TN: 1998 Château Smith Haut Lafitte (France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan)

[JimHow]

• 1998 Château Smith Haut Lafitte - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (8/26/2010)
  This is quietly turning into one of my favorite Bordeaux properties. This 1998 vintage has a stunning nose. The wine has all those great terroir-specific attributes that we all know and love from Pessac-Leognan: Smoke, gravel, stones, etc. It has that cedar and cherry thing going on that I just looove! Still very youthful, but offering up a lot on both the nose and palate. (92 pts.)

[robert goulet]

Never tasted the '98 but '01 for me knocked it out of the park. I recently tasted the '05, a nice wine, but the '01 is more complex with better nice balance. '05 is large, more coffee notes than the '01. Though the '01 is just loaded with that pessac terroir.

[JimHow]

I loved the 2001 as well, Robert, I've had about ten bottles of that wine over the years.
It's a beauty.

[Michael Malinoski]

How about the tannins, Jim? I found it pretty darned tannic 15 months back.

1998 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac-Leognan. Rich ripe plum, sweaty saddle leather and brown spice aromas just leap out of the glass after a pop and pour. Also along for the ride are aromas of smoky campfire embers, mocha paste, chocolate and muddy horsehide riding below dark cherry, black raspberry and black currant fruit. It is really enticing. In the mouth, it is not really as ready to rock, though. It is toughly-textured and leathery, with a decided tannic character. It comes across as very young, with dark currant, plum and black raspberry fruit a bit marred by the heavy, drying tannins. The finish gives some lift to the wine and breaks through the toughness a bit, but it is best to wait on this or give it some extended decant time.

[JimHow]

I would agree with your note, Michael, it is tannic but not as tannic as the 1995 SHL, which was very, very tannic.
I would agree with Robert above that the 2001 is a nicely integrated wine.
I have enjoyed the 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004 Smith Haut Lafittes....

[robert goulet]

On another note the '01 bahan haut brion is another beauty, all the pessac terrior wrapped in a soft elegant bow. Like the '01 SHL I scored this wine 93 points. Pessac is quickly becoming one of my favorite appellations, it fits my palate perfectly.