CHÂTEAU DUHART MILON 2012

Château Duhart-Milon 2012

“This marks an impressive step forward for this wine that’s so often been in the shadows of other wines in the Lafite-Rothschild stable. It’s dense and structured as well as deliciously fruity. The wine is straight down the line, starting with perfumed acidity and finishing with blackberry fruit. Intense and tannic, it’s likely to age. Drink from 2020.” – 94/100, Wine Enthusiast

VARIETIES: 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot
REGION: France / Bordeaux / Médoc / Pauillac
AGEING: 14 months in barrels. 50% in new barrels and 50% in barrels that had held one wine from the Tonnellerie des Domaines
GUARDING POTENTIAL: Enjoy now or will cellar well up to 15 years
SERVE: Serve at 16 – 18ºC
FITS TO: Pair well with a Matured Prime Rib cooked over Medoc vine shoots, a Herb-crusted Rack of Lamb, a back of Rabbit with Dijon Mustard, or a Roasted Quail with Mushrooms or even uncooked pressed cheeses like Edam, Gouda, Saint-Nectaire, Morbier, Tomme de Savoie / Salers
CRITICS SCORES: 94/WE, 92/JS, 90/WS
VIVINO: Average 4.2 ★★★★✰

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4ᵉ Grand Cru Classé – 1855, Pauillac Appellation | Range | Château Duhart-Milon 2012

2012 was characterized by difficult weather conditions in the Bordeaux region. After a relatively mild winter, the spring was mostly wet and rainy, especially April, which brought a violent hail storm on the 24th.

Such conditions hampered fertilization, leading to fears of reduced yields. Work in the vineyard was as vital as ever. June and July alternated heat and humidity. The weather became more stable from

the beginning of August, enabling the healthy grapes to finish ripening in good conditions. Nevertheless, there was considerable variation in their degrees of ripeness and a great deal of sorting work was carried out by our teams from the end September. Maritime, moderated by the Gironde estuary and Atlantic Ocean, pine forests provide insulation from strong winds off the ocean and help to lessen summer temperatures.

TASTING NOTES: There is some woodiness, but it is very refined and does not dominate. The fruit is subtle and develops after the wine has had some time to breathe. The powerful attack makes way for a rounded, full-bodied mid-palate before finishing on fresh, slightly spicy notes that are still a little intense. This wine will benefit greatly from 6/8 years in the cellar.