2013 BWE WINE OF THE YEAR: 2004 SMITH HAUT LAFITTE

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 1:50 am

The smoke has risen.

The victor has appeared on the balcony.

The winner of the 2013 BWE Wine of the Year award is:

2004 SMITH HAUT LAFITTE

The impetus behind this selection was a celebration of the things they seem to be doing well at SHL.
The wines seem to have moved into a modern era without perhaps some of the over-the-top stuff that is going on at other properties.
In other words: Harnessing the appealing aspects of modern wine making while avoiding some of the aspects that may be less appealing, especially to traditionalists.
The 2004 SHL has a 13% alcohol level. I liked it so much after one bottle that I bought a case, at a reasonable price.
We've been having discussions here lately on the pros and cons of higher alcohol levels.
I don't know what the 09 and 10 come in at but the alcohol at least in 2004 seems to be in check.
I chose the 2004 vintage but it could have just as easily been 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, or 2005.
I haven't tasted the 2009 and 2010 but I do note that He Who Shall Remain Nameless rates them 100 and 98+ points respectively.

I checked over on cellartracker, here is what robertgoulet said about the 2004 Smith Haut Lafitte:

11/25/2011 - ROBERTGOULET WROTE: 93 Points
'04 Smith Haut Lafitte, a nose for the gods!!!!!!!! Iron, coffee, truffle, velvet cherries, mineral. Smells so good I want to wear it as cologne. SHL panther 60% of the time it works everytime!!!(if u don't know ask me) Not as big on the palate as my last bottle, but this wine dazzles me! Picked up another 2 immediately. This is my favorite bordeaux, Happy Thanksgiving-93 points

"This is my favorite bordeaux...." Wow!

Amen, brother!
This is a Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts Kind-of-Wine!

It is also time to pay at least a little recognition to the 2004 vintage. It may not be a darling of the critics, but it seems like we are consistently reading positive tasting notes from that year. They seem to be lower in alcohol, more traditionally styled.

Thank you again to all for your suggestions. All great choices. Pomillion's last minute proposal of the 2005 Brane Cantenac was especially tempting, one of the top wines I experienced in 2013.

But alas, it is time to recognize the great work being done at a great Bordeaux estate.

And so, the 2004 Smith Haut Lafitte joins the pantheon of other great past selections as the Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts Wine of the Year:

2000: 1996 Sociando-Mallet
2001: 1989 Lynch-Bages
2002: 1995 d'Yquem
2003: 1999 Haut Brion Blanc
2004: 2000 Pichon Baron and 2000 du Tertre
2005: 2000 Margaux
2006: 2003 Pontet-Canet
2007: 2002 Leoville Poyferre
2008: 2005 Burgundy vintage (protest vote)
2009: 1989 Lafite Rothschild
2010: 2005 Cantemerle
2011: 2008 Leoville Poyferre
2012: 2009 Giscours
2013: 2004 Smith Haut Lafitte

So it is written.
So it shall be done.

The Benevolent Dictator

Happy New Year to all!

Tom In DC · Post by **Tom In DC** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 2:34 am

A wise and benevolent choice. Well done, BD.

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 2:51 am

Lucie says that it is about time that a red Graves was named the BWE wine of the year. If Lucie is happy, so am I. Well done, BD.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 2:52 am

Thank you Tom, my loyal and humble subject.
Did you guys visit SHL during France 2005?

It passes the Lucie test! I am humbled, makes it even more rewarding!

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 3:18 am

Well done, Jim! I'm happy to have a few of these in the cellar.

robert goulet · Post by **robert goulet** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 4:05 am

Huge!! I fought hard for '04 SHL back in 2011, but Jim ultimately went with the worthy '08 l. Poyferre
The '04 vintage is humbled by your selection...Maybe I planted the subliminal SHL seed!...I am a big fan of this vintage and to have one of my favorite bordeaux's selected feels special...I have two additional CT Notes on the '04 SHL aside from the one Jim posted...each bottle has been different but I love them all the same...the bottle I popped two years ago at my 40th bday dinner left the table stunned, my jaw hit tile, it was that good...Do you believe the quote" there are no great wines, only great bottles?"...well I believe this is great wine...'01 SHL was amazing also, I was not a fan of the '05 and my judgement is reserved on '10... I like SHL '08, but Larrivet is my '08 Pessac front runner..Hat tip to your selection Jim, '04 has arrived

Chateau Vin · Post by **Chateau Vin** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 5:34 am

Its about time for SHL... Have just 3 bottles lying somewhere in the cellar...

With regards to '10 SHL, if there is one wine that stood out head and shoulders above the other '10 left bankers for me at the UGC, it was '10 SHL. Oh yeah, my mouth is still watering and I am still drooling....

Comte Flaneur · Post by **Comte Flaneur** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 10:41 am

A decree of not inconsiderable perspicacity and sagacity.

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 2:33 pm

Congratulation to Château Smith Haut Laffite, for that top reward from BWE.

I opened the 2002 lately, and it has been one of my top wine opened in 2013!

Read this:

Tonight the 2002 Château Smith Haut Laffite was just marvellous. A superb color, a nose, from the modern side, but very Bordeaux anyway. Dark red berries, creamy, blackcurrants, burned leaves, pencil. In mouth, a niçe thing, intense dark berries, blueberries, coffee, light dark chocolate, long structured oaky BlackBerry finish. I'm impressed, even If this is slightly modern. TN: 92+.

Very masculine Bordeaux modern style.

Nic

Rieslingfan · Post by **Rieslingfan** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 3:51 pm

Might need to dig up one of my 2001s.

Michael-P · Post by **Michael-P** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 5:23 pm

Damn you BD!
This is not a good time, financially speaking, for me to start looking to buy more wine.
But now I'll need to search out some 04 SHL......

Congrats!

Michael-P

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 6:18 pm

Well done my subjects.
I haven't had the 2001 SHL in quite a few years, David, I bought about a half dozen of them for like $30 at PJs a few years back and drank all of them within a year after my purchase.
I know. I know....

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 6:50 pm

"Maybe I planted the subliminal SHL seed!" Or maybe you sent him a case to secure the vote!

Nice wine. In fact, nice enough a couple of years back that I drank through my 6 pack. Now I'll have to see if I can find some more! Or, anyone try the '06 lately? Can't help but wonder about 06 as that vintage continues to surprise.
Congratulations to all who have holdings.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 6:52 pm

Jim, that was a very good price! Oh, that was '01, not '04 - still a very good price! I bought 6 of the 2004s on release, paid about $35, and still have 5 left. I did check in on it this past spring, ITNOS. I plan on leaving them alone for another 3-5 years before opening another. Like BobbyG and Bacchus, I loved it. It does have a mix of modern and classic characteristics:

2004 Château Smith Haut Lafitte - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (5/25/2013)
Purchased on release and stored in temp-controlled cellar. Perfect fill and cork. Pop and pour. Dark purple core, dark red at rim. Very friendly forward nose of ripe candied cherries and cassis with underlying gravelly earth, mushrooms, and stemmy greens adding some complexity. Medium body, ripe fruit but not candied on the palate, hint of greens and earthiness add early complexity, nicely balanced, medium finish with a bit of ashy tannins showing at the end. Opens and becomes a bit richer over 90 minutes. Still on the upswing but starting to drink very nicely. Excellent-outstanding.

robert goulet · Post by **robert goulet** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 7:03 pm

I love how SHL can show the typicity of pessac so well...I remember first tasting the '01, my first SHL...I didn't know what to think...I was coming off big zins and Aussie Shiraz...over time I became haunted by its pessac typicity...the gravelly, slate and mineral notes...I was forever changed

robert goulet · Post by **robert goulet** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 7:07 pm

Options11/5/2011 - I WROTE: 94 points (Edit)
I careless what the professional critic's say, 2004 continues to establish itself as one of my favorite bordeaux vintages of the 2000's. Too many good wines to count.
My 40th birthday so I had to break out the SHL after it's recent crushing of the '07 Dominus and '94 Rausan Segla. This wine is firing on all cylinders. The nose is screams your about to drink a kick ass bordeaux....and ah....you are:).....Truffle, leather, coffee and earth wafting out from the glass....damn I'm going nuts!!! The palate with great finesse and balance meets hints of smoke, expresso, soil, fine minerality, saddle.
Not sure if I drank it, or made love to it....maybe both...bravo....94 points
Comment (6,425 views)

Options3/14/2011 - I WROTE: 93 points (Edit)
Last of 3 wines after the '07 dominus and '94 Rausan Segla, the least expensive coming in at $42 and it just killed the previous two. This wine the the real deal, right up there with the '01. One sniff and your sucked in. Dark fruits laced with coffee, minerality and earth, big midpalate. For me this trumps the highly acclaimed '05 at this stage. Drink now with minimum decant.
Comment (7,114 views)

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 8:15 pm

Love that earthy, gravelly, Graves-y goodness! Haut Brion is my favorite first growth. Actually the first first growth I ever had, many many years ago. I wonder if that's why I love those wines so much...

Rieslingfan · Post by **Rieslingfan** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 9:45 pm

JimHow wrote:Well done my subjects.
I haven't had the 2001 SHL in quite a few years, David, I bought about a half dozen of them for like $30 at PJs a few years back and drank all of them within a year after my purchase.
I know. I know....

I have only got 3 left from my 6. The rest survived due to physical inaccessibility.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 9:50 pm

Ha ha I have a case each of the 2002 and 2004 SHL, each of which have survived today because they are near the bottom of the stacks.

pomilion · Post by **pomilion** » Tue Dec 31, 2013 6:06 am

Great choice, Jim! '04 SHL has been exceptional every time I've tried it. I have mixed feelings about more recent vintages only because of the price, which is a direct result/reflection of Parker's grade inflation. On the one hand, I'm very happy for the Cathiards to be recognized for the great work they've done; on the other hand, I'm sad (as I am with quite a few of my favorite bordeaux) that rampant grade inflation (primarily by HWSRN) has driven the price into the stratosphere. '09 and '10 SMH are marvelous wines but now priced beyond the reach of most mortals ('09 $225, '10 a mere $130-150). That's not to take away from how wonderful the wines are - the Cathiards aren't responsible for the pricing mess bordeaux has become.

Anyway, great choice Jim and congratulations Smith Haut Lafitte!

robert goulet · Post by **robert goulet** » Tue Dec 31, 2013 1:20 pm

Inspiring the masses!! Is this a board member?

Options
11/6/2011 - HOS WROTE: 94 Points
Last night, went with friends who though Columbia Crest was a strong wine with dinner. Night before, a Booker fruit bomb. Great, but still a fruit bomb. Thought it was time to trott out a Bordeaux. Pulled this one based on the previous tasting note by robertgoulet. This happened to be one of the first wines I bought when I caught the wine bug. Popped and poured. Intense nose that carried through. Forest floor, leather, blackberry, cedar. Full bodied which surprised. Long finsh, well integrated tannins. This is what I chase, that great wine that shows up and makes you just step back and appreciate it.

Haha! Luv it

Comte Flaneur · Post by **Comte Flaneur** » Tue Dec 31, 2013 2:15 pm

It is always interesting to look back at the end of the year at the year's wine drinking. I did the painstaking task of listing my top 100 wines of the year.

By country 89% are French, 7% are Italian, 2% Australian and one each Spain and Portugal. Of the total 51% are from Bordeaux (57% of the French wine), 20% from Burgundy (22%), 16% from the Rhone (18%) and 2% from other regions (one Alsace and one Champagne).

Within Bordeaux 31% of the total (61% of Bordeaux) are from the left bank excluding Pessac/Graves, 16% (31%) from the right bank, three from Sauternes/Barsac and one from Graves/Pessac. On the left bank 13% of the total (42% of the left bank) are from Pauillac and 6% (19%) from St-Julien and 7% (23%) from the Margaux commune. On the right bank there are 12 wines from Pomerol and four from St-Emilion.

Wishing you all a happy new year and healthy, happy and prosperous 2014.

robert goulet · Post by **robert goulet** » Thu Jan 02, 2014 1:22 am

So none popped one of these yesterday?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 2:52 am

If I cracked open my case of 2004 SHL, RG, they'd be gone by the end of February.

robert goulet · Post by **robert goulet** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 3:45 am

Sell me some!

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 4:20 am

Ha ha I don't sell wine but I'll be sure to bring down two or three bottles sometime for a BWE Florida rendezvous.

robert goulet · Post by **robert goulet** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 4:45 am

Me and Bobbie shall be waiting sir

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 4:51 am

It will happen. Oh how it will happen.
Maybe I'll round up some of those other east coast cats, Nicola, Jal, the Mid-Atlantic Sub-Chapter, Bobby Dayton, we'll do a BWE Boy's Club long weekend in sunny FLA and come visit Bobby G and Orlando Bobby and drink some fine northern Medocs and SHL....

Chateau Vin · Post by **Chateau Vin** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 8:15 pm

Seems there is a BWE WOTY effect...

2004 SHLs are going out the retailer doors since the smoke has risen on 2013 WOTY. Mcarthur and other retailers had them few days back, and now they seem to have gone!!!

I will hold on to my meager 3 bottles of cache for now...

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 8:19 pm

Yes that is a pretty routine phenomenon, CV.
BWE is a victim of its own success.
We are constantly having to fight becoming the market force of an Advocate or WS, but it is not completely within our control.

robert goulet · Post by **robert goulet** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:49 pm

I have 2 '04 SHL's left....damn

brodway · Post by **brodway** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 3:06 am

Some of us are still searching out the 1996 Sociando Mallet

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 3:10 am

Wow! A ghost from the past! I was thinking about you the other day.

brodway · Post by **brodway** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 3:14 am

Jim.

Was just thinking with all the great Bordeaux vintages since 2000, the BWE clan had to have uncovered some values.

My cellar was thinning out and its time to reload. Good to see many of you still here.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 3:23 am

Great to see you Emil, we should get together for some fine northern Medocs in the greater NY/NJ area sometime!

brodway · Post by **brodway** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 3:29 am

Any time you get up this way, just let me know. NJ is a very corkage friendly state, but I'm sure a corkage friendly venue can be located in NYC as well. Haven't seen Jacques and Jill in some time and miss them dearly.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 3:38 am

They live in midtown now and I'm in NYC just about every other week, so we'll definitely have to get together sometime soon!

brodway · Post by **brodway** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 3:45 am

Can't wait.

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 2:50 pm

Welcome back, Emil. You should come to BWE-14 in DC to renew old friendships.

jal · Post by **jal** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 2:57 pm

JimHow wrote:They live in midtown now and I'm in NYC just about every other week, so we'll definitely have to get together sometime soon!

Oh yeah!!