Branaire Ducru

Bodeaux Haut-Médoc Pauillac 4th classified growth

Annual production: 35,000 cases

Vineyard area: 73 ha - Average age of the vines: 30 years - Density: 7,000.

Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon 67% Merlot 33%

Second wine: Moulin de Duhart

Related brand: Baron de Milon

Harvest: manual

Aged in barrels depending on the vintage 14 to 18 months - 50% new

Duhart-Milon obtained in 1855 the rank of 4th classified growth. Its owner at the time was the Castéja family and remained so until 1937. Then, the successive inheritances lead to the sale, and involve during a period of 25 years with successive owners the fragmentation of the vineyard towards the decline. It was in 1962 that the French branch of the Rothschilds acquired the estate, comprising 110 ha, of which only 17 ha. vineyard. The reason for this acquisition seems obvious is that the Duhart-Milon vineyard adjoins that of Lafite.

Large investments are then undertaken, drainage, uprooting of the vines and replanting, purchases of adjacent plots and consolidation of the vineyard by exchange of plots. The expansion of the vineyard goes to 73 ha. The vat room and cellars were enlarged and completely renovated in 2003. 40 years of plowing have enabled Château Duhart-Milon to regain its rank of 4th classified growth and largely confirmed by the exceptional quality of the vintages of 1990, 1995, 1996

The vineyard stretches in a row along the west side of Château Lafite Rothschild, on the hillside of the village of Milon, which extends the Carruades de Lafite plateau. The soils are fine gravel mixed with aeolian sands on a tertiary limestone subsoil. Its grape variety is made up of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Merlot.

The property is managed under the leadership of Charles Chevalier, technical director of the estates. Carried out since 1962 by a unique team supervising and using the same techniques for Château Lafite Rothschild and Château Duhart-Milon. She is assisted by Christophe Congé, cellar manager and Régis Porfilet, vineyard manager.

The two estates are managed together using the same cultivation and winemaking methods. The very short size and the grape variety are similar to those of Lafite. An identical vinification, except that the vats are made of coated steel. The aging is done in 50% new barrels the remainder comes from Lafite having served 2 years. All the barrels come from the cooperage of the estates. The techniques used for the two estates are identical for the two castles, they are traditional with a strict control of the yields and harvested by hand.