2022 Château Duhart-Milon-Rothschild, Cru Classé Pauillac

Intense, stately, with ripe and spicy dark brambled fruit flavours, blackberry and cassis, balanced by grippy tannins, crushed rocks, slate and cigar, which add texture and moderation. The serious face of Duhart does well in the vintage, keeping an upright tannic backbone. New cellar at Duhart since 2020. Harvest August 31 to September 28, 3.8ph. Olivier Bonnau technical director. Duhart Milon vineyard is looking at lowering density of planting to guard against future hot vintages of this type.

The Grand Vin 2022 Château Duhart-Milon is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot. It brings more richness as well as classic Pauillac character in its lead pencil, graphite, tobacco, and red and black fruit-driven aromatics. With gorgeous richness, a medium to full bodied mouthfeel, and a great finish, this utterly classic, seamless, balanced Pauillac should be snatched up by readers. It's going to give the 2009 a run for its money.

The 2022 Duhart-Milon unwinds in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cedar box, loamy soil, herbs and spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, supple and velvety palate with a broad attack that segues into a lively, nicely concentrated core of fruit, concluding with a youthfully firm finish.

Very Pauillac in its blackcurrant, dark chocolate and walnut husk character. Full-bodied yet compacted. Wet earth, mushroom, earth, black tobacco. Fine and intense tannins. Fresh and complex. 78% cabernet sauvignon and 22% merlot.

The 2022 Duhart-Milon is racy and explosive right out of the gate. Ripe dark cherry, plum, cloves, licorice, menthol and mocha fill out the layers in a deep, wonderfully expressive Duhart. Firm tannins extend the finish nicely. I imagine the 2022 will require at least a few years in bottle to be at its best, but it is pretty showy today. The blend is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot.