Château Duhart-Milon 2019
• Domaine: Château Duhart-Milon
• Appellation: Pauillac
• Classification: Fourth Growth, 4ème Grand Cru Classé
• Origin: Left Bank, Bordeaux, France
Château Duhart-Milon is the only Fourth Growth property in the Pauillac AOC. It is an estate that lovers of the First Growth, Château Lafite Rothschild, should know. Not only is it a mere 7-minute drive away from Château Lafite Rothschild, but the two are considered sister properties with the same winemaking team. Like Lafite, the estate is owned by part of the portfolio of Domains de Barons de Rothschild. Château Duhart-Milon is home to some truly phenomenal terroir of gravel, limestone, and clay. When asked why he purchased the property, the Baron put it very plainly: “It would have been nonsense to not acquire such a great neighboring vineyard.”
Château Duhart-Milon has a very interesting and circuitous history. The property was initially the Second Wine for Lafite Rothschild when the Marquis de Alexandre Segur, or “The Wine Prince,” was running Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Latour, Château Mouton Rothschild and Château Calon Segur. The Marquis saw the potential of Château Duhart-Milon, and in the 19th Century, the wines were already held in great esteem. It was considered a cru vineyard in the making. Château Duhart-Milon received part of its name from Sir Duhart, who was rumored to have been a pirate and gunrunner for King Louix XV. When he was done pillaging the high seas, he decided to retire in Pauillac in a little dwelling that was near the port. The dwelling was called the, “pirate’s house,” and was eventually torn down in the 1950s. Yet the building’s legacy still lives on – it’s on the label for the grand vin of Château Duhart-Milon.
Château Duhart-Milon was classified as a Fourth Growth in 1855, and then it was owned by the Castéja family. The Castéja family was very well known throughout Bordeaux, and they currently oversee the illustrious Château Trotte Vielle. Right before World War II, disaster seemed to stalk Château Duhart-Milon. Frosts ravaged its vineyards, it changed hands at least five times during the 1950s and 1960s, and out of the massive 110 hectares of land, only 17 hectares were left planted with vines by the time Baron Eric de Rothschild acquired the estate. The Rothschilds almost doubled the size of the vineyards at the property, restoring the Fourth Growth to its former glory.
Château Duhart-Milon is a rare estate, because it is one of the few properties in Pauillac without an actual château. Instead, it hosts vat rooms, barrel storage, and of course the stars of the show – the vines. The vineyards are planted with 76 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and the vines are about 30 years old on average. Like its sister estate, Lafite, the barrels are all made on property by the same cooperage. Charles Chevalier is the director of winemaking, and each plot at Château Duhart-Milon is isolated and judged separately based on quality. The grapes are harvested and fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel vats. The wines of Château Duhart-Milon are powerful, like many Pauillacs. They require a bit of time for their aromas to unfold and younger vintages can be decanted if need be.
Tasting Notes
"The 2019 Duhart-Milon was picked from 18 September to 4 October and raised in 50% new oak. Of course, this comes from one of the coldest terroirs in Pauillac due to the orientation of the vineyard and less proportion of clay, which has become an advantage in warmer growing seasons such as this. The 70% Cabernet Sauvignon dominates the aromatics with dense black fruit, pencil shavings and tobacco aromas, traces of dark chocolate in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with spicy black fruits on the entry. This is quintessential Duhart: a bit broody, conservative in a non-pejorative use of the word, harmonious and quite sturdy towards the finish. I like this. Whilst it has no intention of being the most flamboyant Pauillac on the gravel terrace, it is imbued with nobility." - Neal Martin, Vinous, (06/16/2020), Ratings: 93-95
"This one might sneak up on you, confirming the rise of this wine in recent years. Clear depth of fruit, and above all clear Pauillac character. This feels strict and confident, with beautiful balance and restraint. Duhart is one of the later-ripening and cooler Pauillac terroirs which is why in the past it could be overly austere when young, but it is benefitting from recent hot summers in terms of its fruit ripeness. Pencil lead is prominent here, along with cassis and bilberry. Very precise, very elegant, with a creaminess to the fruit through the mid palate, and overall this is an excellent Duhart." - Jane Anson, Decanter, (06/04/2020), Ratings: 94, Drink: 2026-2042
"The 2019 Duhart-Milon is showing beautifully, mingling aromas of cassis and wild berries with notions of violets, cedar wood, orange rind, licorice and spice box in a perfumed bouquet. Medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless, it's charming and refined, with a deep core of fruit, powdery tannins and succulent acids. This château is going from strength to strength." - William Kelley, The Wine Advocate, (04/07/2022), Ratings: 94
"The 2019 Duhart-Milon is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, harvested from the 19th of September to the 4th of October. Deep garnet-purple in color, it springs from the glass with vivacious notes of plums preserves, black raspberries and blackcurrant pastilles with suggestions of menthol, dark chocolate, pencil lead and woodsmoke plus a touch of garrigue. Medium-bodied, the palate is spritely and refreshing, with bags of juicy, mint-laced black fruits and an approachable, plush texture, finishing long and lively." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (6/4/2020, Bordeaux 2019 Issue), Ratings: 92-94
"A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, the 2019 Château Duhart-Milon is a rich yet also elegant wine that has beautiful crème de cassis, toasted spice, graphite, and bouquet garni. This cooler terroir has yielded a beautiful, medium to full-bodied, elegant wine with loads of fruit and depth." Jeb Dunnuck, BORDEAUX 2019: A Modern-Day Version of 1982, (06/11/2020), Ratings: 92-94
LWIN | 1009482 |
---|---|
Stock Status | In Stock |
Appellation | Pauillac |
Vintage | 2019 |
Brand | Chateau Duhart-Milon |
Shipping Weight | 3.000000 |