The 2013 Smith-Haut-Lafitte has a composed and quite refined bouquet, certainly one of the best that I have encountered on the Left Bank, with wild strawberry mixed with cedar and a touch of graphite. The palate is smooth on the entry, the oak nicely integrated, almost Pinot-like in texture with a prickle of spice on the finish. Recommended for the vintage, this constitutes a very respectable Pessac-Léognan from the Cathiard family in what was a difficult vintage.

(60% cabernet sauvignon, 35% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot; 60% new oak): Bright red. Aromatic herbs complicate minty strawberry and cinnamon aromas; this seems quite backward still. Juicy acidity lifts the simple but smooth red cherry, clove and licorice flavors. Much less green and tannic than most other 2013 reds. Stephane Derenoncourt, the consulting enologist here, told me he thought the merlot planted on clay-limestone plots at Smith Haut Lafitte gave the wine a sexy minty violet note that was especially obvious this year.

Magnum. Looks quite evolved. Fresh, quite evolved and interesting nose. Lots of lifted pleasure on the palate without ugly tannins. They're there but only in the right balance with the fruit. Good, appetising wine! (JR)