2022 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc

力道與優雅並存的 Pessac‑Leognan 白酒，喝得出酒莊級的厚度與海鹽感。

為什麼選它？
1) 莊園經營：Cru Classé 等級、Cathiard 家族細緻管理，品質有保證。
2) 能量與平衡：厚實果味配上清爽酸度，現在喝很討喜，陳放也有回報。
3) 橡木手法：桶中發酵與完 lees 熟成，帶出奶油感但不蓋過清新礦感。

侍酒師私房筆記：打開瓶蓋會先聞到粉紅葡萄柚、白桃與熱帶果的層次，嘴裡先是飽滿的果肉感和乳酪般的圓潤，再被刮得很乾淨的酸度撐起來，最後是一段帶鹹味的礦物尾韻與白胡椒的香氣。整體不是厚重到壓人的那種，而是「有肉又有骨」——適合想要有表現力、又不走暴力派的飲家。

釀造與田地：採用直接壓榨、沉澱後在法國橡木桶中發酵與完 lees 熟成（年份採收 8 月 18 日至 9 月 2 日），全酒產量約 25,000 瓶。Pessac‑Leognan 的礫石與排水良好土壤，加上海風，讓果子成熟但保留清爽與礦感。

場景化配餐指南：在香港，最適合配燒鱈魚、牛油檸檬醬的煎三文魚、或週末家庭聚餐的奶油雞；也能跟濃郁的洗皮乳酪並肩成為焦點。

降維打擊對比：比起同級名牌白酒，Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc 給你相似的陳年潛力與香氣層次，價位與供應更務實，是想買好酒但討厭天價的理想選擇。

Soul Hook: A towering Pessac-Leognan white that marries muscular oak maturity with pure coastal minerality.

Why choose it?
1) Estate pedigree -> Cru Classé from a meticulously run property, reliable quality and cellar potential.
2) Concentration with tension -> Ripe tropical and stone fruit wrapped in bright acidity: immediate pleasure and medium-term ageing.
3) Oak finesse -> Barrel fermentation and full lees aging bring creamy texture without losing freshness.

Sommelier's Note: On the nose find layered citrus (pink grapefruit, lemon rind), exotic fruit and subtle floral lift; the palate is broad and creamy—pineapple, white peach and a hint of vanilla—held together by taut acidity and a saline, mineral finish. It shows both power and precision: opulent mid-palate, then a chiselled, long finish with a spicy, white-pepper note.

Winemaking & Vineyard: Classic direct pressing with settling, barrel fermentation and full lees ageing in French oak. Harvest ran from 18 August to 2 September; only ~25,000 bottles produced. Located in Pessac-Leognan, the estate benefits from well‑drained gravel and mineral soils and maritime influence that preserves clarity and lift.

Occasions & Pairing: Showpiece for celebratory dinners—pair with rich fish dishes (salmon meunière, grilled tuna), shellfish in butter sauce or mature washed‑rind cheeses. Serve slightly chilled after a 30–60 minute decant to reveal secondary oak layers.

Competitive Edge: Offers first‑growth style concentration and ageing potential while remaining more approachable on release than many top-tier white Bordeaux; exceptional complexity for its category.

Specification

• Alcohol %: 14 - 14.5%
• Decant Time: 45 minutes
• Taste: pink grapefruit, lemon rind, pineapple, mango, white peach, lychee, ginger, vanilla, flinty mineral, saline, bright acidity, creamy texture, white pepper, long finish
• Food Matching: Meaty and oily fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna), Smoked marlin pâté, Chicken in cream sauce, Salmon meunière (lemon & butter), Livarot and other washed-rind cheeses, Grilled or roast monkfish, Seafood with citrus or butter sauce
• Grape Variety: Sauvignon Blanc : 90%, Semillon : 5%, Sauvignon Gris : 5%,

Winery

Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte（由 Cathiard 家族經營）是 Pessac‑Leognan 的 Cru Classé 酒莊，注重低產量與精細田間管理。白酒採經典桶中發酵與長期 lees 熟成，目標是把莊園礫石土壤的礦感和海風清新度表現出來，產量有限，屬酒迷會關注的精品款。

Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte — a Cru Classé estate in Pessac‑Leognan owned by the Cathiard family. Renowned for meticulous viticulture, low yields and a classic winemaking approach that combines barrel fermentation and full lees ageing to produce concentrated, age-worthy wines. Annual white production is limited; the estate emphasizes terroir expression from gravelly, well‑drained soils.