The 2001 Clerc Milon has a lovely bouquet that puts the 2000 in its place with exuberant black cherry and bilberry fruit, estuarine scents and hints of orange blossom and iodine. Wonderful! The medium-bodied palate offers succulent tannins and vibrant red berry fruit laced with white pepper and cedar. Very harmonious, with impressive weight toward the finish. This is cruising at its peak, and given this showing, it will continue to offer great pleasure. One to seek out.Vinous Media | 92 VMSleek and racy, with a beautiful structure of very fine tannins and ripe fruit. There are minerals, currants and berries throughout, yet it’s subtle and caressing. Lovely wine. I like this as much as the 2000. Best after 2007.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThis has the charm of an older Pauillac in its structure and menthol-laced finish, and is a lovely, well balanced Cabernet-led wine, with undergrowth, nutmeg and black truffle starting to steal in around the edges, still maintaining an autumnal black fruit core. Captures the spirit of a Medoc as it approaches its tertiary stage, but has less evident distinguishing features that tie it to Clerc Milon in the way that the more recent vintages do. 30% new oak, made at the time in 225l cement tanks that did not allow for the separate fermentation of the Petit Verdot and Carmanère that were present in the vineyard at the time but did not make it into this wine. Owned by the (Mouton) Rothschild family since 1970, with Jean-Paul Polaert making overseeing both Clerc Milon and d’Armailhac. Drinking Window 2020 - 2028.Decanter | 91 DEC
