• "Sleek, Powerful, and Impressively Built" ~94 Decanter
  
• "Clearly Outstanding Wine" ~94 JD
• "One of Bordeaux’s Elite Properties" ~Wine Spectator
• "A New Paradigm for Bordeaux" 95-98 Point Vintage ~WS

About the Wine

This is a BHW Direct Import/Ex-Chateau item. This is a futures item that is expected to deliver during 2025. 

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Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte isn’t just a second wine—it’s a gateway into the soul of Château Smith Haut Lafitte. Produced with the same meticulous care as the Grand Vin, this wine reflects the gravel-rich terroir of Pessac-Léognan, shaped by centuries of winemaking tradition.

Since taking over in 1990, Daniel and Florence Cathiard have transformed the estate, embracing organic and biodynamic farming to enhance the purity and precision of their wines. The estate is known for its holistic approach, incorporating in-house compost, cover crops, and a gravity-fed cellar to preserve the character of each vintage.

The 2022 vintage is a brilliant example of the estate’s philosophy—a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, sourced from the younger vines of Smith Haut Lafitte. The hot, dry growing season produced incredibly concentrated fruit, yet the estate’s deep gravel soils and careful vineyard management retained remarkable freshness. The result is a structured yet vibrant wine, aged for 14 months in 20% new French oak, balancing elegance with power.

From its dark, expressive nose of blackcurrant, violets, and tobacco to its sleek, mineral-driven palate, this is a wine that delivers depth, refinement, and unmistakable Graves character—a serious contender in its own right.

2022 was an extraordinary vintage for Bordeaux, it was blessed with a 95-98 pt review by Wine Spectator who said: "A new paradigm for Bordeaux. Very aromatic and sleek, fresh and pure in feel, with all major varietals performing well; far more consistent than the 2018-2020 trio."

Aging: 14 months in French oak barrels (20% new oak)

Tasting Notes

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot. The 2022 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge offers a deep garnet-purple hue. On the nose, it presents powerful notes of plum preserves, crème de cassis, and licorice, with hints of chargrill, cardamom, and iron ore. The medium to full-bodied palate is structured with firm, grainy tannins and vibrant freshness, leading to a long, mineral-lifted finish. 

Critical Reviews

Aromas of currants and blackberries with orange peel and rose petals follow through to a medium body with racy and polished tannins that go on for a long time. Vivid and energetic. Second wine of Smith Haut Lafitte. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. ~94 James Suckling

A more straight, focused, structured wine, the 2022 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot brought up in a mix of new and used oak. It's a powerful, medium to full-bodied, structured Graves offering classic darker, almost blue fruits, some violet, floral, and graphite nuances, fine yet certainly present tannins, and a great finish. It's another clearly outstanding wine from this team. ~94 Jeb Dunnuck

Beautiful nose, blackcurrant, vanilla, caramel, chocolate, tobacco, cherries, crushed stones, blue fruit and bramble fruits. Sleek and straight, nice acidity, but this is quite linear with the Cabernet really giving the backbone, length and overall structure. Feels a bit tense, but it does have texture too so it’s not austere or harsh, just strong. Really well built, delivering power no doubt, but keeping a soft juiciness underneath. Very medicinal - clove, liquorice, unmistakable Cabernet speaking here, but feels clean and well worked. Nothing sticking out too much with body, plushness and cool freshness. Good potential, really impressively constructed.~94 Decanter

The 2022 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte is a rich, heady wine. A blast of dark cherry, plum, licorice, menthol, chocolate, tobacco and incense makes a strong opening impression. This Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend is all opulence. I would give it a few years to settle down.~93 Vinous

Denser and deeper than the Les Hauts de Smith, the 2022 Le Petit Haut Lafitte is a real success this year, revealing a lively, vibrant bouquet of dark wild berries, cassis, flowers and licorice mingled with delicate notes of rose. Medium to full-bodied, round and supple, it's layered and seamless and framed by velvety tannins, concluding with a long, floral finish. Perfect for gastronomy, this well-crafted Pessac-Léognan has plenty of freshness despite the dry season. ~92 Wine Advocate