96

Antonio Galloni

Vinous

The 2019 Smith Haut Lafitte is a dense, explosive wine. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, mocha, new leather and licorice all saturate the palate in a wine that balances unctuous texture and structure. The 2019 is an opulent Smith Haut Lafitte that is going to need a few years to shed some baby fat. It is a powerhouse to be sure. Dried herbs, leather, tobacco, incense and graphite lend striking savory nuance throughout. 01/2022

97

Neal Martin

Vinous

The 2019 Smith Haut-Lafitte blossoms immediately on the nose of seductive blackberry, black olive and Bing cherries, perhaps a little more floral than when I tasted it from barrel, and there is a nearly Burgundy-like purity. The palate is medium-bodied with a smooth, almost creamy entry. This is very harmonious, elegant and poised, leading to a mineral-driven finish. A gorgeous, seductive Smith Haut Lafitte that will give three or four decades of drinking pleasure. 12/2021

96

William Kelley

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate

The 2019 Smith Haut Lafitte has turned out very well indeed, unwinding in the glass with a complex bouquet of dark berries, cassis, forest floor, pencil shavings, licorice and spices. Full-bodied, broad and velvety, it's layered and elegantly muscular, underpinned by rich structuring tannins and lively acids, and it concludes with a long, expansive finish. This is another estate where the viticultural and stylistic evolutions of the last decade have delivered a beautifully balanced, harmonious 2019. 04/2022

95

Jean-Marc Quarin

Jean-Marc Quarin

Couleur sombre, intense et belle. Nez très aromatique, au fruité pur, mûr et crémeux, proche d'une expression rive droite. Ample dès l'attaque, juteux et très bien construit en milieu de bouche, savoureux et dense, le vin évolue sur des saveurs complexes de fruits frais, de fruits noirs et d'encre, sur une finale tannique très bien enveloppée (et là il revient sur un registre rive gauche). Assemblage : 59 % cabernet sauvignon, 36 % merlot, 4 % cabernet franc, 1 % petit verdot. 06/2020

99

James Suckling

James Suckling

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. 03/2022