2015 Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafitte Blanc

Other reviews...
The 2015 Smith-Haut-Lafitte Blanc is a blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris and 5% Sauvignon Blanc matured in 50% new oak. It has a crisp, conservative bouquet, tightly wound at first, reticent even, though with a couple of minutes' swirling, it reveals intense fresh lime flower, pink grapefruit, guava and blood orange scents. The palate is extremely well balanced with a silver bead of acidity, a dab of sour lemon than cleanses the mouth, followed by pink grapefruit, citrus lemon and green apple notes towards the long finish. This is another outstanding white Smith-Haut-Lafitte from winemaker Fabien Tietgen and the famille Cathiard.
94-96 points
Neal Martin - eRobertParker.com #224 (Apr 2016)

This is a breed apart, featuring a wide range of verbena, chamomile and honeysuckle notes on the floral side, flavors of lemon curd, white peach and star fruit at the core, and a long finish that ripples with salted butter, brioche and acacia details. Beautiful.
95-98 points
J.M. - Wine Spectator

Incredible intensity thanks to almost no lees stirring and no cold soaking, instead vinified on the limit of reduction - they now only stir the lees when the reductive aromas are threatening to go too far. Instead they focus on harvest date and a short but firm pressing. Whatever they are doing, it works. Huge length, sweetness, tension and density; it gives you a lovely salinity on the finish, and always that Smith Haut Lafitte flourish. This truly stands out among the 2015 whites. From a blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris (on gravelly soils) and 5% Semillon.
96 points
Decanter

A beautiful white with pretty density and richness. Bright and clear with intense aromas and flavors of lilacs and stones. Some violet. Full and bright. Firm phenolic tension. Bright acidity.
96-97 points
James Suckling

Ripe and full, this wine is also finely balanced. Its generous yellow and white stone fruits are cut with tight acidity and an intense fragrance. It will age well.
94-96 points
Wine Enthusiast

The 2015 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is powerful and intense, but also incredibly young at this stage. There is notable density and persistence throughout, but just like the red Grand Vin, the aromatic dimension in the wine has not yet developed. The wine's length and overall density are both impressive. Here, too, the en primeur samples were less expressive than the wines were when I tasted the separate lots from barrel in January 2016. With a bit of air, the flavors start to brighten and bristle with pure energy. The blend is 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon and 5% Sauvignon Gris.
92-95+ points
Antonio Galloni