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.


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.

(94 pts)
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. 93

Drink 2012-2025+
-Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide No 7

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.

Dark, narrow rimmed red; fresh, crisply fruity, cedary bouquet; rich, elegant, fresh, finely if firmly tannic middleweight; sweet and savoury to taste, long and spicy and quite complex within the still firm frame, and with a very fine sweet fruit persistence. Good already, even better with another five years or so. 2017 – 27+