Château Smith Haut Lafitte

The family tree of Château Smith Haut Lafitte, one of the most prestigious wineries in France, located in Martillac, allows us to look back to 1365, when the noble Bosq family was already devoted to cultivation of the vine. A few centuries later, in 1700, George Smith, of Scottish descent, bought the estate, giving it the name that still belongs to it today. Over the decades, the Château had some different vicissitudes and owners, until, in 1990, it was acquired by Daniel Cathiard, a former professional skier, who immediately fell in love with these landscapes. Today the property is spread over about 80 hectares, of which 67 are dedicated to the production of red wines and the remainder are destined for whites; in the vineyards are grown merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, petit verdot, sauvignon blanc, sauvignon gris and sémillon, within plots all included in the AOC of Pessac-Léognan, more precisely within the Grand Cru Classé de Graves. It’s a soil composed of gravelly subsoils, deriving from alluvial, sandy and rocky residues, originating in the Neozoic era. Daniel Cathiard, during the first years of ownership, took great care in making the most modern technological equipment coexist with traditional customs, with the sole objective of respecting the terroir and the grapes; biodiversity is promoted in the vineyard, seeking balance and using natural practices, to allow each individual parcel to express its potential. In 2019 the Château obtained the organic agriculture’s certification, after a three-year conversion; various biodynamic practices are also applied, which goes to show how the winery always wants to go further. In the cellar each operation is carried out by gravity, so as to keep the organoleptic potential of each variety intact. Each year the Château produces four labels, where in addition to the majestic Premier Grand Cru Classé Blanc and Rouge we find two other wines: the “Le Petit Haut Lafitte” in white and red versions. Rich, full-bodied and elegant bottles, which from harvest to harvest are confirmed at the apex of French production, as evidenced also by the great awards given to them by the main international critics.