Chateau Duhart-Milon-Rothschild Moulin de Duhart 2001

Moulin de Duhart, Château Duhart-Milon's second wine, is selected from vats of the "Grand Vin". In general, the grapes are from the youngest part of the vineyard. Moulin de Duhart has several characteristics similar to the fine wine, but with a lesser potential for ageing as its ageing in barrels is much shorter. It must be consumed younger than its more robust counterpart. The vineyard covers 50 hectares and is planted with the classical cépages of Médoc: Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Cabernet Franc (20%), Merlot (20%) and a small amount of "Petit Verdot". This cépage has always been traditionally planted at Duhart-Milon and a certain excess of it in the pre-war vintages might explain their slightly flinty hardiness.

The Rothschild family acquired Château Duhart-Milon, a "Quatrièmes Cru" in the 1855 classification, from the Castejas of Pauillac, in 1962. The property was named after the Sieur of Duhart, gun-runner to Louis XIV, who originally owned the property, and from the name of the little hamlet of Milon which separates the Duhart-Milon vineyard from that of Château Lafite.

2001's weather was surprising in its unusually long growing year, which held off the harvest until October, whereas blossoming had been normal. We had to be particularly patient in verifying the proper maturing of the grapes on the sorting table.