Château Clerc Milon 2017

This starts with a kick of violet before a well-built beam of black currant, fig and plum paste flavors enters authoritatively. Very solid through the finish, with chestnut, alder and graphite notes adding a defined bass line. Fresh acidity is well-embedded throughout, keeping all the elements in line. A strong showing. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carmenère. Best from 2022 through 2038.

Gorgeous, perfumed fruit on the nose, with rich, glamorous notes of violet, ripe red cherries, bramble, coffee and hints of leather. Robust and muscular, plump and weighty, with assertive tannins.

This is a rich and profound red with blackberries, blackcurrants, pine needles and graphite. Black licorice, too. Full-bodied, crisp and creamy with fantastic tannin backbone and length. Deep. A blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon, 23% merlot, 14% cabernet franc, 2% petit verdot and 1% carmenere. Try after 2022.

The 2017 Clerc Milon, which contains a tiny lot of Carmenère, has a delightful bouquet that offers blackberry, briary flecks of cocoa nibs and freshly rolled tobacco. It is tightly wound at the moment and simply requires bottle age. The palate is medium-bodied with a fresh, vibrant entry. It is a strict and quite linear Clerc Milon, “correct” to the point of being straight-laced with a well-defined, classically styled off-dry finish. Fine, classy, if medium rather than long-term. What you might call a “cool” customer.

Minerality and salty tannins heighten the natural sweetness of the deep, red fruits. The wine has vitality, gentleness and the structure to age. The finish delivers ripe cassis, blackberry, licorice and even more rock and stone. Certainly this is one of the best vintages for Clerc Milon. An arrangement of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% old vine Carmenere, the wine reached 13.2% ABV with a pH of 3.64. The harvest took place September 13 to September 29.

Deep dark ruby, with purple reflections and a delicate bright rim. A nice nougat touch on the nose, a hint of wild forest berry confit, and subtle orange zest. A juicy palate, round and elegant, with discreet tannins; it is freshly structured, balanced, and pleasantly spicy. A multi-faceted food wine.

The 2017 Chateau Clerc Milon checks in as 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot and Carmenere brought up in 50% new French oak. It's a much straighter, more focused, serious wine than the Pastourelle and has classic red and black currant fruits as well as medium to full body, a ripe, spicy, textured mid-palate, building tannins, and a great finish. It's another classic, balanced, nicely textured 2017 that's going to evolve well for 3-5 years and keep for two decades.

Dense garnet with a lightening rim. Intense forest-berry bouquet with rosewood and light tobacco. Firm on the palate with a taut, sinewy body. In the focused finish, ripe cranberries, fresh cocoa powder, and delicate astringency. Unfortunately, it does not reach last year’s level.

Kunz barrel sample 18: (60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Carmenère) Deep, dense, velvety, powerful bouquet, black cassis, black cherries, a fine hint of truffle, dark tobacco. Tightly knit, powerful palate with dark fruit, plenty of fine tannins, an elegant, muscular structure, intense, concentrated aromatics, and a long, full, fresh finish.

Elegant, fresh, complex bouquet: cassis, nougat, currants, fine woods, delicate roasted notes. Elegant, dense, multi-layered palate with powerful, fresh fruit, fine tannins, creamy texture, intense, sweet aromatics, long, fragrant finish. Can improve further. 18/20 2023 - 2045

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Carmenere, the 2017 Clerc Milon has a deep garnet-purple color. It slowly unfurls to reveal notes of baked blackcurrants, blackberry pie, and aniseed, plus wafts of dried herbs and smoked meats. Light to medium-bodied, the palate is lively and elegantly styled with crunchy black fruits and loads of savory sparks, finishing earthy.

2017 is brilliant; it’s a sleek, lively wine with flavorful mid-palate. Two fine successes for the cru.

A taut, fruity, juicy wine with a beautiful structure, supple tannins, a long, taut finish, and lovely flesh.

The 2017 has a notable merit: it reveals from the outset who it is and where it comes from. It perfectly embodies what we know of the estate, with its ability to express the terroir and unveil itself little by little. Everything is there, but to a lesser degree, reflecting a vintage that, beyond the frost, was warm and dry. A sapid, precise, mouthwatering wine. There is depth and freshness, with structure well controlled by the tannic framework and the acidity.

The nose is fruity and offers power, fine grain and concentration. We find notes of Boysenberry, wild strawberry and, more lightly, lily and lilac, and more subtly blackcurrant and licorice, combined with very fine hints of sweet spices, vanilla pod, cornflower and very discreet touches of sweet blond tobacco. The palate is fruity, balanced and offers lovely definition, indulgence, a tangy backbone and tension. On the palate, this wine reveals notes of fleshy cherry, fleshy/juicy strawberry and, more lightly, crunchy/juicy blackcurrant, together with small touches of violet, lily/cornflower, as well as fine hints of licorice, chocolate, caramelization and very discreet touches of vanilla (in the background). Good length. A lovely persistence.

Dark, intense, and vibrant color. A particularly aromatic and intense nose for the cru. Pure, ripe, and subtle fruit. Soft on the attack, silky as it unfolds, and quite majestic mid-palate; the wine gains in richness and completeness while remaining airy to the touch. It’s really very good.

With its elegant structure and a layer of firm tannins, this wine has density, a dry core and the black-currant freshness that comes with the vintage. The tannins will allow this wine to age well. Drink from 2023.