Château Duhart-Milon Pauillac 2015

Château Duhart-Milon is a neighbouring property of Château Lafite Rothschild and was acquired by Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite in 1962. Oral tradition presents “Sieur Duhart” as a privateer of Louis XV who settled in Pauillac in his retirement and whose house on the port of Pauillac inspired the label of Duhart-Milon wines. The 1855 classification elevated Château Duhart-Milon to the rank of the only 4th Grand Cru Classé in the commune of Pauillac.

Located in the north of the Pauillac appellation, the vineyard of Château Duhart-Milon is set against an area of over 100 hectares of marshes, meadows, and woods. It has quite an unusual location in the Médoc. It covers 76 hectares, almost in one block on the western side of Château Lafite Rothschild, on the Milon hillside which extends the plateau of Carruades de Lafite. Its sandy gravel soils, deposited in the Quaternary period, contain variable levels of pebbles, sand, and clay. The largest terroirs of Duhart-Milon have mostly gravel soil with 10%+ of clay content. The grape varieties are divided between Cabernet Sauvignon (67%) and Merlot (33%).

Château Duhart-Milon is made according to traditional Bordeaux methods. The grapes are carefully sorted and placed in concrete or stainless-steel vats depending on their provenance for alcoholic fermentation. Gentle pumping over is carried out during fermentation to optimize extraction. Total maceration time is about 20 days before racking. Once the wines have undergone malolactic fermentation, they are transferred to French oak barrels made by the Tonnellerie des Domaines in Pauillac. Each barrel is tasted individually in December in order to determine which ones will be selected for the grand vin. Following this rigorous selection, the wine is blended and transferred to oak barrels (50% new).

"The wine has a beautiful dark garnet color. The nose is deep, with good harmony between the young woodiness characteristic of their TDD barrels and the wine’s fresh fruit. Beautiful notes of licorice. On the palate, it develops quickly and is immediately very present. Consistent and balanced, it continues with tremendous length. The wine has a Pleasant finish with notes of cherries and also has the excellent potential to improve with age. It is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon 27% Merlot." - Winemaker Notes

"The smoke, almond, dark-berry and plum character is impressive to this young Duhart. Full body, round and silky tannins and beautiful fruit and spice undertones. Plenty of coffee and cedar flavors at the end. A pretty Duhart. Needs four or five years bottle age" - 93 points, James Suckling

Producer: Château Duhart-Milon

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

Appellation: Pauillac

Vintage: 2015

Size: 750ml