WHITE WINES

Once the grapes are pressed, the must is put into small stainless steel settling vats. There is one vat per vineyard plot in order to retain the specific qualities of each plot until the final blend is made. The temperature is lowered to 8°C during settling, which takes 24-48 hours.

RED WINES

The eighteen 110-hectolitre French oak vats purchased for maceration in 1998 proved to be very efficient. Subsequently, all the stainless steel vats were replaced with new 80-hectolitre truncated cone-shaped wooden vats in 2000.

Alcoholic fermentation takes place at 28-32°C thanks to a temperature control system that takes advantage of the oak's thermal inertia. Maceration on the skins extracts tannins and colour from the cap, which remains in contact with the wine for three weeks.

The cap is submerged three times a day and the wine is also pumped over for optimum extraction.

Once the vatting period is finished, the wine is put into barrels in the underground cellar.

Château Smith Haut Lafitte
33650 BORDEAUX-MARTILLAC FRANCE
Tel : +33 (0)5 57 83 11 22 - Fax : +33 (0)5 57 83 11 21
smith-haut-lafitte@smith-haut-lafitte.com