Château Duhart-Milon 2023

Delicate on the nose, refined on the palate, with precise tannin structure, plenty of elegance and length. An exceptionally refined Duhart.

Some herbal bramble notes on the nose, soft dark chocolate, blackcurrant, flowers, liquorice and dark chocolate. Not huge aromatics, quite quiet. Round and smooth, a lovely juiciness but with weight and balance, gorgeous texture - a little salty and stony, a tiny bit grippy but gorgeous overall expansion in the mouth giving flavour without any overt heaviness. Lovely softness but this still has power and energy. Lifted and intense but so finessed. It has broad shoulders with graphite and wet stone touches alongside bramble fruit and great, almost piercing acidity. Lovely. 60% grand vin production. 3.8pH. 15% press. New cellar as of 2020.

Bright, fresh, and vibrant, as well as elegant are the hallmarks of this vintage. Opening with notes of currants, flowers, chocolate, cigar box, and cherries which fill the nose. Medium-bodied, fresh, forward, soft, and creamy, the wine finishes with spicy, black with red currants with a savory as well as minty fresh endnote. Please allow it a few years in the bottle before pulling a cork and it should age for up 2 decades after that. The wine is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Merlot. Drink from 2028-2050.

Deep dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, delicate edge brightening. Fine nougat, ripe black cherry, delicate hints of blueberry, candied orange zest, savoury tobacco notes. Complex, juicy, ripe dark berry fruit, delicate tannins, mineral on the finish, an elegant, balanced food companion.

This is a vintage that rewards owners who know how to lean into classical Bordeaux, and this is juicy, perfectly Pauillac, graphite, crayon, ink, liquorice, cassis, bilberry, totally delicious and really one of the greatest vintages of Duhart that I have tasted. Captures the character of the year and it works. 65% first wine, 45hl/h yield, 15% of press wine. Harvest September 7 to October 3. A buy. One point upscore.

Score: 92–94. A suave bouquet of blue fruits, pure and charming. The wine melts on the palate like someone snuggling into a sofa, with a very relaxed, deliciously creamy feel. A saline finish with just the right touch of bitterness.

Aged for 12 months, with 50% new oak barrels and 50% second-fill barrels. Duhart’s bouquet shows elegance and precision. It unfolds gradually, starting with hints of eucalyptus and grilled pepper, before revealing notes of blackberry and blueberry. Led by creamy tannins that emerge through the mid-palate, the wine follows a precise line and carries through seamlessly. The tannins bring energy and provide an excellent backbone alongside the fresh acidic structure. An authentic wine that can certainly be enjoyed young, yet has everything it takes to spend many years in the cellar as well.

93-95. Barrel Sample. The aromas of black fruits are allied to touches of licorice on what is a classic wine from this always improving estate. Pure black currants and concentrated acidity bring the wine its structure and potential.

Inky-black colour. An intense yet subtle nose, with ripe fruit and a hint of fireplace hearth. A touch of plum. Notes of pine needles as the glass is swirled. Could be mistaken for a Pessac wine. Fleshy on the attack, fleshy through the mid-palate, with real class to the texture and plenty of flavour, the wine melts across the palate. It finishes long, with elegant tannins and aromas of black fruit. A profile that is both luscious and profound. A great success. This vintage stands shoulder to shoulder with 2022, in a different style.

The 2023 Duhart-Milon is showing very well from bottle, wafting from the glass with notes of cassis, violets, orange zest and exotic spices. Medium- to full-bodied, layered and velvety, it's supple and charming, with sweet tannins and a seamless profile that reflects the restructuring and viticultural efforts that have been underway at this estate for some time now. Long and sapid, it's a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot that was picked late, between September 25 and October 3.