It dawned on me that I really had not yet tried any upper-tier wines from this 2020 vintage. I actually tried to avoid this vintage, once again declaring a prior vintage as my last. But again, I was seduced.
And gladly so.
This Duhart Milon is terrific. Powerful nose of blacks fruits, number two pencil, wet earth and hints of tobacco leaf. Some menthol notes, suggestive of a cooler climate feel in this wine. That feel carries through in the fruits, a broad display of tart spicy plums, bold squishy black cherries and black raspberries. Loamy soils and rich wet ground cover on the palate. The purity of fruit on this wine is really impressive. And impressively melded together on this seductive young wine. I feel as if I caught this wine at the optimal time before it hits its slumber, but the notable structure on this wine - balanced acids and firm tannins - suggests that this wine will age effortlessly.
A fantastic wine, but also an incredible value play. I paid $65 for this vin du garde.
Sounds great! Thanks for the heads up - I shall endeavour to get some, even if I am rather an old bugger to have 2020s in my cellar. Iām a great fan of Duhart which Iāve ārediscoveredā over the last few years. I really like the style.
Thanks for the note Good Sir, reminds me a lot of the 2020 DāIssan I had a few weeks back, especially your observation of āpurity of fruitā but at no expense of weight or its Margaux DNA. This too is very well priced around $55 to $60.
My recollection from tasting the 2020ās at UCB in NYC was if you liked Duhart, try Clerc Milon and even better IMO, the St Juliens. Langoa, Leoville Barton and Poyferre all killed it. And, I am not usually a fan of Poyferre. Ignoring here the Pichons which are another price point.
Iām not surprised to hear this at all. Langoa Barton, in particular, has slayed in across a handful of vintages recently. Iāve bought a fair bit of 16, 19 and 20. Glad to hear about Clerc Milon, I was just looking at the 2020 of that wine last night, will definitely pull the trigger now on your reco. I just canāt buy Poyferre.
I could never buy Poyferre either, but the 2020 was so much dialed back from overt ripeness (to my tastes) and so classic St. julien tastingā¦and the special etched bottle () , I could not resist buying a couple.
Duhart really impressed me last year and was in my top tier of 2020s to buy along with among others GPL, DDC, Ducru, Montrose, and Troplong Mondot and Conseillante on the RB. The 2020 Duhart matches or even surpasses the 05, my favourite wine from that vintage along with Gruaud.
Agree with the OPā¦ Had the 2020 last week amongst a random sampling of other French offerings. PNP and it was ready to goā¦ Every bit as good as your bigger name Super Seconds.
) , I could not resist buying a couple.