Chateau Clerc Milon Rothschild 2018

DECANTER: "This is an extremely successful Clerc Milon in a run of great vintages at the property. Lovely purity, clear big tannins, and real poise and tension. Persistent, succulent, full of cassis, liquorice and crushed mint. Seriously impressive and will go the distance. Harvest from 17 September to 10 October. Blend completed by 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Carmenère. Drinking Window 2026 - 2045"

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Feine Kräuterwürze, zart nach Velours, reife Kirschfrucht, kandierte Orangenzesten, tabakige Nuancen. Straff, engmaschig, feine Beerenfrucht, reife, tragende Tannine, mineralischer Kern, salzig im Abgang, extraktsüßer Nachhall, feines Nougat im Rückgeschmack, zeigt Länge und Reifepotenzial. (2025–2050)"

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "This opulent wine is as bold with its fruit as with its tannins. The initial velvet texture masks the dense structure that will allow it to age impressively. Blackberry flavors, acidity and intense richness are coming together in a welter of ripe fruits. Drink from 2026."

JAMES SUCKLING: "Blackcurrants, tobacco, graphite, cloves and dried leaves on the nose. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, tightly knit tannins. Structured and compact with a long, mineral finish. Tight and austere. Very pretty structure here. Wait until 2025."

WEINWISSER: "Dichtes Purpurrot. 60 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 13 % Cabernet Franc, 27 % Merlot. Was für ein Parfüm nach reifen Pflaumen, Brombeergelee und Bakkarat-Rosen. Im zweiten Ansatz Nougatpralinen und Cassisdrops. Am mittleren Gaumen mit cremiger Textur und anschmiegsamen Tanninen, zarte Eisennote und wie ein schnittiger Sportwagen. Im energiegeladenen Finale ein Feuerwerk aus purer schwarzer Frucht, Holundergelee und endet mit zartem Biss. Hat mich schon während der Primeurs völlig in seinen Bann gezogen – ganz klare Kaufempfehlung!"

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "This is clearly a new level of quality for Clerc Milon. The wine opens with a touch of smoke, crushed rock, violets, crème de cassis and spice. Elegant, soft, refined and fresh, the fruit feels just great on your palate with the perfect amount of vibrancy, giving you lift and more than ample fruit offering you length. From a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% old vine Carmenere, the wine is 14.15%. Clearly, this is the best vintage ever produced at Clerc Milon!"

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2018 Clerc Milon is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Carménère. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it has a very pure, beautifully delineated nose of crushed blackcurrants, fresh black plums and boysenberries with hints of wild thyme, damp soil, tar and black olives. The medium to full-bodied palate offers taut, muscular black fruit with loads of savory layers and a firm, grainy texture, finishing long and mineral tinged."

JEB DUNNUCK: "From an estate located on the east side of highway D2 and between Château Lafite and Château Mouton Rothschild, the 2018 Château Clerc Milon is a ripe, sexy, full-bodied Pauillac that brings plenty of richness while still staying reasonably elegant. Blackcurrants, blackberries, smoked earth, new leather, and cedary herbs all flow to an impressively endowed, layered Pauillac with chewy tannins, terrific balance, and a great finish. Based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 50% new French oak, this outstanding 2018 needs 4-6 years of bottle age to round into form and will evolve nicely for 20-25 years."

WINE SPECTATOR: "This throws off a lovely stream of violet and cassis aromas and flavors that are sleek and pure in feel, picking up dark cherry, iron and sanguine details along the way. Refined and cellarworthy. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carmenère. Best from 2023 through 2035."