Chateau Clerc Milon 5eme Cru Classe, Pauillac 2019

The 2019 Clerc Milon is a real success. At more than 70%, this blend contains one of the highest proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon in the property's recent history, and the result is a wine of real nobility. Offering up aromas of violets, wild berries, licorice, loamy soil and cigar wrapper, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with notable depth at the core, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins that assert themselves on the finish. From clay-limestone soils rather than the sandy gravels that characterize d'Armailhac, this is by some margin the more structured and serious of Mouton-Rothschild's two Pauillac stablemates.

Great Cabernet nose, generous and quite expressive filled with blackcurrants and black plums. Rich and densely concentrated but with a cooling freshness from the limestone. Profound on the palate, this makes a real impact and impression with layers of flavour that are nicely framed and direct. Soft yet muscular with a fresh, menthol, liquorice and softly sweet ending that really leaves a delightful lasting note. Just a brilliantly concentrated glass of wine with power and sophistication. Persistent ending, will age very well. I love the texture and overall feel of this. A blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.

Beautifully judged extraction of fruit, and a tender quality to the tannins. A touch of gunsmoke on the finish, with a tightrope walk of acidity and concentrated blackcurrant and black cherry fruit. This is confident, precise, not overly generous, but gives the most lovely Pauillac kick. 65% new oak. The last full vintage of Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy at Clerc Milon before he headed over to Mouton Rothschild (with the 2020 working across both Clerc Milon and Mouton). Harvest September 19 to October 9.

The 2019 Clerc Milon is seriously impressive. Dense, plush and explosive, Clerc Milon delivers a captivating mix of inky, dense fruit intermingled with savory accents from the 72% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend (the highest since 1986). Dried herbs, tobacco, menthol and licorice weave into the deep, resonant finish. Superb.

A very tight, precise red with super fine tannins that are tight and focused. Medium-to full-bodied with linear tannins and a bright, vivid finish. It’s leaner and refined. Precise and driven. This is a very cabernet sauvignon-driven Clerc with 72% cabernet sauvignon.

As I stated in my review from barrel, the 2019 Clerc Milon contains a higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (72%), from massal selection parcels that are reaching maturity. This has a very intense bouquet, perhaps now leaning more toward black than red fruit; iodine, blood orange and graphite scents emerge with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh and vivacious, with fine-boned tannins, good focus and a silky-smooth texture toward the graphite-tinged finish. There is more elegance here than I noticed last year. This should evolve into a top-grade Clerc-Milon.

Another beautiful effort from this team, the 2019 Château Clerc Milon is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, from vines just across the street from Château Lafite Rothschild and Château Mouton Rothschild. Brought up in a mix of new and used barrels, it has a healthy ruby/plum color to go with a great nose of ripe red and black fruits supported by some classic Pauillac lead pencil, tobacco, and spice box notes. I love its overall balance, it's medium-bodied, has silky tannins, and the fresher, elegant style of the vintage. I wouldn't call it mid-weight, but I compared this to the 2014 on release, and I still think that comparison holds, although there's a touch more length and intensity in the 2019. This will drink well today with a decant (I followed this bottle for two days) and will shine for a good two decades.