Exclusive Conversations from the Vineyards: Reflections with Florence and Daniel Cathiard at Château Smith Haut Lafitte

Note: We recorded this heartfelt interview shortly before Daniel Cathiard’s passing; it stands as a beautiful tribute to his passion and legacy alongside Florence.

Hello wine friend,

this interview film transports you straight to Château Smith Haut Lafitte in Pessac-Léognan—a Bordeaux powerhouse known for its gravel-driven reds that blend power with elegance, rooted in a story of adventure and reinvention.

Florence and Daniel Cathiard open up in a warm, extended dialogue filled with unique anecdotes you won’t encounter elsewhere: from ski slopes to vineyard revival, shared over an unforgettable tasting.

Here’s some of what you'll learn in this intimate exchange:

• Why Florence and Daniel Cathiard went from racing on the French national ski team… to buying a Bordeaux château they barely understood yet, and the strange piece of advice Olympic legend Jean-Claude Killy shared that helped spark the journey.

• The hidden influence of Gunzian gravel soils — ancient river stones that quietly determine why some Bordeaux wines age for decades.

• Why Château Smith Haut Lafitte brought horses back into the vineyard… and what that decision changed in the wine itself.

• The inside story behind the 1998 vintage — the bottle that suddenly placed the estate among the Top 10 wines in the world.

• The philosophy the Cathiards use to guide every decision they make in the vineyard and cellar: “Wine is liquid history and geography.”

• And how hearing directly from the people behind the wine gives you a completely different lens for understanding the bottles you already drink.

As a member of Tales of the Wine World, you get access to this film — and a growing library of intimate conversations with winemakers, château owners, and some of the most fascinating personalities in the world of wine.

Conversations you normally only hear at the table with the people who make the wine.