Smith-Haut-Lafitte hit a home run with their red Pessac-Leognan and came very close to perfection with their dry white Graves. Possibly the best dry white the estate has produced since the proprietors, the Cathiards, acquired the property in 1990, this wine exhibits a sensational fragrance of buttered citrus, honeyed melons and a touch of grapefruit, lemon zest and orange rind. It also displays grapefruit on the attack and mid-palate as well as real opulence, terrific acidity and length. Drink it over the next 15-20 years. Astonishing!

A successful, exuberant vintage that produced rich, dense wines in both colours. There is some evident evolution in the white at this point, with touches of honeysuckle alongside lemon curd, pink grapefruit and saline oyster shell. Great quality, very much in the window for drinking. Harvest from September 7 for the whites, Fabien Teitgen technical director.

Tasted at the chateau. A blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon and 5% Sauvignon Gris, this has a fresh nose of green apple, cold stone, just a touch of granite and smoke. Opening up nicely in the glass. The palate is very taut with notes of green apple, lime, apricot and green gage, just missing a little length towards the finish but it has a good weight and intensity and there is a hint of Mirabelle that develops on the nose that lends it another dimension. Fine. Tasted April 2010.

[90SB/5SG/5SM] Mute nose, lightly grapefruity; understated moderately concentrated wine with a nice vigour behind the ripe fruit, quite generous for the year; dry, juicy, clear minerality, nicely sustained across the palate, and with good length. Stylish, complex, elegant Cru Classé white Graves, very good for the vintage. Early pleasure, but the excellent acidity should allow it to develop for a decade at least. 2012-20