Eric Kohler began his career as an oenologist for a wine merchant in Bordeaux and in 1994 became Deputy Technical Manager for DBR (Lafite) estates in the Bordeaux area. In his role, he was in charge of quality and development, of the selection and implementation of the most efficient cultivation practices in the vineyard. In terms of oenology, his purpose was to optimize the wine-making process, improve ageing techniques and modernize the facilities at Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Duhart-Milon and Château Rieussec. In 2008, Eric became the Technical Director of DBR (Lafite) estates outside of Bordeaux: Domaine d’Aussières, Viña Los Vascos (Chile), Bodegas CARO (Argentina), Long Dai (China). In January 2016, he returned to France as Technical Director of Bordeaux Châteaux ensuring the management of Château Lafite, Château Duhart Milon, Château Rieussec, and Château L’Évangile. He worked on the development of these vineyards with the objective of producing high quality wines. Since July 2020 Eric has been the Technical Director exclusively for Pauillac’s esteemed estates: Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Duhart-Milon and the Lafite cooperage.

As the neighbouring property to Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Duhart-Milon was acquired by Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite in 1962. Legend has it that Sieur Duhart was one of Louis XV’s corsairs who established the estate when he retired to Pauillac, and that it is this that has inspired the Duhart-Milon wine label. The 1855 ranking places Duhart-Milon as the only listed Fourth Growth wine in Pauillac. However, successive changes in ownership led the estate’s vineyards to decline dramatically, and it was only four decades after the Rothschild family acquired it in 1962 that the property saw its prestigious classification restored.