The vintage
Winter, with its 500 mm of rainfall, allowed for good replenishment of groundwater reserves. In March, the cold delayed budburst until between April 5 and 19. Spring was rainy, encouraging the onset of mildew. In May, the warmth greatly stimulated vine growth. Flowering took place around May 25 under good conditions. June turned tropical, requiring strict organic protection against downy mildew. The long-awaited veraison began in early August. Two heatwaves followed (from August 15 to 25 and from September 2 to 10), accelerating ripening and bringing beneficial stress. Château Duhart-Milon was not spared from the challenges of the vintage. In August, significant intra-parcel variability was observed, both in the young vines replanted since 2016 and in the older plots. The late August heatwaves evened out ripeness levels and ideally accompanied the harvest, which took place from August 20 to October 3. Once again, the young vines impressed with their ability to fall in step with the older ones and integrate into the Grand Vin.
Varietals
Cabernet sauvignon : 80%
Merlot : 20%
Merlot : 20%
Tasting
The open nose is a millefeuille of fruits: licorice, blackcurrant, and cherry pit compete for dominance, never quite succeeding. It is a nose one never tires of, full of childhood memories. You can sense the smell of prunes being loaded into the ovens, the aroma of our grandmothers’ kitchens when they made jam, and the scent of an old bachelor’s jam jar that our grandfathers sometimes let us sneak a taste from.
The palate is already perfectly structured: a powerful attack gently carries us, almost surprisingly, toward a finish full of freshness, with rich, elegant tannins already softened by aging.
The palate is already perfectly structured: a powerful attack gently carries us, almost surprisingly, toward a finish full of freshness, with rich, elegant tannins already softened by aging.