Chateau Duhart Milon
Quatrièmes Crus
The Rothschild family, also owners of Chateau Lafite, purchased the Duhart Milon estate in 1962 and undertook a program of massive expansion and replanting. The property is now managed by a single team, which supervises Château Lafite Rothschild and Château Duhart-Milon together, since the two properties and vineyards are adjacent. Both Châteaux use the same techniques based on strict mastery of yields, harvesting by hand, and undertaking many manual projects throughout the year.
Today the vines remain predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon (69%), with 28% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, on fairly typical soils of fine gravel, mixed with Aeolian sands, on a tertiary limestone bedrock. The blend for Chateau Duhart-Milon the grand vin (usually 20000 cases per annum), is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, normally 80 to 85%, the balance Merlot. It goes into oak for up to 18 months, with typically in the order of 50 to 55% new barrels each vintage. These are good wines, and in very recent vintages the wines have taken on an even greater dimension. Along with the other Rothschild estates, the wines of Duhart-Milon are now, once again, worth looking out for.
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Chateau Duhart Milon 1996
The 1996 displays a dense ruby/purple color, followed by a pure, mineral, plum and black currant-scented nose with some spicy oak. Rich and intense, with considerable finesse, medium to full body, and outstanding concentration and purity, this should be a reasonably priced wine.
Robert Parker: 90 points |
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