Les Hauts de Smith Rouge 2019 is a wine of serious depth and character that reflects both the estate’s great terroir and the precision of its winemaking.
Winemaking:
The vintage was shaped by low yields, contributing to a wine of remarkable concentration. The blend comprises 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, sourced from 48-year-old vines. Whole berries were vinified in small wooden vats at controlled temperatures with gentle extraction through manual pigeage, before 18 months of élevage in oak barrels, 60% of which were new and crafted in the estate’s own cooperage. Ageing on lees and minimal racking enhanced the wine’s structure and complexity.
Tasting Note:
The 2019 Hauts de Smith Rouge presents an opaque, dense colour. The nose is immediately expressive, bursting with blackberries, cassis, cherries and raspberries, layered with spice, floral hints and the distinctive gunflint minerality of Pessac-Léognan. On the palate it is powerful yet balanced, a wine of breadth and intensity where ripe tannins are harmonised by freshness. Notes of dark fruit, spice and graphite unfold in succession, supported by impressive length. The expression “an iron fist in a velvet glove” perfectly captures its style: concentrated and commanding, yet elegant and refined. A superb vintage that will reward patient cellaring but already shows great charm.
Pairing Suggestions:
This wine pairs beautifully with classic Bordeaux cuisine such as roast lamb with rosemary, rib of beef, venison or duck breast. It also complements truffle risotto and aged cheeses like Comté or Ossau-Iraty.
Origin:
Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France
Blend:
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
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