Duhart-Milon - Pauillac 2020
https://youtu.be/c_zmBetJxeI
https://youtu.be/Ka2UYpOsUko
‘It would have been nonsense not to acquire such a great neighbouring vineyard.’ Baron Eric de Rothschild
Château Duhart-Milon just next to Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Duhart Milon was acquired by Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) in 1962. Legend has it that "Sieur Duhart" was a privateer under Louis XV who retired to Pauillac, and it was his house in Pauillac's port that inspired the label for Duhart Milon's wines. From the early 18th century, Milon's wines provided the Lord of Lafite with additional income, and became one of Château Lafite's "second wines", suggesting that the quality of the terroir was already recognized. The 1855 classification elevated Duhart Milon's status by making it the only fourth growth wine in the commune of Pauillac. The 76 hectare vineyard in the Pauillac appellation is divided between Cabernet Sauvignon (67%) and Merlot (33%). It lies to the west of Château Lafite Rothschild, on the hillsides of Milon, which extend from Lafite's Carruades plateau. The average age of the vines is 30 years.
The 2020 :
"In Duhart-Milon too, in its drier gravels in the north-east of the appellation, the rainfall in mid-August was miraculous : it gave us the capacity to calmly wait for perfect ripeness. The whole vineyard, and even our young vines, remained beautiful and active right till the end. With that perfect ”good stress“.
In the Pauillac cellars, the summer was spent in construction to make sure that the site was finished in time for the arrival of the harvest. The daptism of fire, collecting the grapes in crates, took place on the Caillou slot of young Merlots on 12 September. In the vat room, the teams were ready to receive the harvest and inaugurate the gravity flow reception. We weld our breath as the first berries fell into the tanks, round and intact like marbles. Everything worked well (a minor breakdown of the lift caused more fear than harm!). Alexandre’s team quickly found its feet, and each slot now has its own tank, and even the possibility of further subdividing zones in the quest for even higher qualities.
For the blending, we found twice the usual number of glasses on the table and a nice surprise in terms of quality... and quantity. The Duhart vineyard performed very well this year, with a yield of 36 hectolitres per hectare. In this year of uneven yields, we seem to have reaped the rewards o four work to restructure the vineyard, which began in 2016."