Smith-Haut-Lafitte Pessac-Léognan 2019 375ml

99 points Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux): "(59% Cabern et Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot). Sink into this concentrated, textured, creamy wine, full of liqourice, blueberry, cassis and black cherry fruits, then let the pencil lead, cigar box and campfire notes spiral upwards out of the glass as it opens. Clearly shows why the signature acidity of Bordeaux, even in the best vintages, is just so welcome - it gives focus and a taut, confident feel through the core of the wine, and clearly suggests how well it will age. 60% new oak. Tasted in September last year, same impression of an exceptional wine. In organic conversion, Fabien Teitgen technical director, harvest from September 17 for the reds. Drink: 2029-2048. (4/20/22)"

99 points 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. (2/11/22)"

98 points Chris Kissack (Winedoctor): " From potentially the greatest vintage of the 2018-2019-2020 trio, this opens with an array of beautifully dark and spicy aromatics, with grilled berries, toasted damson and blackberry, laced with notes of charcoal and soot. The palate comes in with a simply divine texture, velvety yet poised and precise, with a wonderfully complex array of black fruits and finely knit, very ripe tannins. There is slate, sage and dark chocolate too, all resting on a pile of ripe tannins which are deeply buried within the wine, but which give it a fabulous structure. This seems to have everything in place, and with those brooding tightly grained tannins hiding here this is one clearly set up fro the long haul. A remarkable success. Hold off on this one. (Apr 2022)"

98 points Jeb Dunnuck: "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. Drink: 2026-2058. (4/11/22)"

98 points Jeff Leve (The Wine Cellar Insider): "Almost opaque in color, the nose grabs your focus with your first swirl and sniff due to all the blackberries, smoke, black cherry, espresso, wet earth, cocoa and flowers. On the palate, the wine is already expressive. Voluptuous, seductive, silky fresh and rich, the layers of fruit coat your palate, leaving you with a sensuous finish packed with waves of dark red fruits that linger and expand. The wine is so good now, we drank the bottle for dinner knowing that over the next 2-3 decades, the wine is going to get better and better. Drink from 2025-2055. (Mar 2022)"

98 points/'Cellar Selection,' Wine Enthusiast: "Rich in black fruits with a structure that acts as a support. Acidity and blackberry flavors with hints of black coffee and a core of denseness that is very fine. The wine will age well, drink from 2026. Organic and biodynamic. Alcohol 14.5%. (Oct 2022)"

97+ points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (The Wine Independent): "The 2019 Smith Haut Lafitte is deep garnet-purple in color. It jumps from the glass with bold notions of warm plums, juicy blackberries, and fragrant soil, plus hints of baking spices, lilacs, and Ceylon tea. The full-bodied palate has muscular fruit with a firm texture of grainy tannins, countered by lively acidity, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note. Alcohol 14.5%. Drink: 2026-2056. (5/1/23)"

97 points Peter Moser (Falstaff): "Dark ruby with purple reflections and discreet brightening on the rim. Ripe blackberry fruit with black cherry, a hint of cardamom, cassis, fresh orange zest, and touches of candied violets. Complex, taut and textured with a dark forest-fruit character and ripe tannins before a long, mineral finish. Powerful, but very well balanced. Great ageing potential. (6/15/20)"

96 points Neal Martin (Vinous): "The 2019 Smith Haut-Lafitte has a Burgundian like purity on the nose: raspberry and wild strawberry fruit, touches of pressed rose petal emerging with time. The oak is a little prominent at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, a fine bead of acidity, fresh and focused, building all the time to quite a structured yet complex and engaging finish. Very fine. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting. Drink: 2025-2050. (Feb 2023)"

96 points William Kelley (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. Drink: 2026-2055. (4/7/22)" 96 points 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. Drink: 2029-2049. (Feb 2022)"