Clerc Milon (Ex-Chateau)

Château Clerc Milon 2022 embodies the intensity and concentration of the vintage. Bilberry and other wild berry notes accompanied by spice, pepper and a touch of violet combine in a rich and complex array. The freshness of liquorice and mineral notes is in perfect balance with the controlled power provided by silky, well-integrated tannins, revealing all the elegance and precision of this very fine wine. Black fruit flavours coupled with notes of cocoa powder linger long on the finish.

Wine Advocate 93: The 2021 Clerc Milon has turned out very well indeed, offering up aromas of dark berries and minty cassis mingled with hints of violets and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and concentrated, it's impressively deep and layered, with an ample core of fruit, lively acids and sweet, chalky tannins.

James Suckling 94: This wine has notes of redcurrants as well as lead pencil, stone and salt. Medium-bodied, with white flowers, racy and firm tannins and balanced acidity. Linear and vivid. A blend of 59% cabernet sauvignon, 28% merlot, 10% cabernet franc, 1.5% petit verdot and 1.5% carmenere. Better in two to four years. Drink after 2027.

Vinous 94: The 2021 Clerc Milon is another fine effort from the chateau. It offers an alluring mix of fruit raciness and savory character from the Cabernets. Grilled herbs, graphite, mint, lavender and leather add layers of nuance. The long, persistent finish is a thing of beauty. Clerc Milon has been on the rise of late.

Decanter 92: Rose petals, milk chocolate, plums, blackcurrants with herbal and menthol notes on the nose. Supple and succulent on the palate, juicy and fun, high acidity gives life straight away and this is characterful and bright with the focus on tangy red fruits and shining acidity that makes the mouth water with wet stone minimality around the sides just giving the nuance. Fun and friendly. Broad mid palate, dark fruit characters of blackcurrant and plum nicely counters the high acidity. A super delicious, easy, accessible second wine. Still with bite and structure and stoniness. Not the longest, and tapers with a saltiness, but very good.

Wine Advocate 95: Aromas of sweet crème de cassis, licorice, violets and creamy new oak introduce the 2022 Clerc Milon, a full-bodied, rich and layered wine that's deep and vibrant, with ripe, integrated tannins and lively acids, concluding with a long finish. As I wrote en primeur, its clay-limestone terroir lends it a distinctive signature that sets it apart from the rest of the portfolio.

James Suckling 96: So much Pauillac character with lead pencil, currants and red fruit. Orange peel and slightly burnt oranges. Medium-bodied, this has creamy and crunchy tannins as well as dried citrus and a flavorful finish. Lovely drive to this exquisite, energetic wine. Drink after 2028.

Vinous 92: The 2022 Clerc Milon was shaded by the d'Armailhac when compared out of barrel. That is still the case in bottle. This is more backward and a little taciturn by comparison, though still attractive with blackberry, wild hedgerow and touches of iodine. The palate is medium-bodied with quite a succulent, fleshy opening. It is a more approachable Clerc Milon than other vintages, though d'Armailhac just has a tad more complexity and joie-de-vivre.

Decanter 95: Liquorice spice, dark fruit, dried herbs, and faint florals on the nose. Wide, succulent, and alive in the mouth. Tannins are velvety, giving structure while strawberry and cherry fruit shine. Still a little compact, narrowing slightly on the finish with bitter chocolate, coffee, and liquorice. Excellent acidity and a limestone-driven mineral core - flint, wet stone, graphite - keeping it fresh and refined. Rich yet pure, with a strong Pauillac signature. Bottled in June. 3.81pH. Ageing 50% new oak.

Wine Advocate 92-94: Revealing aromas of red berries, cherries and blackcurrants mingled with hints of pencil shavings and new oak, the 2023 Clerc Milon is medium to full-bodied, deep and fleshy, with a layered core of fruit, sweet velvety tannins and a seamless, succulent profile. It's a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 6.5% Cabernet Franc and the balance Carmenère and Petit Verdot.

James Suckling 95-96: This has a great finish, with blackcurrant, chocolate, hazelnut and salt undertones that run the length of the wine. Full-bodied and dense, and then it lifts off at the end. Chalky undertone, coming from the limestone terroir here. 72% cabernet sauvignon, 19% merlot, 6.5% cabernet franc, 1.5% carmenere and 1% petit verdot.

Wine Advocate 93-95: The 2025 Clerc Milon has turned out beautifully, offering up notes of dark berries, petals and orange zest, framed by a deft touch of new oak. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and concentrated, with lively acids and a chalky finish, it's a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and the rest Carmenère and Petit Verdot.

James Suckling 94-95: A juicy and structured Clerc that is very typical with a firmness and brightness. It's medium-bodied with a solid center palate and a linear and racy finish. Just a hint of flint in the end. Vivid and pretty. A blend of 62% cabernet sauvignon, 28% merlot, 8% cabernet franc, 1% carmenere and 1% petit verdot.

Vinous 92-94: The 2025 Clerc Milon was picked from September 3 to 19 and matured in 55% new oak. The oak shows a little more than the d'Armailhac at the moment, though that will be subsumed with time. I suspect it will need longer bottle age to fully integrate. The palate is very rounded and supple on the entry, a mixture of red and black fruit, a little white pepper and tobacco, gaining more weight towards the finish with a sustained aftertaste. I feel this might have the edge over the d'Armailhac this vintage-let's see.

Decanter 95: Raspberries and red cherries on the nose with some rose petal aromas. Juicy and alive, great energy and brightness straight away, so generous, plump, a little darker on the palate with some dark chocolate, liquorice, blackcurrant and hints of cedar and bitterness. But equally the acidity is pronounced giving this real lift. Energetic with a mineral edged acidity. Dynamic and vibrant, great tannic frame, lively and so compelling. 1% Carmenere and 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend.