Solid core of fruit here for the vintage. Slightly better than I remember with hints of chocolate, sweet tobacco, and currants on the nose and palate that follow through to a full body and a velvety textured finish.

Bright, medium ruby-red. Very expressive aromas of plum, tobacco, smoked meat and sexy oak. Broad, sweet and sexy, with a vein of acidity giving the wine clarity and a note of woodsmoke contributing early appeal. Finishes long, with mounting tannins. A noteworthy success for the year.

The 2007 Smith-Haut-Lafitte has a delightful bouquet of cedar-tinged red berry fruit mixed with cloves and Chinese five-spice, all well defined and quite Saint Julien-like in style. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, hints of sandalwood and truffle infusing the decayed red fruit but with plenty of substance and freshness on the finish.

A smooth, polished wine, with acidity, sweet fruit and a range of dusty tannins, with acidity. This is an accomplished, delicious wine that is developing fast, and seems only for medium-term aging.

Offers wonderful currant, berry and cedar box aromas. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a long, classy finish. Balanced and fruity. Racy and gorgeous.