Michelin star at Smith-Haut-Lafitte

Les Sources de Caudalie, the spa hotel attached to Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte, is celebrating after its fine dining restaurant La Grand’Vigne was awarded a Michelin star.

The accolade follows the arrival last year of chef Nicolas Masse, who previously held a star at the Grand Hôtel in St Jean de Luz, just south of Biarritz.

Set among the vineyards of the château in Pessac-Léognan, the restaurant is housed within an 18th century-inspired orangerie. Its ambitious menu is complimented by a cellar containing around 16,000 bottles.

The French edition of the guidebook was released last week. It created one new three star restaurant for France, L’Auberge du Vieux Puits in Fontjoncouse, Languedoc.

Meanwhile Helene Darroze, who also runs dining operations at the Connaught in London, lost the second star at her eponymous Paris restaurant.

Gabriel Savage, 02.03.2010