History
The history of Château Duhart Milon dates back to the early 18th century, when Pauillac was covered with vines, under the direction of the Seigneurie de Lafite. The wines of Milon serve as an income to the Lord of Lafite and enter the “second wines” of Château Lafite, which already testifies to the recognized quality of the terroir. In 1815, the broker Guillaume Lawton already speaks of the wine of Mandavy-Milon like a fourth vintage of Pauillac in the course of creation. Between 1830 and 1840, the Castéja family benefited from the estate of Mandavy and that of widow Duhart (14 Hectares), it thus has in hand a vineyard of about 40 hectares to which it gives the name of Duhart-Milon.
The classification of 1855 recognizes the quality of the soil of Duhart-Milon by positioning it as the only 4th Grand Cru Classé of the commune of Pauillac. In 1937, the variation of successive legacies led to its sale. Five owners will then succeed in 25 years leading to the fragmentation of the vineyard and its rapid decline. The quality of the wines dropped considerably until the Rothschild family bought the property in 1962. The 110-hectare estate had only 17 hectares of vines. Following many works undertaken the property went between 1973 and 2001, from 42 to 71 hectares. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the maturity of the plantations and the renovation of the cellars have brought the last touches to the considerable qualitative effort that has been made during 40 years to give Château Duhart-Milon its rank of 4th growth.
Terroir
The terroir of Château Duhart-Milon extends over 76 hectares of vines which are divided between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The average age of the vineyard is 30 years old. Many works are engaged in the vineyard: drainage works, uprooting and replanting, purchase of plots. New cellars and vats are also installed in Pauillac. Each parcel is isolated during the vinification to appreciate its quality to enter the great wine at the end of fermentations. The wine is aged 14 months in barrels of which 50% is new.
