Clerc Milon - Pauillac 2015

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

94

par Jane Anson le 14/10/2022

Inky depths to the colour, gunsmoke aromatics, sweet blackberry, damson and bilberry fruit. Muscular tannins holding everything in place but you can clearly see the development ahead, with its concentrated cocoa bean, espresso, toasted cherry pit and rosemary on the finish. Great stuff. Harvest September 17 to October 6, Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy technical director, 50% new oak.

Vinous

90

par Neal Martin le 10/07/2019

The 2015 Clerc-Milon has a lively, fresh bouquet with more red than black fruit, offering wild strawberry, red cherries and bergamot aromas laced with cedar. The lightly spiced palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin; more black fruit surfaces here. Well-balanced and focused, though I would like more substance and grip on the finish. This showed much better a year ago, so it may be entering a dumb phase. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.

Wine Advocate

93

par Neal Martin le 02/03/2018

 The 2015 Clerc Milon seems to have tempered the flamboyant aromatics that it displayed out of barrel to manifest a more refined and yet still outgoing bouquet laden with black cherries, raspberry, cedar and freshly picked mint. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, slightly lactic on the entry and with a smooth, almost velvety texture. There is a seam of graphite that becomes more prominent toward the finish, black olive and allspice lingering on the long aftertaste. This is simply an excellent Clerc Milon replete with grace and finesse. Anticipated maturity: 2021 - 2040. 

Vinous

92

par Antonio Galloni le 27/02/2018

Inky blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice and licorice, along with the natural generosity of the vintage, give the 2015 Clerc-Milon is plush, sumptuous personality. Although not especially complex or nuanced, the 2015 offers plenty of raciness in an accessible, fleshy style that can be enjoyed with minimal fuss. From barrel, the 2015 gave the impression of being quite structured, but the bottled wine is far more forthcoming at this early stage. The blend is 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Carmenère.

Wine Advocate

93

par Lisa Perrotti-Brown le 22/02/2018

A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Carmenere, the medium garnet-purple colored 2015 Clerc Milon opens with expressive crushed blackberries, red and black plums and cigar boxes notions with suggestions of dried herbs, earth and violets plus a waft of dark chocolate. Medium-bodied, fine, fresh and elegant, it has a lovely core of very pure red and black fruits, supported by finely textured tannins and finishing on a lingering perfumed note. This is a very pretty, superbly poised Pauillac!

Wine Spectator

91

par James Molesworth le 15/02/2018

This offers up a perfumed profile of gently warmed cherry and plum fruit along with notes of black tea, vanilla and licorice. Shows a light sanguine twinge through the finish. Best from 2020 through 2029.   –JM

Jamessuckling.com

95

par James Suckling le 12/02/2018

Extremely floral with blackberry and blueberry character plus hints of violets. Full-bodied yet always in check and reserve with fine tannins and bright acidity that goes on for minutes. Limestone undertones. The finish is particularly long this vintage. Super Clerc. Try in 2021.

Decanter.com

94

par Jane Anson le 26/01/2018

Jeb DUNNUCK

94

par Jeb Dunnuck le 30/11/2017

Jancis Robinson

17

par Julia Harding MW le 08/11/2017

Broad and sweet and easy but perhaps a little less clearly defined than the Ch d’Armailhac 2015. Inky, slightly astringent finish.

The Wine Cellar Insider

90-92

par Jeff Leve le 30/04/2016

The essence of forest floor, freshly fallen leaves and the wrapper of a fine cigar mingle with sweet cherries and fennel to create the aromatics for this medium/full-bodied wine. Silky, elegant, charming and focused on perfectly ripened red fruits, there is a beguiling purity in the cherry finish, leaving a lasting memory on the palate. Blending 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% old vine Carmenere, this wine reached 13.4% alcohol with a pH of 3.63.

Wine Advocate

91-93

par Neal Martin le 29/04/2016

The 2015 Clerc Milon is a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 1% each of Petit Verdot and Carmenère, raised in 55% new oak. It has a highly perfumed bouquet with scents of small black cherries, graphite, touches of incense and wilted violets. This is a very extravagant bouquet for Clerc-Milon that wants to make an early impression. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannin, more expressive and delineated than the 2015 d'Armailhac, the finish beautifully focused with that graphite seam coming through on the sustained finish. This is potentially an outstanding Clerc-Milon, though it will need a decade in bottle to show its true potential.

Decanter.com

93

par Steven Spurrier le 27/04/2016

Fuller than its stablemate d’Armailhac, showing more black fruits and a broader palate, but the same silky richness is there – a hallmark of big brother Mouton. Has great depth for the future. 2021-2040

Vinous

91-93

par Antonio Galloni le 27/04/2016

The 2015 Clerc Milon is plush, round and inviting, with a gorgeous center of fruit, striking aromatics and balance. The tannins are especially silky, which gives the 2015 much of its succulence and inviting personality. Hints of mocha, dark spices and violets add further shades of nuance and gravitas in a Clerc Milon endowed with real depth, density and gravitas. Patience will be key, as the 2015 is likely to require at least a few years to fully come together. This is a very pretty, rewarding Clerc Milon. Tasted three times.

timatkin.com

92

par Tim Atkin MW le 20/04/2016

Jancis Robinson

17,5

par Jancis Robinson le 19/04/2016

51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Carmenère. Picked 17 Sep - 6 Oct. Rather broader and riper than Armailhac, presumably thanks to the lower Cabernet quotient. But still very fresh, almost inky. Dry finish. 'New fashioned.' Super-appetising. Very long. Drink 2024-2040

Wine Enthusiast

93-95

par Roger Voss le 15/04/2016

Barrel Sample. This is a velvety wine with its beautiful tannins and generous fruit. Its acidity shows through in its bright character that is both approachable and structured.

Jamessuckling.com

94-95

par James Suckling le 05/04/2016

This is super fine textured with ultra-polished tannins. Full body, blackberry, blueberry and dark chocolate. Long and refined.

Wine Spectator

89-92

par James Molesworth le 03/04/2016

Offers a rounded, juicy feel, with cherry and black currant fruit moving along, backed by sweet tobacco notes and a flicker of anise. Pure and fresh.—J.M.