Château Smith Haut Lafitte 'Petit' Rouge 2020

Château Smith Haut Lafitte ‘Le Petit Haut Lafitte’ Rouge 2020 - Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France

Polished, dark-fruited and very much shaped by the Smith Haut Lafitte signature, ‘Le Petit Haut Lafitte’ 2020 offers a more accessible window into one of Pessac-Léognan’s great estates. It opens with blackcurrant, blackberry and dark cherry, layered with graphite, cocoa, cedar, tobacco leaf and a subtle smoky-mineral edge. The palate is medium to full-bodied, supple and refined, with ripe tannins, fresh acidity and a generous core of fruit that feels plush without losing its Graves character. There’s plenty of polish here, but also that telltale Pessac note of gravel, smoke and savoury depth, finishing long, smooth and quietly serious.

Made as the second red wine of Château Smith Haut Lafitte, ‘Le Petit Haut Lafitte’ is typically built around Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from the estate’s younger vines and selected parcels. The 2020 sits in the broader context of an excellent vintage for the château, where organic and biodynamic vineyard work, careful extraction and polished élevage helped produce wines of impressive depth and freshness. The result is a Bordeaux that feels earlier-drinking than the grand vin, but still carries real structure, pedigree and ageing potential.

Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

Style: Red – Medium to full-bodied, polished, structured Bordeaux

Drink Window: Now – 2038

Perfect For: Roast lamb, beef tenderloin, duck, mushroom dishes, aged cheeses

A beautifully judged second wine from a top Graves estate - dark, refined and quietly luxurious, with enough polish for near-term drinking and enough structure to reward patience.