Clerc Milon 2019

Pauillac, Fifth Growth

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Tasting Notes

The 2019 Clerc-Milon has a relatively light bouquet, although it does build in the glass, with red berry fruit, mixed herbs and leather. The palate is medium-bodied with a pliant and harmonious opening. Smooth in texture and with fine acidity, this has one of the more sensual and refined finish. Very fine. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.

Score: 93

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2045 01 February 2023

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.

Score: 93

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026 - 2042 01 February 2022

The 2019 Clerc Milon contains a higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (72%) as more of their sélection massale comes "on line". It is quite intense on the nose, a mixture of red and black fruit, sous-bois and traces of tobacco. There is a fullness to the aromatics that I appreciate, hints of brown spice emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. This is not a bold, structured Clerc Milon. This feels elegant and refined, gently building to a lightly spiced finish with judicious cracked black pepper and clove notes. Understated and classy. Tasted twice with consistent notes.

Score: 91 - 93

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2024-2040 16 June 2020

The 2019 Clerc Milon contains a higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (72%) as more of their sélection massale comes "on line". It is quite intense on the nose, a mixture of red and black fruit, sous-bois and traces of tobacco. There is a fullness to the aromatics that I appreciate, hints of brown spice emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. This is not a bold, structured Clerc Milon. This feels elegant and refined, gently building to a lightly spiced finish with judicious cracked black pepper and clove notes. Understated and classy. Tasted twice with consistent notes.

Score: 91 - 93

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2024-2040 01 June 2020

Just so much joy to be had here. Precision architecture from the first moment, velvet texture, well balanced, tiptoes through the palate and builds slowly, delivering inky glass-staining colour. Sweet and seductive, with plump damson and black cherry fruits, and waves of anniseed and fennel on the finish. As with the 2009 this it will close up soon, as these tannins have bite, so expect it to keep building and deepening over the next decade. Jean Emmanuel Danjoy's last full vintage, before he headed over to Mouton Rothschild in 2020. Harvest September 19 to October 9.

Score: 95

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2029-2050 16 November 2022

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.

Score: 95

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2044 12 January 2022

The wine has the highest levels of Cabernet Sauvignon since the 1980s, and even on the nose you can feel its impact in terms of the depth of tight black fruit. Extremely good quality with fine tannins that build, build, build over the palate, and grip on, forcing you to slow down and pay attention. Beautiful spice with menthol, slate, pencil lead, blackberry and blackcurrant. An exciting wine with real energy and forward motion, helped to withstand the summer heat by its position by the river, and the fact that the average age of the vines at Clerc Milon is almost 50 years. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Jean Emmanuel Danjoy's last outing doing the full vintage at Clerc Milon before he heads over to Mouton as technical director.

Score: 95

Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2028-2044 25 May 2020

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.

Score: 93

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2022-2042 11 April 2022

The top wine, the 2019 Château Clerc Milon is based on 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. More intensity and dark fruit emerge from the glass, and it has an elegant, medium to full-bodied style as well as classy Pauillac spice, cedar pencil, tobacco, and assorted darker fruits. It reminds me of the 2014 with its more elegant, charming style.

Score: 93 - 95

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com 11 June 2020

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.

Score: 95

William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2029 - 2055 07 April 2022

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.

Score: 94

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027 - 2039 01 February 2022

Clerc Milon is especially fine in 2019. Dark and mysterious in the glass, with superb resonance, the 2019 reveals myriad dimensions of its personality with a bit of aeration. The 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, the highest since 1986, very much comes through in the wine's flavor profile and structural feel. Sage, mint, lavender, licorice and spice add complexity to the dark fruit in a Pauillac that delivers the goods.

Score: 91 - 93

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com 18 June 2020

Clerc Milon is especially fine in 2019. Dark and mysterious in the glass, with superb resonance, the 2019 reveals myriad dimensions of its personality with a bit of aeration. The 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, the highest since 1986, very much comes through in the wine's flavor profile and structural feel. Sage, mint, lavender, licorice and spice add complexity to the dark fruit in a Pauillac that delivers the goods.

Score: 91 - 93

Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux 01 June 2020

Aromas of crushed stone, blackcurrants and blackberries. Full-bodied with extremely well-crafted tannins that are chewy and layered, yet polished and fantastic. Love the finish. 72% cabernet sauvignon, 25% petit verdot, 22% merlot and 4% cabernet franc. Drink after 2026.

Score: 96

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Maturity: 2026+ 21 January 2022

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 76% cabernet sauvignon.

Score: 94 - 95

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 28 May 2020

The blend this year is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, harvested from the 19th of September to the 9th of October. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Clerc Milon starts out a little closed and broody, offering notes of tar, chargrill, tapenade and Marmite toast over an emerging core of stewed plums, black cherries and kirsch with a touch of garrigue. The medium-bodied palate delivers loads of freshness with crunchy black fruits and a lively line, backed up by grainy tannins, finishing long and savory.

Score: 92 - 94

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 09 June 2020