2010 Chateau Duhart Milon Pauillac 750 ml

In the 2010 vintage that Decanter and Wine Spectator have rated the highest in Bordeaux history, Lafite Rothschild’s neighboring sister property Château Duhart-Milon Rothschild,  pulled out all the stops, crafting what Parker called “a dead ringer for Lafite in a great vintage. (It is probably better than many of the Lafites of the 1960s and 1970s, and even some of the vintages in the 1980s.)” He then pinned on 96 points. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2043. 

Parker said it best: “If you can’t afford Lafite-Rothschild (few can)or even their second wine, Carruades de Lafite, you still have Duhart Milon, which has become a profound wine over the last 5-7 years due to the extensive amount of attention and investment the Rothschilds have pumped into this estate.” As the venerable Parker asserts, this is indeed a wine of “fabulous precision and density,” and also a Pauillac that “should drink beautifully for 30+ years.”

The 2010 growing season was Bordeaux’s second consecutive drought year, but unlike 2009, there were no significant heat waves in 2010. While June was warmer than 2009, there were more cloudy days. July was hot and dry. Then came the marvelously mild yet sunny months of August, September, and October.  As we continue to learn over and over again while tasting the very top wines of the vintage — and particularly the 2010s from Pauillac’s superstars — it was that glorious Indian summer that really set 2010 apart, making for wines of equal concentration as 2009, but far more distinguished tannic structure.