Château Clerc Milon 2018

Clerc Milon 2018 is a polished and characterful red from Pauillac in Bordeaux, crafted from a classic Left Bank blend led by Cabernet Sauvignon. This vintage balances power and finesse, offering both immediate pleasure and serious cellaring potential. As part of the Rothschild family of estates, Clerc Milon has risen from relative obscurity to become one of Pauillac’s most sought‑after classed growths, consistently overdelivering on quality for the price.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, Clerc Milon 2018 shows a medium to deep garnet‑purple hue, signalling concentration and youthful energy. The nose is beautifully defined and pure, with lifted aromas of crushed blackcurrants, ripe black plums and boysenberries, layered with hints of wild thyme, damp earth, tar and black olives. On the palate, the wine is medium to full‑bodied with a taut, muscular core of black fruit wrapped in savory complexity. Flavors of cassis, dark plum and blackberry are framed by notes of graphite, subtle tobacco and a faint mineral edge. The tannins are firm and grainy yet already well‑integrated, giving the wine structure without harshness, while the finish is long, precise and distinctly mineral. This 2018 has the backbone to age gracefully for 12–20 years, developing more tertiary nuances of cedar, leather and truffle with time in the cellar.

Production
Clerc Milon sits on prime Pauillac terroir in the northern Médoc, with gravelly, well‑drained soils over a limestone and clay subsoil that are ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon and its Bordeaux counterparts. The 2018 blend is composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Carménère, reflecting both tradition and the estate’s diverse vineyard plantings. Grapes are harvested parcel by parcel at optimal ripeness, typically by hand, to preserve berry integrity and allow strict selection. Vinification generally takes place in temperature‑controlled vats to ensure a gentle, precise extraction of color, tannin and aroma, followed by aging in French oak barrels (a proportion new) to refine the wine’s structure and add subtle spice without overwhelming the purity of fruit.

Food & Serving
Clerc Milon 2018 is a natural partner for classic, rich dishes such as roast lamb with herbs, entrecôte steak, beef Wellington, duck breast, or game birds like pheasant. It also pairs beautifully with earthy mushroom dishes, truffle risotto and aged hard cheeses such as Comté or mature cheddar. Serve at 16–18°C (60–64°F) to highlight both its aromatic finesse and textural depth. When young, it benefits from 1–2 hours in a decanter to soften the tannins and open up the layered bouquet; as it matures, a shorter, more gentle decant just before serving will help separate any sediment and allow the wine to express its complexity.

Producer
Château Clerc Milon is a Fifth Growth estate from the 1855 Classification, located in Pauillac between the famed properties of Mouton Rothschild and Lafite Rothschild. Once relatively modest in reputation, the château has been transformed since coming under the ownership and stewardship of Baron Philippe de Rothschild in the 1970s. Extensive investment in the vineyards and cellar, along with meticulous viticulture, have elevated Clerc Milon to one of the most exciting and reliable values in classed-growth Bordeaux. The estate is particularly noted for its precision, purity of fruit and the inclusion of rare Carménère in the blend, which adds a subtle aromatic twist and underscores Clerc Milon’s distinctive identity within the Pauillac landscape.

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