🌟1855 classification - Cinquiemes grands crus classes
🌟Belong to First Growth Mouton Rothschild
🏅James Suckling 96 pts
🏅Decanter 96 pts
🏅Jeb Dunnuck 95 pts
🏅Wine Advocate 94 pts
🏅Wine Enthusiast 94 pts
🏅Wine Spectator 94 pts
🏅Vinous 93 pts
Clerc Milon is one of the five wineries in Bordeaux owned by Chateau Mouton. It was acquired by former Mouton owner Philippe de Rothschild in 1970. The wine label shows a pair of dancers dancing gracefully, so it is nicknamed "Dance for a Deux".
The design of its wine label is very special among many series of wines. There are two clowns dancing on it. This is a replica of a German craft of the 16th century. The original is a sculpture decorated with gold and pearls. The original collector is Empress Catherine of Russia, this work is now preserved in the art gallery attached to Mouton Winery.The most unique thing about Clerc Milon is that it is adjacent to two first-class wineries in the Pauillac region, Ch. Mouton Rothschild and Ch. Lafite Rothschild. Although about 30 to 40% Merlot is used, one can still feel the terroir and personality of Pauillac. Generally speaking, the wine quality of Clerc Milon is slightly better than that of d`Armailhac; in excellent years, Clerc-Milon is even more like Mouton-Rothschild, often with gorgeous oak barrel aroma and sweet mellowness. It has a fruity fragrance and is relatively affordable, so it is quite popular all over the world.
Clerc Milon is considered the most avant-garde among the wineries owned by Baronne Philippines. Although the average age of the grapevines planted in the garden is 51 years, the wine produced can be enjoyed young, with a maturity period of about 3-5 years. That's fine, but it can last for ten or twenty years. The recent vintages are more profound and complex than the early ones, with multi-layered aromas, including grilled espresso, oak, licorice and raspberry fruit aromas. This is an advanced wine that can be drunk early. The chateau should be promoted to a fourth growth level.
Tasting Notes: Ruby in color, the wine has wonderful aromas of chocolate-covered cherries, plum preserves and crushed black currants, along with notes of lilac, cardamom, underbrush and cigar. The wine is full-bodied, with fine tannins, a solid structure and a long aftertaste.
🏅James Suckling 96 pts
Hot crushed stones and dark berries jump out of the glass. Full body, very dense fruit and powerful tannins, yet it remains agile and bright with beauty and energy. So muscular and toned. Truly outstanding Clerc for the future. Unwavering nature to this.
🏅Decanter 96 pts
Always more muscular and powerful than Armailhac, there's no surprise that this has closed down more than its sibling. The complexity of the layers are still on display, showcasing fresh menthol, cranberry, white pepper, black olive, rose and blackberry, all wrapped up in a tight tannic hold. There are some wonderful toasted caramel notes, subdued but rich and tight, waiting to show their exuberance on the finish. There's no doubt that this is as good as I thought en primeur, but it needs time to open up, and I would suggest the full 10 years. 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Carmenere finish up the blend.
🏅Jeb Dunnuck 95 pts
I was able to taste the 2016 Château Clerc Milon on multiple occasions and it was always brilliant, showing a deep ruby/purple color as well as sexy aromas and flavors of crème de cassis, new saddle leather, spicy oak, and graphite. Deep, powerful and beautifully concentrated, it’s a rock star of a Pauillac that’s going to keep for 30 years or more. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and Carménère, all aged 16 months in 50% new French oak.
🏅Wine Advocate 94 pts
The Cabernet Franc was fantastic this year, so it was all used in the grand vin. The final blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Carménère. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Clerc Milon leaps from the glass with beautiful scents of chocolate-covered cherries, plum preserves and crushed blackcurrants with suggestions of lilacs, cardamom, underbrush and unsmoked cigars. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a firm frame of finely grained tannins and seamless freshness lifting the perfumed fruit to a nice long finish.
🏅Wine Enthusiast 94 pts
Dark and concentrated, this wine offers depth and intensity. It has great ripeness as well as fine tannins that are integrated into the fruit. It is so juicy and exuberant that it’s hard to remember the tannins that will allow the wine to age.
🏅Wine Spectator 94 pts
A fresh and stylish version, with chalky minerality running from start to finish. Succulent plum and cassis fruit flavors coil around this and absorbs this easily at first. Then pretty violet and lilac notes guild the finish, with the minerality taking a slightly firmer stand.
🏅Vinous 93 pts
The 2016 Clerc Milon is striking. Here, the interplay of dense fruit and supporting structure make for a wonderfully complete and expressive wine. Dark blue stone fruit, licorice, lavender, spice and menthol are all beautifully delineated in the glass. The aromatic and structure of both Cabernets come through with notable energy and precision. The 2016 has enough density and pedigree to drink well for many years to come.
