With 14% alcohol, normal for the vintage, the 2005 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte is one of 13 classified growths from Graves. At about $28, the wine scored 16+ Dionysian points.  It was served with lamb chops over a slew of veggies and it worked well.

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The Cabernet Sauvignon picks up a lot of mineral flavors when grown in the Graves District of Bordeaux, and wines from this area are all excellent with red meats and hard cheeses.

The Pessac-Leognan region is more specific in Graves, and this Bordeaux is starting to peak a little early.  I like to age Graves reds for at least 12 to 15 years to obtain maximum complexity and even longer when the vintage is a good one.  Seek out some Graves reds and cellar them; the 2015’s will last for decades.   In Vino Veritas.