TN: 2004 Château Smith Haut Lafitte (France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan)

[DavidG]

• 2004 Château Smith Haut Lafitte - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (3/14/2014)
  Time to take a peek in on this at age 10 to see where it's going. Cellared since release. Perfect fill and cork. Pop and pour. Dark purple core, dark red at rim. Forward nose of cassis and gravelly earth, cherries, mushrooms, and a hint of stemmy greens. Medium body, ripe fruit, hint of greens and earthiness add early complexity, fresh balancing acidity, medium finish with a bit of ashy tannins showing at the end. Gets richer over a couple of hours. Still improving and destined for greater complexity but drinking really well now. Plan on opening the next one in 3-5 years. Excellent-outstanding.

[Nicklasss]

We need a bottle of Smith Haut Lafitte in two weeks... I'm not the BD, but to see a bottle of the 2002 would be ok!

Nic (under the snow)

[JimHow]

Mmmmm

[JonB]

If you are trying 2002s, of which there are some very good wines, I hope you have the P. Baron. The last few times I've tried this it has been stunning....layered, complex, great bouquet.

Thanks for the note on the SMH, David. Sounds like a step up from the 2004 Malescot. It is time to check in on the 2004s and I'll participate in that in the coming months.

I've had several vintages of SHL at UGC, and frankly the young wines have been so endowed with charred oak I couldn't read the wine. SHL and Lascombes have been the 2 wines that have consistently been that way. But I have a few vintages of SHL in the cellar so......I thought I'd ask......has the oak integrated?

[pomilion]

I've had several vintages of SHL at UGC, and frankly the young wines have been so endowed with charred oak I couldn't read the wine. SHL and Lascombes have been the 2 wines that have consistently been that way. But I have a few vintages of SHL in the cellar so......I thought I'd ask......has the oak integrated?

Agree -- Lascombes even more so in my experience, often like chewing on a 2x4 early on. Usually settles down after a few years. Had a 2004 Lascombes the other day that was drinking well.

[robert goulet]

Thanks for popping one Dave....everytime I have tasted this wine it's been different...put every sample was rewarding...one time big fruit and stones the next time like drinking smooth earth and slate(luv)....it's a special wine no question

[DavidG]

Jon, your comment about the 2002 Pichon Baron has me a little worried about our upcoming 2000 vs. 2002 BWE Challenge. I expect you'll be receiving a plane ticket to DC any day now, no doubt paid for by Jimmy L.B. How's walking around money.

There is some oak in the 2004 SHL but it doesn't stand out as a separate element. I'll have a go at the remains tonight and post on how it's developed. Earth and slate are a good description of what I got last night RG.

Nic, I don't have any 2002 SHL (I skipped that miserable, unripe vintage entirely ) but I could bring a bottle of the vastly superior 2000 to DC.

[JimHow]

I was thinking the same thing, David, it has been too long since we've seen you Jon....

[Nicklasss]

It is like you can read my mind David... I had the 2002 that was very good to excellent, but I suppose that the 2000 is just glorious!

But don't say that to Jim.

By the way, I think he will have the worst deception in his life, If NOBODY does any interferences, as I personnally think the 2000 will win the blind tasting, and that the 1989 Baron will win the one on one fight...

Nic

[DavidG]

It's a hotly contested battle, Nic.

With voting by half-drunken representatives.

In Washington DC.

With legendary ex-politician, fight fixer and former trainer Jimmy "LB" How and his walking around money and his threats of blackmail heavily invested in an outcome favoring the 2002s and the '89 Lynch Bages.

What could possibly go wrong?

[DavidG]

I wonder if I should seek pre-emptive injunctive relief.
Maybe a gag order.

We tried that once in NYC and almost had to physically remove him from the room, but we were ultimately successful in shouting him down until the voting was complete. He then of course claimed that the rest of the room fixed the vote.

Ya gotta be wary of anyone claiming to be a "simple country lawyer."

[JimHow]

That night in NY you guys were like the young Republicans pounding on the doors at the Florida voting precinct in Gore v. Bush.
Like Al Gore, I was for the cause of justice.

[DavidG]

Yeah, we were merciless.

Meanwhile, back to the 2004 Smith Haut Lafitte - interesting transformation after letting it sit out open for a day. More cassis and less gravel on the nose, smoother on the front palate, loses a bit of punch in the middle, and finishes with more grainy tannins. Liked it better yesterday. Next time, if we don't figure on finishing it, we'll use a Coravin on it.