The estate, taken over by the Cathiard family in 1985, owes its reputation as the "quintessential Graves" to both the smoky notes of its wines and its hilly terroir (Laffite or Lafite in Old French), consisting of alluvial and river stones deposited by the Garonne millions of years ago.
A 78-hectare vineyard planted on soils composed of Günz gravel, Smith Haut Lafitte's terroir boasts two striking features: superb natural drainage that forces the vine roots down to extract water and mineral salts more than six meters deep, and a "mirror effect" that reflects the sun's rays off the gravelly soil for optimal ripening. Of the 78 hectares planted with vines, 11 are devoted to white grape varieties, cultivated Biodynamically like the reds.