Pastourelle de Clerc Milon 2015

When the owner of Château Mouton Rothschild, Baron Philippe de Rothschild, acquired Château Clerc Milon in 1970, the property was in a tremendous state of disrepair.  The Baron’s choice raised more than its fair share of eyebrows, considering he owned one of the créme de la créme estates in Pauillac - the First Growth Château Mouton Rothschild.  People couldn’t help but wonder why one of the most prominent figures in wine would take interest in a dilapidated estate that was on the verge of fading into obscurity.  This did not dissuade him as the Baron had grandiose plans for Château Clerc Milon. He described it as, “... a pretty estate that was in high quality terroir that was currently in poor condition.”  It turns out, the Baron’s instincts were correct and he revitalized the property, restoring it to its former glory as a well-respected Fifth Growth. 
 
Prior to the Baron’s acquisition of Château Clerc Milon, the history of this property is a bit of a muddled one.  First records of the estate mention that Château Clerc Milon was neighbors with the more well-known property, Château Duhart Milon.   Château Clerc Milon belonged to the Clerc family when it was classified in 1855, and this is how it receives its namesake.  Before the Rothschilds acquired the property, the estate was parceled off and sold many times. 
 
By 1970, there were only 10.5 hectares left of the estate and it was pretty much unknown outside of Pauillac.  Once the Baron got involved, all this changed however, and he implemented his marketing prowess to change the trajectory of the estate. Anyone who is familiar with Château Mouton Rothschild will know that the estate is not only well known for its wines, but for its artistic labels.  It would make sense that the Baron in his own typical, artistic fashion would change the label of the wine to feature dancing clowns traipsing around on precious stones.  If one visits Château Mouton Rothschild and goes to the Wine Museum, they will see the label on display. 
 
The labels weren’t the only thing the Baron changed about Château Clerc Milon.  The Baron introduced a new, modern gravity flow winery – eliminating pump overs to soften the wines.  Half of their cellars are now underground to keep cool.  The grapes are now hand selected from 247 different parcels. Before vinification, the plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Carmenere are farmed 50 percent organically on the property.  Interestingly enough, Château Clerc Milon has one of the largest plantings of Carmenere in all of Bordeaux. 
 
The wines from Château Clerc Milon do require a bit of time before being enjoyed – as one can expect with the best of Pauillacs. The wines possess a perfect balance of power and fruit.  Château Clerc Milon tends to appreciate when purchased en primeur, increasing in value and critical acclaim as the years progress – especially in noteworthy vintages. They have plenty of charm and are considered a cult wine because of their loyal following.

"Composed of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 Pastourelle de Clerc Milon is a second wine of Clerc Milon, representing an earlier drinking style designed specifically for the on-trade. It is usually released a bit later (after two to three years’ aging) by the Chateau in order to be consumed upon release. Medium garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Pastourelle de Clerc Milon features an open-knit, earthy/meaty nose of damp soil, smoked meats and new leather with a core of warm red currants and blackberries plus a touch of garrigue. Medium-bodied, it reveals plenty of savory layers with a chewy frame and lively lift to the finish." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate (2/21/2018), Ratings: 90, Drink: 2019-2030

''The second wine of Clerc Milon is the 2015 Pastourelle De Clerc Milon, which is made from equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with 10% Cabernet Franc. This forward, front end-loaded beauty offers up excellent notes of cassis and blackcurrants as well as lots of spice and licorice, medium-bodied depth and richness, and sweet tannin. It’s already hard to resist yet should keep for at least a decade.'' Jeb Dunnuck, Let the Good Times Roll: 2015 Bordeaux from Bottle (11/30/2017) Ratings: 89 Drink: 2018-2028