2013, bright fruit, roundness and relief extended by a fresh finish.
Weather conditions
2013 will go down in history as a year of unstable, capricious weather. A cold, wet winter, followed by a similarly wet spring with excess rainfall, delayed the vegetative cycle and disrupted flowering.
In stark contrast, July and August were particularly warm and sunny, with rainfall well below average. Heat peaks of 38°C led to violent thunderstorms at the end of July. September continued to suffer from a lack of water, favoring even ripening of the berries. The Cabernets showed great promise. The grapes reached satisfactory sugar levels and good acidity potential.
At Château Clerc Milon, harvesting began on October 1st and ended on the 9th, with the exceptional help of staff from Société Baron Philippe de Rothschild, who were called in to reinforce the harvesting troops. Over 130 people answered the call, and on Wednesday October 9th, 695 meals were served in the harvest refectory! An all-time record..
Carefully sorted, the grapes were transported from the crates to the gravity-fed vats in the Clerc Milon vat room. Despite one of the lowest yields of the last forty years, the quality is there, thanks to draconian selections.
The 2013 vintage is watched over, shaped and worked to bring out the best.
Blend
58% Cabernet Sauvignon ; 27% Merlot ; 12% Cabernet Franc ; 2% Petit Verdot ; 1% Carmenère.
Tasting notes
Intense garnet-red in color, the wine is bright and brilliant.
On the nose, Clerc Milon 2013 reveals bright, slightly jammy raspberry fruit, combined with floral and mineral notes. Complex and engaging, these aromas are enhanced by elegant, finely toasted oak.
From the outset, the palate reveals the wine's precise personality, with roundness and relief.
The fruitiness of the nose is accompanied by attractive sapidity, followed by a fresh finish carried by sappy tannins.
