Château Duhart-Milon 2004

The vintage

After a rainy winter and a cold spring, June and July were Secs warm. A milder August and a fine September without much heat led to slow ripening, which pushed back the harvest date to the end of September. Those who had the patience to wait were rewarded.

Harvesting took place from September 24 to October 6 for the Merlots and from October 8 to 17 for the Cabernets Sauvignons in good conditions.

Situation

The Pauillac appellation is located on the Rive gauche of the Gironde estuary, around 40 km north of Bordeaux. Benefiting from the influence of the estuary and a great diversity of soils originating from the Massif Central and the Pyrenees, Pauillac combines exceptional climatic and geological conditions to produce great wines.

Terroir

The vineyards of Château Duhart-Milon extend almost in a single block on the west side of Château Lafite Rothschild, on the Milon hillside which extends the Carruades de Lafite plateau. The estate comprises 76 ha of vines. The soils are fine gravel mixed with Aeolian sands on a tertiary limestone subsoil.

Vinification

Château Duhart-Milon is made using traditional Bordeaux winemaking methods. The grapes are meticulously sorted and then, depending on their parcel of origin, placed in wooden, cement or stainless steel vats for alcoholic fermentation. Light pumping-over is carried out during fermentation to optimize Extraction. Total maceration time is approximately 20 days before racking. Following malolactic fermentation, the wines are filled into French oak barrels made by Tonnellerie des Domaines to Pauillac. The barrels are individually tasted in December to ensure a strict selection of the finest wines. Following this selection, the wine is blended and then filled into oak barrels (50% new wood).

Tasting

Fine woody nose, with notes of candied fruit. Discreet start on the palate, with good density. Long, fruity finish with a slight hint of bitterness.