The 2011 Château Clerc Milon is a full-bodied, well-structured Bordeaux with aromas of toasted spice, tobacco, and red fruit. The palate features refined tannins, succulent fruit, and a long, warm finish with a slight saline lift. A wine with great aging potential, it is concentrated, smoky, and powerful, expected to evolve beautifully over the next decade.

Jamessuckling.com | JS 93
Published: Feb 19, 2014

A chewy wine, but the tannins are polished and pretty. Full body, intense fruit and tannins and a persistent finish. Muscular, but balanced. Try in 2018.

Decanter | D 92
Published: Feb 19, 2021
Drink: 2021-2045

This feels young and concentrated, but there is an angularity to the tannins that is not so present in Armailhac. A smoky tobacco edge is set against an intense black cherry and cassis mid palate with powerful tannins. After a few moments in the glass the structure softens, and this is at the beginning of its drinking window. I rarely give the same score to both Clerc and Armailhac, but both are very different expressions of the 2011 vintage, and each has its own charm. Temporary cellar at the time. 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Carmanère complete the blend.

Closure: Natural Cork
Alcohol: 13.00%
Body: Full
Oak: Oaked
Grapes: 7% Cabernet Franc 54% Cabernet Sauvignon 37% Merlot

The Wine Advocate | RP 88
Published: Apr 30, 2014
Drink: 2014-2029

Administrator Philippe Dhalluin has produced a firmly structured 2011 Clerc Milon that displays notes of red and dark cherries intermixed with earthy, dusty characteristics, medium body and good purity. Slightly angular, it will benefit from some bottle age, and should evolve for 15 or more years. The only troublesome element is the tartness in the finish, which should soften and dissipate in several years.

Jancisrobinson.com | JR 16
Published: Oct 7, 2021
Drink: 2021-2032

Tasted blind. Relatively pale ruby. Perfumed. Then very sweet fruit with a minerally, saline finish. Quite bright and still quite youthful. Though it’s a bit of a fast fader.

Chateau-clerc-milon.com

One of Château Clerc Milon’s distinctive features is its blend, which combines five typical Bordeaux grape varieties in a true reflection of its vineyard: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carmenere. Each variety’s contribution is essential but must be in the right proportions to express the best of the estate, vintage after vintage.

Cabernet Sauvignon brings structure and complex aromas and flavours as well as great ageing potential.
Cabernet Franc brings freshness. Its proportion is another distinguishing feature of the wine.
Merlot complements the Cabernets with its full and smooth character as well as its velvety mouthfeel.
The rich and complex array of aromas and flavours is set off by the spice notes of Petit Verdot.
Carmenere gives the best of itself, bringing subtle notes of wilted rose petals and violet. Making up a small proportion of the blend, it is an essential part of Château Clerc Milon.

Vintage 2011

Climatic Conditions
2011 was one of the hottest, sunniest and, above all, driest of the last forty years.
Very warm weather in April and May gave the vegetation cycle a head start : flowering was recorded on 15 May, the earliest date in living memory, and veraison started two-and-half weeks earlier than normal.
Conditions in July and August were very different, bringing less sunshine and significantly more precipitation. By the end of August, however, only 326 mm of rainfall had been recorded since 1 January, compared with an average of 519 mm.
Fine weather returned to the Médoc in early September and bright sunshine prevailed throughout the two weeks of the harvest, which began on 12 September. These auspicious conditions were extremely beneficial, allowing the grapes to ripen fully. Picking ended on 28 September.

Tasting Notes
The wine is a deep and radiant garnet red.
The nose reveals finely toasted spice and tobacco notes combined with more intense aromas of red fruit and cherry stone, with a mineral touch.
The palate is full and well-defined, dominated by the lustre of succulent fruit and refined, flavoursome tannins that open on a hint of chocolate.
The long, warm-hearted finish is lifted by a slightly saline taste.
A superb wine in a particularly demanding vintage.

Varietal mix 2011 Vintage
54%    Cabernet Sauvignon
37%    Merlot
7%    Cabernet Franc
1%    Petit Verdot
1%    Carmenère