The vintage
At Duhart-Milon, the ideal time to start harvesting our Merlots planted on gravel was September 19. Those planted on clay could wait a few days longer. Once again this year, our Merlots planted on gravel (riper) complemented those planted on clay (cooler and later). This enabled us to achieve good ripeness in this grape variety, which makes up a third of our blend, while retaining a lovely fresh fruitiness. Our Cabernet Sauvignon vines seemed to have anticipated the heat much better this year, allowing them not to suffer from ripening blockages in July despite the heatwave, and then to have a gradual berry development during the more temperate month of August. The light rains in mid-September were very beneficial for the end of ripening in the Duhart-Milon gravels, which are more arid than those on the Lafite plateau.
Situation
The Pauillac appellation is located on the Rive gauche of the Gironde estuary, some 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 vinified using traditional Bordeaux winemaking methods.
The grapes are meticulously sorted and then, depending on their parcel of origin, placed in cement or stainless steel tanks for alcoholic fermentation. Light pumping-over is carried out during fermentation to optimize Extraction. Total maceration time is approximately 20 days.
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
The wine has a deep, dark color.
The nose immediately reveals the spicy notes so common in our terroirs. This is followed by aromas of a blend of red and black fruits with a great sensation of freshness. On the palate, the richness is immediate. The wine develops perfectly without ever being aggressive. It is dense and harmonious. Retroolfaction reveals notes of chocolate and roasted coffee. The finish is very long and always very precise.
