Bordeaux has always been a noteworthy wine growing region recognized for its distinguished reds. There is a famed French appellation known as Pessac-Leognan, south of the city of Bordeaux, situated on a modest expanse of land where there are notable vineyards revered for their whites, as much as the reds. The Sauvignon Blanc vineyards of Pessac-Leognan flourish in clay and gravel sub-soils achieving celebrity status. These dry whites are framed with white flowers and stone fruits with a roundness and underlying freshness that differentiate them from other regions of the world. They do not have sub-tropical undertones, overripeness, chalky or even grassy New Zealand-like notes. Instead, they showcase their own unique personality that makes them cherished by lovers of Sauvignon Blanc.

One of the esteemed estates of Pessac-Leognan is Chateau Smith Haut-Lafitte where the vineyards have existed since the 14th century. In the mid-18th century Scottish wine merchant George Smith purchased the property. The estate was later acquired by the négociant firm Eschenauer from the mayor of Bordeaux in 1958. It had fallen into disrepair over the decades until it was purchased in 1990 by Daniel and Florence Cathiard with the intent of revitalizing the property.

Owners Daniel and Florence Cathiard met while on the French Olympic ski team in 1960’s, finding love on the Alpine slopes. Together they managed an extensive number of supermarket stores and a chain of sporting good businesses. In 1990, they pivoted, selling their business and purchasing the historic 14th century Chateau Smith Haut-Lafitte and its vineyards. They spent three years tediously renovating the property with the conviction “to do everything possible to make each vintage of red and white wine worthy of our magnificent terroir.”

By 1995, they employed the talents of Fabien Teitgen as vineyard manager, who would become the beacon of the estate, propelling the wines to prominence on the international stage.  Fabien was raised in the northeastern winemaking region of Lorraine, France. During the summers and holidays, Fabien would spend time working with his grandfather and uncles who were farmers. As Fabien remembers, “When I was very young, perhaps eight to ten, I told my mother that I will be working in agriculture and the forests, because I like these kind of things. I choose agronomy.” He learned from a friend studying enology that he could use his passion for agriculture making wine. “It could be very interesting because you can begin in the soil and finish with the final product. I fell into wine.” During his internship studying enology, Fabien worked for Stephan von Neipberg at Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere in St Emilion. Von Niepberg was an early advocate of organic and biodynamic farming and Fabien was introduced to these farming practices working in the vineyards. As he recalls “the vineyard manager was an old guy, he never went to school, but he knew very well the feeling and the knowledge of the soil … the natural way. He taught me many things to feel in the vineyards, something that you can’t learn from school.’

Afterwards, Fabien received an offer to work as a vineyard manager at Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte. He describes it as a big project. He spent his first five years monitoring, managing and tasting in the vineyards before advancing to the position of technical director. Fabien was intent on overseeing the vineyards in a natural way by “working with the balance of the soil and the stability of the plants.” They quickly eliminated the use of chemicals, herbicides and fertilizers on the vineyards. “We wanted the vineyard to come back and be more healthy; for the soil to come back with more life and energy.”

Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte has always been well know for its Sauvignon Blanc dominant whites. There are only 27.2 acres of vineyards ideally suited for growing this varietal, just behind and to the north of the chateau. The soils are composed of clay and gravel that needs to be tilled by horses. Fabien believes “To have very good whites, you need to have enough water in the soil.” If you have too much water stress, the vines produce a big quantity of tannins, which is not good for whites, so you need to have some clay and gravelly limestone on the ground. If you grow whites on gravel and sand without clay, the ripeness wouldn’t be the same and the wine would be simple.

The blend for the Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon and 5% Pinot Gris. I asked how these other varietals contribute to their style of  Sauvignon Blanc. Fabien replied, “Semillon for me gives a very creamy texture to Smith Haut Lafitte. Soft and compact between your mouth and the wine. Very creamy, soft and comfortable.” With the Sauvignon Gris it is picked a little later. “Sauvignon Gris is a very wonderful varietal able to give a very powerful,  concentrated and dense wine. Not a question of balance or elegance. It is more the question of body, concentration and structure. I use a small percentage of Sauvignon Gris to increase the body of the Smith Haut Lafitte, to give more dimension and  concentration.”

Over time, the whites and reds have evolved to a new level under the guidance of Fabien Teitgen. As he took on the role of winemaking, he looked back at the early vintages between 1995 and 2000. “I preferred the 1995 and 1999 vintages which were picked a bit later and bit riper compared the other ones. But in fact, I preferred the wines because they had more balance, the density was a bit better, the texture was better. I think, it could be perhaps a good way to evolve…” He started to changed management of the vineyards and reduced the quantity of grapes per vine. He realized “if you have too many bunches you do not have the ability to reach the same level of ripeness.” Today, he picks by the tasting the berries, not just for acidity and sugar, “I pay attention to the  acidity and sugar because they are the basement of balance in the wine. I am very focused on the taste of the berries and the ripeness of the tannins in the skin.” Reaching a certain level of ripeness, he is able to show the place and transfer something from the soil to the grapes and the wine.

I was curious on how Fabien would described the style of the white “I think the Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is very unique because it is strongly impacted by the place and the terroir. The taste of Smith Haut-Lafitte is already very different compared to the other whites from Pessac- Leognan. As in 2024, a very fresh vintage with high acidity, the Smith Haut Lafitte group was the creamiest, the richer, the more rounder. .. The Smith Haut-Lafitte was more more comfortable.

For making white wines you need special soil and location, there are not so many good locations in many areas of Bordeaux. Some soils are not adapted for whites. To be able to have good white wine, you need to have a very special condition in the soil.

Sauvignon Blanc “can have very green aromas like peas and asparagus or you can have lovely white flowers, white fruits, white peach. And after that if it is a bit warmer or a bit riper, real rich in yellow levels with yellow flowers, yellow fruits, yellow peach, mango and after if you push it a bit more you can have some exotic, tropical fruits… In the middle you have some spices coming through, but its incredible the balance and aromas you can find in Sauvignon.” For it is a varietal where you have many ways and many paths to follow.

“Sauvignon Blanc is a very good varietal to show the place too. In fact, the varietal can drive you many ways. If you want, you can push the varietal and have a very Sauvignon varietal wine as they do in New Zealand. Or you can push very strongly the ripeness to have something very intense, heavy and rich. I understood that very quickly as I am not a fan of the very acid and very strict white wine. I prefer some roundness, some dimension and texture. We are more on the fruit and flowers, not green. Smith Haut-Lafite it is not really Sauvignon Blanc, it is a Smith Haut Lafitte.”