Chateau Duhart Milon 2010

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Dense purple, with classic notes of cedar and lead pencil shavings as well as gobs of back currants and licorice, the wine has a full-bodied mouthfeel with fabulous precision and density. It also possesses a long, silky finish with moderately high tannins, but they are ripe and well-integrated. The wood is clearly pushed to the background in this dense, full-bodied Pauillac, which should drink beautifully for 30+ years."

JEB DUNNUCK: "Like a lot of 2010s, the 2010 Duhart-Milon-Rothschild is tight and backward, yet has serious potential. Sporting a deep ruby/purple color and classic notes of currants, lead pencil shavings, cedarwood and saddle leather, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a tight, firm focused texture and beautiful concentration. Its tannins are present, yet ripe and integrated, and it has the purity and freshness that’s the hallmark of this great, great vintage. Give bottles another 2-3 years and it should keep for two to three decades."

WEINWISSER: "Sattes Purpur-Granat. Zeigt Zurückhaltung, dunkler Tabak, getrocknete Pflaumenschalen. Erst im Gaumen spürt man die dunkle Aromatik dieses sehr barock anmutenden Weins, der noch sehr körnig und aufrauend wie ein Bourgeois wirkt, aber die dramatische Kraft und Struktur eines Grand Cru besitzt. Ein maskuliner Duhart mit sehr viel Potenzial."

JAMES SUCKLING: "A wine with an intense sous bois, fresh tobacco and dried flower character on the nose and palate. Full body, with ultra-fine tannins and an attractive finish. It's structured yet polished with a beauty and stature. Try in 2015."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, dezente Randaufhellung, feine Nuancen von Preiselbeeren und Sanddorn, ein Hauch von Dörrzwetschken, etwas Honig und Kardamom, rauchige Nuancen. Dunkelbeerig, straffe Textur, schokoladige Nuancen, frisch strukturiert, elegante Tannine, sehr ausgewogen, angenehme Süße im Abgang, ein vielseitiger Speisenbegleiter der Zukunft."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Closing up, it took effort to find the cassis, tobacco and olive notes. Medium/full bodied, soft textures and a fresh, cassis and dark red berry filled finish are found in this elegant Pauillac."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "Juicy black currant fruit mingles with bright acidity and dark-chocolate tannins. This often overlooked château, with the same production team as Lafite-Rothschild, has an intense and concentrated 2010, balanced superbly between firmness and fruitiness."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Tasted blind. Smudgy garnet. Dark fruited and a slight cedary note. Much lighter than I expected on the palate, sinewy and fresh. Elegant and nicely structured with a long finish."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Well-polished, with sleek edges to the fleshy plum, cassis and blackberry fruit, while the finish is embedded with black licorice and violet notes. Approachable now, but the stuffing is there to cellar this for a bit. Drink now through 2025."