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Château Clerc-Milon
The Château Clerc Milon is one of the most sublime wines in the Pauillac appellation. The lands of Domaine were included in those of the Lafite seigneury as early as the 18th century. In the aftermath of the French Revolution, Château Milon, in reference to the hamlet of Pauillac where it stood, was sold as national property and acquired by the Clerc family, who thus associated their name with it.
The Château Clerc Milon was awarded the title of Cinquième Grand Cru Classé in the famous 1855 classification for the Paris Universal Exhibition.
In 1970, it entered a new era when it was bought by Baron Philippe de Rothschild. Today, the estate is managed by his 3 grandchildren, who bring out the full potential of its exceptional terroir year after year, thanks to state-of-the-art technical facilities and great expertise.
Situated on sandy gravel and clay-limestone soils, the vineyard covers 41 hectares of vines, including 53.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot and 1.5% Carmenère. The wines are aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, of which 50% are new.
The estate produces a Second wine, Pastourelle de Clerc Milon.
The wines of Château Clerc Milon are precise, complex and finely structured, where the brilliance of the fruit is expressed.
Critics Château Clerc Milon 2017.
Description Château Clerc Milon 2017.
2017, generous and very well-balanced, a gourmet palate with very fine tannins.
Climatic conditions
After a relatively mild winter and lower-than-average rainfall, 2017 saw a frost episode on April 27 across the entire Bordeaux terroir. The year was marked by a particularly long period of drought, which did not really end until December.
Buoyed by above-average temperatures, the vine's vegetative cycle got off to a slightly earlier start at the end of March. Exceptional conditions in April and May brought vegetation forward by 10 days at flowering, for all grape varieties. After a very arRosé month of June, the summer was moderately sunny, but Sec accentuating the water deficit that has persisted since 2016. As a result, grape berries remained small, concentrating sugar and color.
Given the advanced vegetative cycle and dry summer, harvesting was particularly early this year. However, they were spread over four weeks between the three estates, which is exceptionally long. At Château Clerc Milon, harvesting began with Merlot on September 13 and ended with Petit Verdot and Carmenère on September 29. Run-off was completed on October 20, and blending was finalized in December. The wines produced are rich, highly colored and possess fine tannic structures. They are fleshy and fresh, despite the sunny nature of the vintage. Due to the drought, quantities produced are below average.
Tasting notes
Dense garnet-red color.
At first sight, the nose reveals blackberry notes combined with hints of roasting. On aeration, noble, delicate flavors of graphite, gunflint and cocoa complete this beautiful aromatic palette.
The fresh, fleshy attack gives the wine a generous, well-balanced taste character. Chiseled tannins appear on the midpalate, combined with aromas of cherry pit and bitter chocolate.
Slightly chalky, the finish is long and mineral.