Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte at 67 Pall Mall

[Comte Flaneur]

This 67 PM tasting this evening was billed as being hosted by Ludovic Fradin the commercial director of SHL but he was unexpectedly joined by the wonderful and indefatigable Florence Caithard, co-owner with her husband Daniel, whom she met when they both represented the French national ski team. When we visited in 2015 it was clear who wears the trousers.

We started with the reds - 2011, 12, 10, 09 in that order and then the 2017 and 15 whites.

2011 - Cabernet Sauvignon 55%, Merlot 36%, Cabernet Franc 8% and Petit Verdot 1%.

A lovely wine already drinking well. Forward a gentle fragrant perfume, licorice, spice, tobacco flavours, well resolved and supremely elegant ~92

2012 - similar blend with slightly more Merlot (40%), similar to the 2011 but slightly rounder with black fruits and spices even salty aromas. Drinking very well ~92

Two excellent early drinking wines not burdened with aggressive tannins

2010 - another towering 2010, big and structured, black fruited with graphite and an exhilarating tensile quality. It is still a good five years away from full maturity ~96

2009 - again the 09 is rounder, more opulent and more seductive than the 10, this is still rich, structured and very fine indeed; it unfurls beautifully; silky complex and very long ~98

Daniel prefers the 2010, Florence the 2009

2017 Blanc - 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon, 5% Pinot Gris; tense, energetic, taut, focused, with flinty notes, citrus, grapefruit notes ~93

2015 Blanc - more opulent, luxurious and exuberant than the 2017, with white flowers, peaches; superb ~95

These SHL whites are very fine, on a par with top premier Cru white burgundies.

I am a big fan of this estate which many of my wine friends dismiss as being too modern. The wines do err towards being modern - after all SHL is the only Bordeaux estate other than Margaux and Lafite that has its own cooperage - but they are not over the top or overoaked imho. They merely reflect the energy, charm, exuberance and infectious enthusiasm of the owner.

Of the wines we tried tonight I would be most happy to have all of them in the cellar.

I missed the train in the 2009 but have high hopes that the 2016 and 2019 will come close to emulating what is now a legendary wine. Florence thinks the 2019 SHL rouge is a hypothetical blend of the 2015 and 2016. Ludovic thinks the 2019 Blanc is similar to the 2016.

Footnote: Ch. Montrose and Ch. Pichon Baron zooms

I was hoping that someone in the U.K. would post notes on the 67PM Montrose and Pichon Baron tastings held last Tuesday and on Saturday respectively. I have attended three Montrose verticals and two Baron verticals in recent years so found it hard to justify shelling out £165 and £130, but given the line ups these were reasonable prices. I listened in to both and found them both interesting not withstanding the technical interference in the Montrose call. Christian Seely was also funny and entertaining. He was drinking out of large glasses, with generous pours and not spitting. Good on him.

Herve Berland, Montrose

Herve showed 16/10/09/05/03/00 in that order. These are all regarded as classic and outstanding vintages of Montrose. What was noticeable is that how his enthusiasm for each vintage waned as we went down the list. A cynic would say this is because he took over in 2013, but I think there is more to it than that. The first three wines he was effusive in his praise for, whereas for the last three he was more lukewarm. When I first tasted the 2010 it was clear that it set a new benchmark for Montrose. But it is surpassed in every way by the 2016. That was my takeaway from the last time we did this and this was reflected in his comments. The 2016 when I tried it was characterised by its never ending finish, a point Herve made, but also he added its maritime oceanic sea spray aspect. He was full of praise for the 09 even though it does not have the stature of the 10. With the 2005 he was much more equivocal in his praise for ‘the style of old Montrose’ and ‘not as beautifully suave as the 16, 10, 9’ and ‘not a totally outstanding vintage’. Another winemaker less than head over heels on this vintage, one of the best 2005s I have tried, and I have tried in thrice, though I agree not in the same league as the 2010 and 2016. Likewise for the 2003 which for me is perhaps the wine of the vintage his lack of enthusiasm was telling ‘I like this wine’ was all the praise he could muster. He described the 2000 as a very difficult wine to taste and understand when he arrived at Montrose, and he also described the growing season as difficult. He thinks it is just starting to open now and is now an good wine’ which is ‘quite pleasant’. Hmm. I have always found it difficult wine too. I have a case in bond and I and tempted to swap it for a case of 2016, which is infinitely the better wine.

[JimHow]

That 2015 trip to SHL was a highlight of my wine career. They were such sweethearts.

[jal]

Thanks Ian, I am also a fan of the estate, I find the wines balanced and delicious even though they are on the more modern side.

I have a couple of the 2010 Montrose, I imagine these need another 3-4 blanquitos, drink at the BWE 2030 convention?

[DavidG]

Thanks for these reports Ian, excellent as always.

Count me among those who are not in love with SHL. They are fine wines but not quite Pessac-y enough for me. I’m happy enough to drink them when the opportunity arises. However, they didn’t make the cut when we downsized.

Montrose, OTOH, is a favorite but I have been remiss in not buying them often enough.

[JimHow]

That 2001 SHL we shared in Chicago that we bought off the shelf in 2004 was a beauty, David.
I loved the 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004 SHL. The 2005 was a bit much, I don't recall much about the vintages since.
I have some 2012 and 2015 in my cellar.

[DavidG]

Indeed it was, Jim. I wonder if my current palate would have reacted the same way.

[Blanquito]

Ian, thanks for the notes (sincerely), but I think you'll need your tin hat here, too.

First, the disclaimers: I love you like a brother. I have immense respect for your palate, and usually I agree with and learn from your notes. Whenever we drink wine from 2001-and-older, we are usually enthusiastically on the same page. And most importantly, I never knew before how much a late-night ale could lower a BAC, but...

At SHL, we part ways (with the caveat that I gave up on SHL after the 2005 vintage).

As is oft said, what a boring world it would be if we all agreed all of the time.

[AKR]

It's been forever since I've had it but the 1990 SHL rouge was pretty disappointing as I recall.

And one doesn't seem them much but the older ones used to come in crazy triangular bottles like the Cordier stable of old.

Those weren't any great shakes either, IMO.

The one year that I thought that was well balanced was 1998, alas long gone.

Red Graves that year were initially not realized to be so good, but time showed the greatness.

[Comte Flaneur]

Chateau Talbot ce soir mes amis avec un home formidable, Monsieur Jean-Michel Laporte

[Nicklasss]

Chateau Talbot ce soir mes amis avec un home formidable, Monsieur Jean-Michel Laporte

Hope you'll try the 2017. I'm curious what other may think about this wine.

Nic