Beyond the recognisable great First Growths of Bordeaux, keen fans of the famed region may also find some of said greatness hiding in plain sight - here's one such example. The label above may read Chateau Duhart-Milon, yet it can also be referred to as the Château Duhart-Milon-Rothschild. 

Château Duhart-Milon was originally a neighbouring Pauillac property to the esteemed Château Lafite Rothschild and was acquired by Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite in 1962, where it continues to belong to today.

The original grounds featured in the book Bordeaux et ses vins by Charles Cocks and Edouard Féret. (Image Source: lafite)

Before this acquisition, however, the story starts with one Sir Jean Duhart, a privateer under Louis XV. Not to be confused with a pirate, a privateer was essentially a sailor with an armed ship that operated on behalf of their king. They were authorized to capture enemy vessels only during times of war, with a "letter of marque" granting them this authority.

Think seaborn mercenary, if you will. Once they boarded and seized an enemy vessel, they would confiscate its cargo, selling the goods at the nearest port, with a portion of the proceeds going to the state. Captured sailors were treated as prisoners-of-war, and more often than not ransomed and or traded.

While his life isn't exactly well documented, art historian Laurent Chavier has worked with Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite to establish the history of the Château and Sir Duhart.

In a document dated 1774, it became known that he embarked for the first time in 1752 as a volunteer (apprentice sailor). After some time in the French-English war, as well as an eventful career hunting pirates and transatlantic trading, he would soon set down roots in Bordeaux.

After becoming a captain in 1774, the former privateer married Suzanne Casteja, heiress to a large Bordeaux family with vineyards in the Médoc, in 1778. It was assumed that the two met on one of his trading journeys, as Bordeaux wine was an increasingly popular export, especially from Pauillac.

The next mentions of the couple fast forward to 1806, where an inheritance dispute within the Casteja family brought up their names. There is no further record until 1839, when she died. Her tombstone was inscribed simply "Jeanne-Suzanne Casteja, widow of Mr Jean Duhart".

Buried alone, it strongly suggests that Jean Duhart met his demise at sea on one of his journeys.

The Casteja family owned the estate until 1937, after which it passed through five different owners. Barons de Rothschild Lafite finally acquired Duhart-Milon in 1962, embarking on a period of significant vineyard renovation and estate rehauling. By the 1970s, the estate had regained its former glory and notably, the cellars were comprehensively renovated in 2003.

(Image Source: lafite)

The vineyard of the house has around 76 hectares, which sits in almost one block on the western side of BDR Lafite. It is situated on the Milon hillside, which is not far from the Carruades plateau. The 110-hectare estate initially had only 17 hectares of vines. 

67% of which is planted is Cabernet Sauvignon, while 33% is Merlot (33%). Even before BDR Lafitete took over, the wine produced from this vineyard was classified as one of ten Quatrièmes Crus Classés (Fourth Growths) in the historic Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855. The Château produces a second wine under the Moulin de Duhart label. 

Moulin de Duhart.

Its terroir, characterized by sandy gravel soils deposited during the Quaternary period, exhibits varying proportions of pebbles, sand, and clay. The most prominent terroirs within Duhart-Milon feature gravel-dominant soils with a clay content exceeding 10%. The average age of the vines stand at 30 years. The naturally cooler soils also allow for later picking. 

So how do the house's wines taste like? 

Let's get stuck in!

2018 Chateau Duhart Milon, Pauillac - Review

This blend comprises 65% Cabernet Sauvignon (harvested September 25-October 4) and 35% Merlot (harvested September 17-25).

Tasting Notes

Colour: Ruby

Aroma: Really plush and velvety even on the nose. Satin sheets of finely interwoven fruit of blackberries, mulberries and raspberries. It’s given structure with a matting of fine tannins in the form of blended fruit pomace. Some leafy qualities too, along with a sprinkle of anise spice.

Taste: Silky, yet firm, really vibrant, and almost bouncy. It leads with milk chocolates with a lightly spiced hit of cloves. Making way for blackberry and raspberry cordials and an ounce of jam.

Finish: Takes a more lifted quality, also brightening somewhat. Into the finish it leans more on raspberry jams and violet florals. It’s radiance powers through nicely through the finish.

My Thoughts

An impressive showing from Duhart Millon! I particularly enjoyed how energetic and buoyant this was, great richness yet it’s not heavy. It’s of course really fruit driven, yet finds a way to showcase its cohesiveness with great balance. It packs alot of power yet never feels dense or sinks, really taut and well-integrated on the body. It’s also got a good amount of complexity, it’s alot of fruit but not all fruit - there’s also some earthiness from the chocolates and spices that comes through really well. A really expressive and energetic wine altogether!

*Suspiciously racoon-like noises*

Contributed by @Definitelynotthreeracoons