Chateau Clerc Milon Rothschild 2017

JAMES SUCKLING: "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 WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2017 Clerc Milon is medium to deep garnet-purple colored and offers up a gorgeous nose of potpourri, cinnamon stick, candied violets and kirsch over a core of warm cassis, plum preserves and boysenberries with a waft of garrigue. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers loads of muscular fruit with a firm, fine-grained texture and tons of freshness, finishing long and perfumed."

DECANTER: "It's immediately obvious from both colour and first nose that this has a wonderful richness to it, offering powerful cherry pit, graphite and dark chocolate notes but without being overly sweet. A serious wine that is delivering on its potential, vintage after vintage. The Cab Franc vines are on limestone and clay here, and reached perfect ripeness. Overall there is a higher percentage of both Cabernets than usual in the blend. 9% press wine. 50% new oak."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "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."

WINE SPECTATOR: "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."

JEB DUNNUCK: "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."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "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% alcohol with a pH of 3.64. The harvest took place September 13 to September 29."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung, feiner Nougattouch, ein Hauch von dunklem Waldbeerkonfit, zart nach Orangenzesten. Saftig, rund und elegant, zarte Tannine, frisch strukturiert, ausgewogen, anegenehme Würze, ein facettenreicher Speisenbegleiter."

WEINWISSER: "Dichtes Granat mit aufhellendem Rand. Intensives Waldbeerbouquet mit Rosenholz und hellem Tabak. Am festen Gaumen mit straffem, sehnigem Körper. Im gebündelten Finale reife Preiselbeeren, frisches Kakaopulver und zarte Adstringenz."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Deep crimson. Rather opulent, yet very Pauillac-spicy nose. Rounder than stablemate Armailhac but still with that appetising dryness on the end. Well-managed tannins but within a very classic structure. Bone-dry finish with a perceptible stoniness."