CHÂTEAU CLERC MILON

The 2018 Clerc Milon is showing beautifully today. Gorgeous savory notes from the Cabernet Sauvignon open first, showing the modern direction of Clerc Milon towards a more Cabernet focused wine. Dried flowers, menthol, licorice, graphite and black cherry are all laced together effortlessly. The tannins have settled down a bit since en primeur, which is a very good sign for the future. Drinking range: 2024 - 2043 Rating: 93 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Mar 2021)

Blackcurrants, tobacco, graphite, cloves and dried leaves on the nose. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, tightly knit tannins. Structured and compact with a long, mineral finish. Tight and austere. Very pretty structure here. Wait until 2025. Rating: 95 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Feb 2021)

This throws off a lovely stream of violet and cassis aromas and flavors that are sleek and pure in feel, picking up dark cherry, iron and sanguine details along the way. Refined and cellarworthy. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carmenère. Drinking range: 2023 - 2035 Rating: 93 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Jan 2021)

Beautiful, with a thrilling freshness and purity, especially in its tannins, the 2018 Château Clerc Milon is full-bodied, concentrated, and layered on the palate, with ample fruit and texture paired with terrific overall balance. Loaded with dark, smoky red and black fruits, graphite, cedar, and tobacco, it's an elegant yet powerful wine. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot and Carménère, all aged in 50% new oak. Rating: 92-94 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (May 2019)

The 2018 Clerc Milon is composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Carménère. Grapes were harvested a bit later here than at Mouton, from September 17 to October 10. Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with bold scents of warm cassis, blackberry compote and dark chocolate with hints of Morello cherries, baking spices and dried roses plus a waft of underbrush. It has a wonderfully rich, confidently sensuous palate with plenty of spicy layers and a velvety texture, finishing long and perfumed. This should age incredibly. Rating: 93-95 Lisa Perrotti-Brown, RobertParker.com (Apr 2019)

Very dark cherry colour. Beautifully aromatic – not just pure black fruit but tea leaf and a touch floral. Silky and fresh, elegant in its texture. Juicy and fresh on the finish and much more open than the Armailhac just tasted, the tannins not as thick. Drinking range: 2028 - 2038 Rating: 17 Julia Harding MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2019)

Very generous and dense with layers of gorgeous blackberries and blueberries. Full-bodied and so layered with fantastic tannin backbone at the same time. Rating: 95-96 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2019)

Here we have a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Carmenère, all picked between September 17th and October 10th. The alcohol is 14.1%. This shows a superb combination of sweetly perfumed fruit and grilled energy, pure with chalk dust, mineral limestone, black cherry and currant fruits, all in a very elegant frame. The palate is magnificent, polished and broad, filled with tightly defined fruits, dark and grippy, with a grilled intensity but no shortage of freshness and acidity. An impressive finish, brimming with tannin, and no shortage of impact. A pure, cool and energetic style, with great substance. This has to be one of the best Clerc-Milons for years. Tasted twice. The élevage will be in 50% new and 50% second-fill oak. 94-96/100 Rating: 94-96 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2019)

This spicy wine has an undertone of oak that adds to the richness. While there is a dense blackberry flavor, the bright acidity shines through to lighten it up. It's a fine wine with plenty of aging potential. Rating: 94 Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast www.winemag.com (Apr 2019)