CHÂTEAU DUHART MILON ROTHSCHILD
2023 4ème Cru Classé Pauillac
The 2023 Duhart-Milon was picked September 7 to October 3 and contains 15% pressed wine, matured in 50% new oak. It has a much more backward bouquet than the Moulin, displaying well-defined yet tightly coiled graphite-infused black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins that belie the backbone of this Pauillac. That graphite element is accentuated in the mouth and controls the classic finish that could only come from this appellation. This is excellent, but patience is required. Drinking range: 2030 - 2060 Rating: 93-95 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2024)
75cl bottles (wood case of 6)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
Inky plum, far deeper in texture and intensity than the Moulin de Duhart (in contrast to 2022, when both 1st and 2nd wines were intensely coloured). Classical Duhart on the attack, reserved and a little subdued, then in comes the waves of cassis, liqourice root, spiced plum, ink, tobacco and cigar box. High Cabernet in the blend, and it suits the style and character of Duhart. Has a ton of ageing potential, classical styled with precision, fully showcasing the enjoyment of 2023 in the right spots. Around 65% first wine, 45hl/h yield, 15% of press wine. Harvest September 7 to October 3. A buy. Drinking range: 2030 - 2045 Rating: 95 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2024)
80 Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 Merlot 50% new oak and some amphorae, too 12.9% alc 3.65 pH While this was a warm vintage at times, with the highest ever recorded June temperatures, there is superb freshness found here, too. The compact palate seems somewhat reluctant to express itself fully at this early stage, and the finish is tense and adroit, but the core is dense and generously black-fruited. Nice and chunky, with an eagerness that doesn’t quite have enough finesse at this stage to really wow me, this is a sturdy, classically dimensioned creation that will blossom a good eight to ten years down the track. Rating: 17.5+ Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (May 2024)
The 2023 Duhart-Milon is seriously impressive. Dark, virile and brooding in its intensity, the 2023 screams with Cabernet Sauvignon character. Plum, blackberry, incense, leather, grilled herbs and licorice lend notable textural resonance and pure power. There's a good bit of tannin, so patience is a must. A virile, authoritative wine, Duhart-Milon is hugely promising in this edition. The blend is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot. Drinking range: 2031 - 2043 Rating: 92-94 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (May 2024)
The blend of the grand vin is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, picked between September 7th, a typical date for Pauillac, and finishing October 3rd. It is not too expressive on the nose, not really out of the ordinary for this portfolio of wines at this stage, with lightly powdery fruit, raspberry and dark cherry, with traces of dark chocolate if you give it enough time (I think I did). The poise on the palate is typical of the vintage, with a restrained texture, savoury and taut, building a little in the midpalate (rare in this vintage) with a savoury core of dark cherry and dark chocolate fruits, gently expressed within a lightly mineral frame. A charming Duhart-Milon, in the slightly juicy and linear style of the vintage, but it has cohesion and drive from that acid core. The alcohol is 13%. Rating: 91-93 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2024)
A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon (picked late, between September 25 and October 3) and 20% Merlot, the 2023 Duhart-Milon has turned out beautifully, unfurling in the glass with aromas of cassis, cherries and dark berries mingled with hints of mint, cedar and spice box. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, it's deep and concentrated, with an ample core of cool but ripe fruit, sweet tannins and a long, penetrating finish. Rating: 92-94 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2024)
So much pure graphite and lead pencil here, together with blackcurrant and iodine aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with creamy and velvety tannins that are very polished. Cedar and some tobacco box. Deep and layered. Al-dente tannins. Precise Rating: 94-95 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2024)
Château Duhart Milon
Pauillac Quatrième cru 1855 Château Duhart Milon is owned by its very illustrious neighbour Château Lafite-Rothschild, with whom it shares a vineyard management and wine making team. Duhart is said to have been a pirate in the service of Loius XV who settled in the Médoc in his retirement. Indeed, the "pirate's house" stood by the Gironde until the 1950's and is pictured on the label. His vineyard was united with Mandavy-Milon in the 1830's by the Castéja family. Earning 4th Growth status was a high point for Duhart-Milon with the next 100+ years being a period of some decline. Vineyards were sold off (notably to the Batailleys) and the wines declined considerably in quality. By the time Baron Eric de Rothschild bought Duhart-Milon in 1962 it was in a very sorry state with barely 17ha under vine. Rothschild ownership saw the vineyards completely re-planted and the chais (and a chais is all there is, there never has been an actual château) renovated. Today the wines are made with the same meticulous care as Lafite, but sell at a fraction of the price, making Duhart-Milon a bit of a bargain. Château Duhart-Milon sits immediately west/inland of Château Lafite-Rothschild, facing Château Lafon-Rochet across the Jalle du Breuil in Saint Estèphe. The 73ha of vineyard are planted with 67% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Merlot. The Grand Vin is aged in oak barrels made by the Rothschild cooperage for up to 18 months. The second wine is called Moulin de Duhart, and a lighter styled third wine called Baron de Milon.
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those on the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do contact our private client team via email or on 020 7018 0187.
Ordering
Prices are all in bond by the case size stated.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment to buy wines on release, as long as the release price is within the upper and lower price bands set by you on the pre-order form. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability but providing this firm commitment to buy effectively gives you priority and is a good idea for the most desirable wines.
Wines listed on the website can be ordered in the usual way via the website wishlist order form. You can also send orders directly to our private client team via email. Please note that, for the most sought-after wines, priority will be given to those who ordered the same wines last year and to those that have pre-ordered.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of email confirmation. Pre-orders are not binding if the release price is above your upper price band.
Invoices are all raised at the in bond price (excluding any duty and VAT) which will become payable at the prevailing rates when the wines arrive in the UK, should you wish to take duty paid delivery.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We regret we cannot accept credit cards for en primeur orders. We reserve the right to apply a dunning charge of 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (at LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
- Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
- Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £500. Orders below this total will be charged an administration and handling fee of £16.50+ VAT when invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery of 2023 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2026. Delivery dates may vary as wines are shipped from Bordeaux at different times.
Practical notes - how it works
We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes). Immediate payment of invoices is then required by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option but please note that confirmed orders are still binding even if the final invoice has not yet been issued.
Please specify on your wishlist order form where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. If this is to a third-party bonded warehouse, please specify the relevant account details. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue a second invoice for duty and VAT at the prevailing rate when the wines are available for delivery.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the format you want. While most of our listings are for 75cl bottles, we can source wines in any format that is offered by the Château. Please note that format requests cannot be changed once wines have been invoiced. Additional charges for special formats do apply and are as follows:-
- +£18.00 per case of 12 half-bottles
- +£30.00 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£7.50 per case of 3 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£11.00 per case of 6 Magnums
- +£45.00 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£60.00 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.
Storage Options:
Wines bought en primeur won't arrive in the UK until 2026. If you do not wish to take home delivery at that point, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our private client team for more information.