Wine Advisor
Clerc Milon 2005
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Description
A wine with considerable ageing potential made in the traditional Médoc way, Château Clerc Milon is the result of a particularly successful marriage between gravel and clay-limestone terroirs and Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes. Powerful, tannic, full-bodied and rich in fruit, it also has all the typical elegance of the finest Pauillac wines.
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Fine and impressive even in this vintage, Clerc Milon’s 2005 has a dense purple color and a beautifully sweet, creamy blackcurrant nose of cedar wood and flowers. Spicy, earthy, rich, and medium to full-bodied, it will probably be at its best between 2020 and 2035.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Administrator Philippe Dalhuin has turned out an atypically structured, tannic, less approachable Clerc-Milon that has put on weight since last year and now rivals its stablemate, d’Armailhac. Powerful notes of forest floor, black currants, cherries, graphite, and pain grille emerge from this fresh yet exceptionally powerful, intense effort. It also possesses surprisingly high alcohol for this vintage (13.5%). The final blend was 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2025+.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
A blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Carmenere and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2005 is typical in that it has closed up shop in recent years. With gentle coaxing it offers enticing scents of blackberry, bay leaf, freshly chopped mint and citrus aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine acidity and much finer tannins than either the 2003 or 2004. It is much less aggressive than a couple of years ago. It is very harmonious and fans out gloriously towards the concentrated finish. Superb – but it needs another four or five years in the cellar. Drink 2015-2025+ Tasted April 2013.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The nose is very closed. Cedar, black fruits and a touch of tobacco. Quite supple, bright black fruits, touch of cassis, a little more fleshy than others. Good weight on the finish, nice grip and persistency. Much better than d'Armailhac. Tasted April 2006.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Medium to full-bodied, tannic, fresh, vibrant, and, as the French would say, croquant (crunchy), the 2005 deep ruby/purple-tinged Clerc-Milon reveals good acidity, a fresh, lively mouthfeel, surprisingly high alcohol (13.5%) that is at odds with the brightness/freshness found in the wine’s power and richness. The final blend was 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, and a smidgen of Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2020.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at BBR’s 2005/2009 tasting in London. The nose is tightly coiled with dark berried fruit, tobacco and graphite with good definition, but it seems to have gone into its shell since I last encountered it in 2009. The palate is medium bodied with tensile tannins, good acidity, quite angular at the moment with slightly aggressive tannins that require several years to soften. But there is good substance and sense of masculinity, fanning out beautifully on the finish. Tasted July 2011.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Clerc-Milon’s 2005 has moved ahead of its stablemate, d’Armailhac. A blend of nearly equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon (48%) and Merlot (40%), and the rest Cabernet Franc, it exhibits plenty of charcoal, roasted coffee, smoke, blackberry, and cassis notes along with a meaty-like character to its flavors and texture. Full-bodied with surprisingly high tannin as well as gorgeous depth and a multidimensional mouthfeel, this stunning Pauillac should be at its finest between 2014-2030.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The Château Clerc-Milon 2005 offers slightly more delineation on the nose compared to the d’Armailhac with ravishing blackberry, raspberry, soy and cedar scents vying for attention. The palate is underpinned by a fine lattice of tannin. This is reserved at the moment and dichotomous to the nose, it seems more linear in style, foursquare even with a tight-lipped finish that needs another 3 or 4 years to really open. But the focus and concentration is clearly present and correct and it should be a joy in the not too distant future.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted single blind at Southwold. The Clerc-Milon ’05 appears to have progressed leaps and bounds since barrel. There seems to have been a lot of skin-maceration on the nose: baked black cherries and damson jam. It would benefit from more definition but its opulence is irresistible. The palate is ripe, good grip, furry, blackberry and graphite coming through, masculine and assertive towards the tannic finish. Good grip and depth here, persistent finish but brutish at the moment. Drink 2015-2030+ Tasted January 2009.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Full ruby-red. Superripe, almost syrupy aromas of cassis, licorice, graphite and coffee. Full, seamless and sweet, with a ripeness verging on exotic; but this is fat with fruit. An outsized Clerc-Milon with a relatively high 13.2% alcohol but also very good energy in the mouth. Finishes with terrific breadth and substantial ripe tannins. This was very restrained in the barrel but is really opening up in bottle, noted Dhalluin. A superb showing today.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Deep ruby-red. Deeply pitched aromas of musky currant, chocolate and nutty oak. Very ripe, sweet and densely packed if a bit youthfully clenched. A massive, typical Pauillac that's slow to reveal its personality. Showing less exuberant minerality today than the 2005 Armailhac but this has real power and density. Finishes with late-arriving, ripe tannins that reach the front teeth.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
(a blend of 48% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot, 10% cabernet franc and 1% each petit verdot and carmenere) Ruby-red. Aromas of raspberry, redcurrant, chocolate, leather and sexy oak spices. Rich, supple and quite suave, with black raspberry and chocolate flavors lifted by an enticing floral character. Atypically silky, round and stylish for this wine. Finishes with broad, lush tannins. Drink after 2010.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
I have noticed that both myself and Robert Parker have consistently given the 2005 Château Clerc-Milon a very respectable 93 points. At ten years of age (has time flow that quickly?), I find no reason to change my opinion of a truly great wine for the estate. The nose is straight-down-the-line classic Clerc-Milon with intense graphite and cigar box aromas infusing the black fruit that could only come from Pauillac. The palate is medium-bodied with powerful black and red fruit, hints of tobacco suffusing the multi-layered black fruit that gently grip the mouth. It has opened slightly since I last tasted this wine, though I would still afford it another 3 to 4 years in bottle. This is a great Clerc-Milon, probably the best ever made. Tasted August 2016.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2005 Clerc Milon has plenty of red berry fruit, kirsch, touches of liquorice and cassis. The palate is medium-bodied and fresher than the d'Armailhac with supple tannins and notes of white pepper and liquorice. This comes across surprisingly sweet and spicy on the finish, though it lacks the complexity and elegance of the very best vintages of this Pauillac estate. Tasted at Mouton Rothschild.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This is an impressive and dynamic 2005 with blackcurrant, sweet-tobacco and raw-meat aromas that follow through to a full body with wonderful fruit complexity and succulent tannins. It’s a joy to drink now, but will continue to improve for decades ahead. One of the best ever.
About the Producer
A legendary terroir, prestigious neighbours, a providential encounter: the history and the success of Château Clerc Milon are summed up in these three words. The terroir is that of Pauillac, where some of the world’s finest wines are made. The neighbours are Mouton and Lafite, illustrious First Growths whose nearby vines can be seen from the terrace of the Château. The encounter was with Baron Philippe, who in 1970 acquired the then badly neglected estate and decided to restore it to its status as a Classified Growth. Now, thanks to Baroness Philippine, Clerc Milon, one of the most highly regarded châteaux in the Bordeaux region, can boast technical facilities and reception areas worthy of its reputation.
1949(2)1995(2)1996(2)1998(2)1999(1)2000(5)2001(4)2003(2)2004(2)
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