KEY DATES IN THE RECENT HISTORY OF SMITH HAUT LAFITTE
(from 1990 to the present)

1991 – MANUAL HARVESTING USING SMALL CRATES

Daniel Cathiard abandoned mechanical harvesting as soon as he and his wife took over the estate, instituting hand picking into small trays. Specially designed ergonomic hods enable these trays to be inserted without bruising the grapes and brought to two separate sorting tables.

1992 – TOTAL ELIMINATION OF HERBICIDES
AND INSTALLATION OF AN ON-SITE WEATHER STATION

This year marked a return to traditional viticultural methods (ploughing, unearthing, earthing-up, etc). A weather station was also installed in the heart of the vineyard. It is regularly monitored by the INRA (Institut National de la recherche agronomique – National Institute for Agronomic Research). This station enables the estate to assess vineyard risks in real time thanks to modelling software.

1993 – SELECTION AND NATURAL SEASONING OF STAVEWOOD

Starting this year, oak was selected at the stavewood stage directly at the source. Tests were then carried out to diversify origins in order to enhance the complexity added by barrel ageing. Oak used for barrels at Smith Haut Lafitte undergoes a strict selection process in the Tronçais and Nevers forests. The finesse of the grain is the primary consideration. Once chosen and set aside, the oak is then seasoned outdoors for two years, and regularly sprayed with water.

1994 – MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION IN BARREL

Since 1994, all wines aged in new barrels also undergo malolactic fermentation in new oak. This age-old technique helps the oak flavours to integrate much better, while smoothing the tannins and producing rounder wines.

1995 - SMITH HAUT LAFITTE CREATES ITS OWN COOPERAGE

The cooperage now produces 400 barrels on-site per year, covering half of the estate's needs. A specially-equipped workshop was created for our very own master cooper, Jean Luc Itey.

1996 – REINTRODUCTION OF PHYTOSEIID MITES AND INTRODUCTION OF BIOLOGICAL PEST CONTROL TO FIGHT THE GRAPE BERRY MOTH

We began using synthetic pheromones in 1996 to fight the grape berry moth to avoid using insecticides. These pheromones prevent male moths from recognising females, thus stopping them from reproducing. We also reintroduced phytoseiid mites. These are natural predators of red spiders, a vineyard pest.

1997 – COMPOST PRODUCTION

Beginning in 1997, we created our own compost by grinding vine cuttings and adding pomace as well as cow and horse manure. This natural compost helps to revitalise the soil, which had been subjected to chemical fertilisers for too long. Natural compost is also a healthy, organic way to compensate for the minerals and other nutrients the vine takes out of the soil each year.

1998 – OAK VATS

In 1988, we replaced eight stainless steel vats with 110-litre truncated cone-shaped oak vats. The château sees this as yet another way of making intense, concentrated wine thanks to oak's thermal inertia and the subtle aromatic exchanges between oak and wine during fermentation.

1999 – POST-DESTEMMING MANUAL SORTING

Since 1999, four or five people sort the grapes just after they have been de-stemmed to eliminate any remnants of plant matter overlooked in previous sorting. 

2000 – A NEW VAT ROOM ADAPTED TO MICRO-FERMENTATION

The old enamel-lined steel vats have been replaced with ten new 80-hectolitre oak vats and ten small-capacity stainless steel truncated cone-shaped isothermal vats.

2001 – SECOND GRAPE RECEPTION AREA AND INTRODUCTION OF AGEING ON THE LEES

Several innovations were initiated in 2001. After an initial sorting table for 4-10 people, a second table located past the destemming station was lengthened so that 15 people now go over the grapes.
A second independent grape reception area was also added. Like the original one, it has two sorting tables to select only the ripest, healthiest fruit.

Also in 2001, the practise of ageing on the lees after malolactic fermentation in barrel was extended to red wines. Several experiments involving cold pre-fermentation maceration were also carried out.

2002 – VIBRATING SORTING TABLES

Last year, vibrating sorting tables were introduced both before and after destemming. New low-output equipment, which practically reproduces manual destemming, was also introduced in 2002.


2003

The Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon were entirely barrel-fermented, with this chateau's usual concern for retaining the full character of the grapes. The incoming grapes were put directly into barrels for alcoholic and malolactic fermentation, to ensure that the oak would integrate more harmoniously with the wine's fruity aromas.


 

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