Description

In the Northern part of Pauillac, you will find the 41-hectare estate of Clerc Milon. Clerc Milon is now in the hands of Baronne Philippe de Rothschild who also owns Mouton Rothchild (amongst others). The vineyard is next to both Lafite and Mouton and unusually contains some Carmenère in its plantings. Cabernet Sauvignon 50%, Merlot 36%, Cabernet Franc 11%, Petit Verdot 2%, Carmenère 1%. The wines here are structured, rich of fruit and dense but lack the depth of complexity of its great neighbours. Still a great wine by any standards, very cellar friendly and often great value.

Stunning nose of violets and roses, red and blue fruits, olives and oak. It is a densely packed wine with a lot of immediate impact. The palate follows on with silky, rich and juicy fruits good length, balance and fine tannins. Delicious.

Bordeaux

Situated near the Atlantic coast of France and is shaped by the Gironde, Dordogne and Garonne rivers. Cool conditions and frequent rainfall, including during harvest time, makes Bordeaux quite a marginal region with vintages frequently ruined by rain or saved from the rain at the last minute by timely sunshine.

Pauillac

The powerhouse of the Left Bank. It contains three of the five first growth wines. And a wealth of other great Chateaux beyond that. It combines the cool charm of St-Julien to the South and the rugged richness of St-Estephe to the North and makes the wines that are often thought of as classic Bordeaux. Cabernet Sauvignon reigns here. Expect wines that are built to last 40 years in a great vintage.

Cabernet Sauvignon

The noble variety of Bordeaux’s left bank. Firm tannins, a streak of acidity and punctuated by flavours of cassis, violets, spice and leather. The best examples can age for the long term. Although Cabernet does often require blending with Merlot, Cabernet Franc or Shiraz to fix the hole it has in its middle palate.

Merlot

It gets a tough time most of the places it is grown. But in Pomerol and Saint-Emilion Merlot not only dominates but makes some of the best wines in the world. Perfume, silky and plush. Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon season the wines with structure and acid but in some places, like Petrus, they are almost not needed.

2016

A vintage of two extremes which counteracted each other and we ended up with one of the best vintages we’ve seen in a while.