Chateau Clerc Milon

Château Clerc Milon, a fifth-growth winery located in Pauillac, Bordeaux, boasts 41 hectares of vineyards that were classified as fifth growth in 1855. The estate uses 80% of their grapes for the first wine and 20% for the second wine. The vineyards neighbor two first growths, Ch. Lafite and Ch. Mouton Rothschild, and have an average vine age of 53 years. 

Cerlc Milon practices sustainable viticulture, certified by HVE, and incorporate some biodynamic principles. A third of their vineyard is organic, with a planting composition of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Carmenère, with a vine density between 9,000 and 10,000 vines/ha.

The vineyard's slight incline aids natural drainage, sunlight exposure, and forms a microclimate that shields the vines from frost in winter and reduces hail risk while maintaining coolness in summer. The nearby river also contributes to this effect. 

Manual harvesting and sorting are done with 12-kilo open baskets. The cellar employs gravity feeding to transfer grapes, preserving their fragrance and flavor, and reduce pumping over. The wine matures for 16 to 18 months in oak barrels with 40% new oak, maintaining humidity at nearly 80% and temperature between 14 and 16°C. Racking occurs one to three times during maturation, followed by fining with egg whites and bottling.

Baron Philippe de Rothschild family owns Château Clerc Milon, one of three Pauillac classified growths. Baron Philippe began restoration in 1970, a mission continued by his daughter, Baroness Philippine, until her passing in 2014. Today, her children, Philippe and Camille Sereys de Rothschild, and Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild, carry on her legacy. Recently, the estate flourished under Director Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy's stewardship, expanding his role in 2020 to include Ch. Mouton Rothschild and Ch. d'Armailhac.

The 1961 is one of the best Clerc Milon ever. Recent high scoring vintages are 2005, 2006, 2009, 2019.