Cellar Favorite: 1961 & 2019 Smith Haut Lafitte

BY NEAL MARTIN | FEBRUARY 16, 2026

There is nothing greater than a good man, and Daniel Cathiard was a good man. He and his wife, Florence, took Smith Haut-Lafitte, a dilapidated estate when they acquired it, and devoted their lives to creating two of the region’s finest wines, both white and red. The couple had a vision, presciently envisioning the potential of a château as more than just a winery. Over the years, they created a magnet for wine lovers not just to drink, but to dine, stay and relax, whether passing tourists or the King of England.

Daniel and Florence Cathiard in June 2021 after a vertical of their wines on a blissfully hot summer’s day.

I have a large backlog of unpublished notes that are long overdue to turn into a standalone article on the estate. In the meantime, as a tribute to Daniel Cathiard, who passed away on January 28th at 81 years of age, these are two wines—one old and one new vintage—that were opened with my oldest friends to raise a toast.

The 1961 Smith Haut Lafitte is a vintage that I previously encountered in half-bottle a couple of years ago in Hong Kong. This ex-château magnum, tasted during primeur week last April, was far superior. It shows some bricking on the russet rim, but the core is clear. The nose is open knit with dark berry fruit, briar, sandalwood and tea leaf aromas that unfurl in the glass. The palate is not as powerful or structured as some 1961s, yet its beguiling balance and refinement are immediately appreciable. A deft touch of black olive and a kiss of candied red fruit and orange rind on the elegant finish tempt you back for more, completing an exquisite mature Smith Haut Lafitte. 94/Drink 2026-2040

The 2019 Smith Haut Lafitte is one of the Cathiards’ (and veteran winemaker Fabien Teitgen’s) greatest triumphs in recent years. It is noticeably deep in colour. The aromatics burst from the glass—blackberry and flecks of blueberry, a veil of dark chocolate that emerges with time. It shows much less red fruit than a bottle in 2023 exhibited, instead more similar to a bottle I encountered in 2021. This is still on the oaky side, telegraphing that it’s in for the long haul. The palate is structured and exerts insistent grip, though simultaneously feels precise and focused as it reveals layers of black fruit tinged with black olive and rosemary. Again, the 2019 is certainly on the youthful side, bright and quite grippy. I would cellar bottles another four to five years to appreciate what will be a Smith Haut Lafitte in full flight. Outstanding. 96/Drink 2031-2065

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