Wine Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafitte Rouge Grand Cru Classe 2004
Reviews of purchase Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafitte Rouge Grand Cru Classe 2004
Tasting Notes
Has a deep ruby color with a purple hue.
Elegant taste Chateau Smith-O-Lafitte Rouge 2004 fascinates complex rich bouquet in which the fragrant notes of black currant and blackberry infused with light notes of licorice, minerals and vanilla. Long aftertaste sounds delicious notes of plum and oak heated.
In the complex aromas appear first notes of black currant and vanilla, and then begins to feel the finer shades of graphite, coffee and undergrowth.
Recommended to be served with red meat: roast beef, steak, beef ham with wine or berry sauce, veal in Bordeaux, as well with big game, foie gras, pate, smoked meats and cheeses.
Interesting Facts
The grapes for the Château Smith-O-Laffitte only manually, then he carefully sorted, and fall under the press only the ripest berries. Fermentation of wine is carried out at a temperature of 28-30S, after which it matures for 18 months in oak barrels, 80% of them new, and 20% - old. Wine is not filtered, and regularly poured from the barrel into the barrel, making it exempt from the sediment and becomes softer rounded taste.
Wine Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafitte Rouge 2004 can be drunk young, but over the years it will change its flavor and aroma only for the better, becoming more refined. Wine storage capacity of 15 or more years.
Producer's description
Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte began its life 800 years ago. In the Middle Ages, the estate of the noble Du Boscq family was located here. It was Du Bosque who in 1365 planted vineyards on the rocky plateau of Lafite. A few hundred years later, in 1720, the Scottish merchant George Smith bought this wine estate. According to tradition, Smith added his last name to the former name of the Chateau. Since then, it has become known as Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte. Smith built a mansion in the vineyard and began exporting his products to England.
The next prominent owner of the estate was the mayor of Bordeaux, Sadi Duffour-Dubergieu, who inherited the Château in 1842. He and his heirs expanded the vineyards, reconstructed the cellar and improved the quality of products so much that it was awarded the title of Grand Cru. The era of Duffour-Dubergeux came to an end at the beginning of the 20th century. Gradually, the estate passed into the possession of the famous merchant Louis Eschenauer. Since 1902, the Eschenauers have been distributing Chateau products, since 1914 they have already cultivated the land of the estate, and in 1958 they became full owners.
In 1991, the Eschenauers sold Chateau Smith Haut-Lafitte to the current owners, Daniel and Florence Katjar. The Katjars are high-class Olympic skiers and owners of a chain of sporting goods stores. Thanks to their efforts, the once little-known Chateau has earned rave reviews from eminent critics and has become a success with wine connoisseurs around the world. In 1999, the Catiars built a world-class spa resort "Les Sources de Caudalie" in the southern part of the vineyards, specializing in wine therapy. The daughter of Katyarov, Matilda, participated in the creation of a series of cosmetics based on grape seeds.
When buying the estate, the first thing the Katyars abandoned was mechanized harvesting. Instead, the harvest is done by hand, in special small containers designed personally by Daniel Katjar. In the process of winemaking at Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, modern technologies are widely used. So, tracking the ripening of berries is carried out using satellite images. This helps to organize the harvest at the peak of its maturity. The clusters are also destabbed by vibration. Berry sorting is carried out manually in two stages, the technology of optical sorting control is additionally used. All this allows you to select only the best berries for wine production.
