2017 Le Petit Haut Lafitte
Buying options
Tasting Notes
A red with very good structure and balance and a solid center palate framed by firm tannins. More tension. Fresh finish.
Critic Scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
The 2017 Le Petit Haut Lafitte is aged in 20% new oak. It has a fresh, slightly minty bouquet with tightly wound blackberry and raspberry notes, a touch of iris rather than violet. The palate is medium-bodied with a light grip on the entry. Blackberry infused with graphite runs from start to finish of this quite linear and “correct” Pessac-Léognan, leading to a chalky-textured, Pauillac-inspired finish that is actually more closed in the later tasting I conducted during my three weeks in Bordeaux. This will need two or three years in bottle but it has the substance to give a decade of drinking pleasure.
The 2017 Le Petit Haut Lafitte is a gorgeous second wine. This Cabernet Sauvignon-based red bristles with Cabernet energy, tension and structure. Grilled herbs. licorice, new leather and blueberry jam are vivid in the glass, but it is the wine's vertical structure that stands out most. The 2017 finishes with notable character and personality. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot.
About the producer
Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte is one of the leading lights of Pessac-Léognan today – all thanks to Daniel and Florence Cathiard, who took over the property in 1990 and have since transformed the estate, converting to biodynamics and crafting wines of increasing finesse.