Clerc Milon 2021 (3.0L)

93-94 JS / 92-94 WA / 92-94 VM / 93 DE / 92 JA / 90-93 JD / 88-90+ WI

Polished and well-structured red with a medium body and firm but creamy and broad tannins. Perfumed already, with sandalwood, blackberry and currant character. Crushed stones. Tea leaves, too. Firm and solid to the end. Very solid for the vintage. 59% cabernet sauvignon, 28% merlot, 10% cabernet franc, 1.5% carmenere and 1.5% petit verdot. - James Suckling

The 2021 Clerc Milon is a success, bursting with aromas of blackberries, cassis and plums mingled with violets, tobacco leaf and nicely integrated new oak. Medium to full-bodied, layered and seamless, it's deep, fleshy and complete, with a rich core of succulent fruit, beautifully polished tannins and a long, sapid finish, it's a compelling, characterful wine that transcends the vintage. - William Kelley, Wine Advcate

The 2021 Clerc Milon is gorgeous. Beams of tannin lend energy and direction to an alluring Clerc Milon that marries fruit density with a classic sense of structure that is quite appealing. - Antonio Gallino, Vinous Media

Bramble and hedgerow notes, some smoke, tobacco, chocolate, liquorice-laced black fruits and graphite on the nose. Seriously captivating with the complexity continuing on the palate, comprising coffee, cedar, clove and cinnamon alongside plump and plush layers of succulent and concentrated blackcurrant and black cherry fruit and racy acidity. The 59% Cabernet Sauvignon influence is in sharp focus, right to the fore, wanting all the attention, but at the same time this has a beautiful and generous fragrance to it from 10% Cabernet Franc. Refined and elegant, I love the presentation and the structure, giving such length and freshness on the long finish. An excellent Clerc this year which really stands out. 1.5% Camenère and 1.5 Petit Verdot complete the blend. 3.73pH. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter

Sappy, concentrated, powerful, this is a wine that has a lot of power naturally and in a vintage like 2021 (and with higher Cabernet Franc and higher Carmanère than the past few years), it runs the risk of being austere. Certainly you feel a sterner character than over the past few years, but there is flexibility in the tannins, and well-worked blackcurrant and blackberry fruit. Will benefit from fattening up through the mid palate over ageing, because all the elements are here. 55% new oak. 57IPT. 3.73ph. Caroline Artaud technical director as of this vintage. Strong candidate for upscore in bottle. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

The 2021 Château Clerc Milon is based on 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Carmenère and Petit Verdot. It has more pure cassis and graphite as well as medium bodied richness, ripe, polished tannins, remarkable purity of fruit, and a great finish. - Jeb Dunnuck

The 2021 Clerc Milon is a blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 1.5% Carmenere, and 1.5% Petit Verdot, harvested from 22 September to 6 October, and aging in 55% new oak. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it struts out of the glass with confident blackcurrant jelly, ripe plums, and blackberry pie scents with touches of cedar chest, damp soil, and Provence herbs. Light to medium-bodied, the palate has a solid backbone of grainy tannins and seamless freshness supporting the vibrant, youthful black fruits, delivering great length. pH 3.73. IPT 57. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent