Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte: Daniel & Florence Cathiard
This rather dismal state of affairs was the situation at Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte when the present owners, Daniel Cathiard and his wife Florence, took control of the property in 1991. It is the Cathiards, both Olympic skiers who purchased the estate with the wealth generated by the sale of their national chain of supermarkets and sporting goods stores, who have been credited with returning the quality of wines produced at this estate to the level for which they were once renowned. Indeed, I suspect that the wines of the modern-day Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte eclipse any that were produced here during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Having sold their business interests, Daniel and Florence Cathiard invested heavily, restoring buildings, replacing vats and constructing a new barrel cellar. The estate has since been augmented by Les Sources de Caudalie, a complex of restaurants, a hotel and a vinously-orientated health spa (run by a Cathiard daughter), but perhaps the most striking addition to the estate is the dramatic entrance to the barrel cellar which lies beneath one of the tasting rooms. At the press of a button the tasting-room floor opens, to reveal a secret descent into the abyss; it is very Bond-esque. It is a reflection not only of their investment in the estate, but also their willingness to indulge their passions.
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