<p>Thibault is cousin to Vicomte Liger-Belair of Vosne-Roman&eacute;e, the overseer of bejewelled unicorn estate Comte Liger-Belair, founded in 1720 in Nuits-St-Georges. Thibault, however, strode a very different path to his vinous future. Raised in Paris, in 2001 he took over an old eight hectare family property, at its spiritual hearth, Nuits-St-Georges, far from the most fashionable commune of the time. He revoked sharecropping agreements in place and took over the vines himself, before leasing a small winemaking facility a hop away. He added his own salubrious holdings, parcels of Richebourg, Clos de Vougeot and Nuits-St-Georges Premier Cru Les St-Georges, a vineyard that Thibault strongly believes should be a Grand Cru and would have become one, in fact, had the political climate at the time of classification been different. Further vineyards purchased were complemented with additional cuv&eacute;es hewn of purchased fruit.</p> <p>

<b>The 2012 Vintage by Olivier Humbrecht M.W.</b><p><i>Winter was extremely dry and finished very warm in March. Some colder weather and rain in April was followed by unstable conditions with significant rainfalls, delaying flowering to mid-late June. June and July were very wet, and as a result spraying of Bio-dynamic permitted copper/sulphur and plant preparations was more frequent.<p> With August, the warm and dry weather returned progressively to peak in a heat wave towards the end of the month. From then the weather was very dry in Turckheim and Hunawihr. Despite the damp season, harvest began early but continued slowly due to optimum conditions and the beautifully slow physiological ripeness achieved.<p> 2012 will be characterized by elegant, pure and dry wines, with much lower alcohols than usual and good ripe acids.</i>

Chateau Duhart-Milon is a fourth growth (Quatrième Cru Classé) estate in the Pauillac appellation of Bordeaux. Part of the Domaines Barons de Rothschild, the wine is made by the same winemaking team as Chateau Lafite. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with a substantial component of Merlot, the Grand Vin is matured for 18 months in approximately 50% new French oak barriques. Chateau Duhart-Milon is typically a sturdy solid Pauillac with firm structure and earthy savoury richness.