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Clerc Milon 2005

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pauillac
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon/Merlot

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château Clerc Milon

Label

Tasting Notes

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.

93
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (219), June 2015

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. Drink 2020 - 2045

93
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, February 2015

Offers fabulous aromas of currant, tar, lead pencil and mineral. Full-bodied, with supersoft tannins that caress the palate. Beautiful and impressive. A fabulous wine. The best Clerc in a very long time. Best after 2014.

95
James Suckling, WineSpectator.com, March 2008

Tasted blind. Light nose. Solid, blackcurrant, rather stodgy. Absolutely par for the course for a Pauillac 2005 but difficult to see any real excitement. A bit dead in the middle.
Drink 2017-2034

16.5
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, March 2017

Ruby-red. Plum, currant, graphite, cedar and smoky, nutty oak on the nose. Big, round and spicy, with lovely mid-palate fat and sweetness to the enticing currant and coffee flavors. This has very good breadth, although Dhalluin finds it "vertical" today and feels it has suffered more from the recent fining than either d'Armailhac or Mouton. But there's excellent supporting material here for the wine's tannins.

92
Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, May 2009

Deep colour and fine leafy, fresh cassis fruit, fully ripe with good concentration with an attractive lift of coffee bean spice. Drink 2010-25.

17.5
Steven Spurrier, Decanter.com, April 2006

Lifted, intense cassis, still very youthful. Beautifully refreshing glass of wine, decent length. Fruity, attractive, early drinking. Drink from 2013. Awarded 3 stars.

16
Decanter.com, Decanter.com, July 2008

Came 39th out of 184 wines

16.77
-, Southwold Bordeaux Tasting, January 2009
Read more tasting notes...

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

92
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (176), April 2008

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+.

91/93
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (170), April 2007

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.

90/92
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (164), April 2006
95
James Suckling, WineSpectator.com, February 2008

Loads of violets, berries and currants with hints of mineral, light vanilla. Full-bodied, with very silky tannins and a long, long finish. Is it better than 2003? Wait and see.

92/94
James Suckling, WineSpectator.com, March 2006

Light to mid crimson. Lively, sprightly. Without the density of most 2005s but well balanced in a relatively low-key way. The tannins are - almost - hidden. 13%
Drink 2022-2040

17
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, February 2015

Very dark and very mineral on the nose. Then lots of sweetness on the front palate and finally a whack of still-dry tannins. Just a bit too dry and austere on the finish for a higher mark but this wine can certainly deliver pleasure

17
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, February 2009

Deep, dark crimson - rather velvety-looking. Savoury, appetising notes on the nose. Silky, fine tannins, very well-handled oak. A rather St-Julien-style Pauillac. Very well mannered and gentle. Though not the limit of ambition. Much extended, renovated property which was especially successful in 2005. Drink 2015-27

17.5
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2006

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.

92
Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, June 2008
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.