INTRODUCTION

Château Smith Haut Lafitte is a Bordeaux wine from the Pessac-Léognan appellation, ranked among the Premiers Crus for red wine in the Classification of Graves wine of 1953 and 1959. The winery and vineyards are located south of the city of Bordeaux, in the commune of Martillac.

The estate originates in the 17th century with the house of Du Boscq who planted vines on a gravelly plateau named Lafitte. In 1720 it was bought by Georges Smith who added his name to the lieu-dit.

In 1990, Daniel Cathiard fell in love with the property and joined the list of prestigious owners, firmly intending to further enhance Smith Haut Lafitte's tradition of excellence. He combined the most modern winemaking techniques and age-old traditional methods: organic compost, return to small wooden vats, ageing on the lees in barrel, etc.

Famous around the world for its wonderfully elegant red wine and the sophisticated bouquet of its white, Smith Haut Lafitte undoubtedly deserves the special care that is lavished on it.

The winery offers accommodation in the luxury boutique hotel.

WINERY

This large underground cellar (5 metres underground) holds 1,300 barrels on one level. Before barrel-ageing, the red wines spend approximately three weeks in malolactic fermentation at 20°C. This temperature is carefully maintained in a part of the cellar separated by plastic curtains.

The wine is barrel-aged for 18 months – it rarely needs fining or filtration.

The vineyard area consists of 56 hectares (140 acres), 45 hectares of which are planted with grape varieties of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. The remaining 11 hectares are cultivated with white varieties of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon and 5% Sauvignon Gris.

WINES

The Wines:

• Smith Haut Lafitte
• Les Haunts de Smith
• Chateau Cantelys
• Vintage 2006.

WINE TOURISM

Caudalie Vinotherapie: The Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa is located just next to the Sources de Caudalie hotel-restaurant in the middle of the Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, vineyards, near Bordeaux. The Spa offers an exclusive programme of treatments in a setting of unusual beauty.

These treatments are absolutely unique. They combine the virtues of naturally warm spring water taken from a depth of 540 meters underground, rich in minerals and oligo-elements, with vine and grape extracts. That latter have a high concentration of polyphenols, which help fight against free radicals, what are 80% responsible for ageing. Furthermore, these extracts strengthen blood vessels and enhance micro-circulation.

For each treatment, we use a Caudalie beauty care product containing grape polyphenols. Created in conjunction with Professor Vercauteren and his research team at the Bordeaux Faculty of Pharmacy, these products have been acclaimed by doctors and surgeons around the world thanks to their outstanding qualities.

Our treatments are administered by expert hands, and you will be prescribed just thouse treatments that suit you. A medical team is also available, on request, for our costumers.

There is an impressive choice of activities from which to choose: other than Vinotherapie treatment, you can visit neighbouring great growth chateaux by bicycle or limousine, as well as estates in the Medoc, Sauternes, Pomerol or Saint-Emilion regions.

Chateaux Tours: Our reception staff will be happy to open the doors of top châteaux so you can tour their cellars and taste their wines. We are proud to have excellent contacts with estates that make the best wines in their appellations and are ready to give you an appointment (sometimes even on short notice!). Find out how grapes are slowly and carefully transformed into a precious elixir.

Graves: The Graves vineyards are some of the oldest in Bordeaux. This superb vineyard region along the Garonne River between Sauternes and the Médoc continues to produce excellent red and white wines.

Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Grand Cru Classé de Graves, is open for guided tours every day, by appointment. Invitations are available from reception and a guide will meet you at the Château (200 meters from the hotel). The textbook elegance, balance, and full-bodied structure of red and white Château Smith Haut Lafitte are the result of Daniel and Florence Cathiard's insistence on absolute quality. They will be happy to share their passion for fine wine with you during your visit.

Wine Tasting Courses: Adapted to connoisseurs as well as beginners, meet the Head Wine-Waiter of Les Sources de Caudalie for an interactive wine-tasting class around a Smith Haut Lafitte's wines selection each Saturday morning from 10:00 am at La Tour des Cigares.

During one and a half hour, he shows you how to recognise the aromas of the different grape varietes, how to serve your wines and at which temperature and what the tricks to follow are for the best match between wine and food.

Hotel: The luxury hotel Les Sources de Caudalie is situated in the middle of the vines of Chateau Smith Haut Laffite.

SOCIAL NETWORKS

• Instagram:
 

• Facebook: