sauvignon Gris—are farmed with a strong emphasis on sustainability and biodiversity, with organic and biodynamic practices in place. Grapes are harvested entirely by hand in small crates, parcel by parcel, at optimal ripeness, then sorted rigorously (often aided by optical sorting) to ensure only pristine fruit is used. Fermentation takes place in French oak barrels, around half of which are new, followed by aging on the fine lees with regular bâtonnage to build texture and complexity while preserving purity. The estate’s in‑house cooperage allows precise control over oak selection and toasting, resulting in a seamless integration of wood and fruit.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFood \u0026amp; Serving\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis 2018 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is a superb match for refined seafood and poultry dishes. Think oysters and scallops, turbot or sole with beurre blanc, lobster with citrus beurre monté, or grilled langoustines. It also shines with roast chicken, veal in a light cream or morel sauce, fine sushi and sashimi, and delicately spiced Asian dishes featuring lemongrass, ginger or coriander. For cheese, try it with young goat’s cheese, aged comté or mild washed‑rind cheeses. Serve chilled but not too cold, ideally at 10–12°C (50–54°F), to let the aromatics fully unfold. In its youth, a brief 30–45 minutes in a carafe can help the wine open up, while mature bottles are best decanted gently just before serving to separate any sediment and release the more complex tertiary notes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProducer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChâteau Smith Haut Lafitte is a historic Grand Cru Classé estate in Pessac-Léognan, with roots reaching back over 800 years to when vines were first planted on the Lafitte gravel plateau in 1365 as part of the Du Bosq holdings in Graves. The property took its current name in the 18th century under George Smith, and today it is owned and run by Daniel and Florence Cathiard, who acquired the château in 1990 and transformed it into one of Bordeaux’s most dynamic and admired domaines. Renowned for producing top‑flight red, white and rosé wines, Smith Haut Lafitte has become a reference point for the appellation, uniting traditional craftsmanship with cutting‑edge technology such as Oenoview satellite imagery and optical sorting, all within a framework of sustainable and increasingly regenerative viticulture. The estate even maintains its own cooperage, producing the majority of its barrels in‑house, and has been recognized with the Robert Parker Green Emblem for its leadership in environmentally responsible winegrowing, consolidating its status as a modern classic of Bordeaux.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Château Smith Haut-Lafitte","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54255153250641,"sku":"GCW-MMUI-186052","price":167.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0874\/0614\/9969\/files\/shl-b-1-pnpb5zwhjk5c3w0ononyacl19ifpkdstfj14zmk074.png?v=1783456742","url":"https:\/\/bottlehero.com\/products\/2018-smith-haut-lafitte-blanc","provider":"Bottle Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}