5th Classified Growth in 1855
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The Château Clerc Milon is one of the most sublime wines of the Pauillac appellation. The lands of Domaine were included in those of the seigneury of Lafite 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 will obtain the title of Fifth Grand Cru Classé during the famous classification of 1855 for the World Fair in Paris.
In 1970, it enters under a new banner by being bought by Baron Philippe de Rothschild. Today, it is his 3 grandchildren who manage it, revealing year after year all the potential of its exceptional terroir thanks to state-of-the-art technical facilities and great know-how.
Located on sandy gravel and clay-limestone soils, its vineyard occupies 41 hectares of vines, of which 53.5% are 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, 50% of which are new.
The property produces a Second wine, Pastourelle de Clerc Milon.
The wines of Château Clerc Milon are precise, complex, and finely structured, in which the brilliance of the fruit is expressed.
2016 is undoubtedly a very good vintage in Bordeaux. The spring was mild, allowing the vines to break bud in March. After a homogeneous flowering in June thanks to very good sunshine conditions, the summer was hot and dry, having offered the vine perfect conditions to develop well. September and October were sunny, allowing the berries to ripen to perfection, and the harvest took place in almost perfect conditions.
Vintage 2016 blend: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Carmenère
The color is a deep, dark red with brilliant, slightly tiled highlights.
The nose is worthy of a Grand Pauillac, combining finesse and power. It releases notes of ripe fruit, blackcurrant and blueberry, licorice, pepper and light tobacco.
The attack is precise, the wine quickly reveals fullness and density with fine and structured tannins. The mid-palate is almost creamy, with woody, roasted and blackberry flavors. It blooms on a long aromatic, persistent and fleshy finish.
Food and wine pairing:
Château Clerc Milon 2016 will pair perfectly with a leg of lamb à la ficelle, a duck confit with a sauce of Périgord ceps, a jugged hare or a stuffed turkey.
To accompany cheese, prefer uncooked pressed cheese, such as Cantal, Morbier with truffles, Saint-Nectaire and Tomme de Savoie.
Cellaring potential and tasting:
Château Clerc Milon 2016 in magnum can wait at least 15 years in the cellar, and will reach its peak between 2035 and 2045, due to the large capacity of the bottle which allows the wine to gain in aging potential.
It can however be tasted soon, if you open the bottle the day before at room temperature. Otherwise, open the bottle 6 to 7 hours before tasting, decanting if possible.
To follow its evolution over time, do not hesitate to proceed to successive tastings to measure the evolution of the wine and its qualitative peak.
The bottles will be kept in the cellar protected from light, lying down, at an optimal hygrometric degree of 70 %.
