Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

This is well beyond critical reviews young.

Sofia & I became friends with Jean D’Anjoy (photo to right). Winemaker who now runs all the Rothschild properties. He was the Assistant Winemaker at Opus One for 10 yrs. He had many offers to be a Napa Winemaker but refused. Had he, he would have been demeeded a Napa Winemaker when he wanted to always go back to Bordeaux as a Winemaker. Opus was fine as it is 1/2 French owed. He later became the the Clerc Milon Winemaker in 09. What a first vintage. He simultaneously built the new facilities at Clerc Milon. He is also perhaps the best & kindest human being I’ve ever met.

He arranged for Sofia & I to pick the Mouton Merlot and work all phases of the 2012 Clark Milon vintage. So, you might wanna not buy the 2012 vintage of Mouton & Clerc. 😂 He also arranged for us to sit at the Baroness’s table for the harvest luncheon where they poured the last of the filtered bottom of the barrels of 82 Mouton. I asked Sofia to pinch me. The Baroness sadly died two years later.

The nose is sweet and a touch sour; blackberries & black raspberries. Floral & slightly candied; dark and light cherries, juicy strawberries, raspberries and some circling baked rhubarb. Understated new oak barrel powder, beautiful baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla, dry leaves and twig, baking powder, fresh and dry herbs, lead pencil shavings, limestone, dark soils, dry pebbles, red, and dark florals set in liquid violets.

The palate shows medium plus well rounded, softened, resolved tannins. The fruit is ripe and juicy. Blackberries & black raspberries. Floral & slightly candied; dark and light cherries, juicy strawberries, raspberries and some circling baked rhubarb. Understated new oak barrel powder, beautiful baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla, dry leaves and twig, baking powder, mid, dark spices with a shade of heat, fresh and dry herbs, lead pencil shavings, moist to dry tobacco, used leather, limestone, dark soils, dry pebbles, red, and dark florals set in liquid violets, perfect acidity and a grand elegant, well balanced, integrated finish that lasts 90 seconds and lands on spice & earth.

An elegant beauty if I ever had one. Has another 5-7 yr ahead depending on storage.

Photos of; the new facilities at Clerc Milon, Jean D’Anjoy and their vineyards, barrel room and tasting/entertaining lounge.

Delectable & IOS 27 isn’t a good fit today. — a day ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.4

vintage 2010 | Classic and complex. Redbrown rim with opaque colour. Cedar. Laurel. Tobacco. Leather. Comes soft in the mouth. Swallowfactor. Absolutely glorious. — 11 days ago

Pierre Gourinchas

9.3

Really delicious — a day ago

Reggie Sheehan

9.3

2918, little young but still very drinkable now. Tannins very smooth for such a young wine. — 22 days ago

with Brennan

KA

9.2

74 Duke London — a month ago

Stuart Pollack

9.6

Beautiful Pauillac. Although it would be better in five years it is still ready to drink now. Powerful Bordeaux with strong Cabernet Sauvignon. — 2 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.3

Tasted blind. Again medium deep ruby with medium wide garnet rim . Again slightly aloof , showing a touch of herbaceous blackcurrant , mineral and slate notes . Probably the most closed of all coming back . Quite deep and rich again , mineral , blackcurrant, wet stones . Muscular tannins and balanced acidity , deep with a slight herbaceous touch on the decent finish . Latour ? Compared with the rest this is slightly pedestrian, even though it is still an excellent wine it’s not as thrilling as its Pauillac stablemates Lafite or Mouton. Perhaps needs even more time , come back in 5 years and will last well a further 10 -15. — 3 days ago

"Odedi"

9.3

#AgedWineTuesday

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish/ brick rim.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with a beautiful nose.

Showing black plums, black currants, cedar, dried figs, licorice, dark chocolates, earth, rhubarb, tobacco leaf, light black tea and black pepper.

Long finish with soft tannins and tangy cherries.

This 32 year old Pauillac is still drinking beautifully, but a bit past its prime. Rich and elegant. Very complex and spicy.

This Second Growth Bordeaux needed 5 hours to open up properly, and was not that special right out of the bottle.

Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel, and still showing enough fruits to balance the earth notes.

Robert Parker 91 points.

Good by itself as a sipping wine, and with food.

A blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petit Verdot.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$200. — 18 days ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

This had dark fruits, graphite, red berry compote with floral & tobacco notes. — 16 days ago

Gujumack

9.1

Loved it! Nice entry and a small drip finish. @home part an intro to bordeaux tasting night. 2023 vintage is supposed to be a good year. this did not disappoint. — 20 days ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.2

2020 vintage. The second wines of the Grands Crus have never been better, and they offer great value for money. Cassis, blackberries, violets and a hint of graphite. Juicy, fresh black fruits and ripe tannins. Very good value at 25 euro. Abv. 13%. Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Merlot (48%), and Petit Verdot (2%). — a month ago

Nathan Renfro

9.8

What can I say, I absolutely love this wine. — a month ago

chris Holmes

9.6

2026 oku mac katie matt bruce — 3 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.5

Tasted blind. Deeper slightly brighter in colour, deeper ruby and a thinner garnet rim . Bit more closed and deeper in fruit , grafite , blackcurrants , wet stones , mineral . There is also a seaside , sea shore hint coming back to this . On the palate this has more volume than 1 , richer in style . More dusty and drier tannins , balanced acidity and good grafite tinged length . Mouton ? Lovely depth and expressiveness , exuberante, young still but with time really shows well. From now and over the next 10 -15 years. This was the Lafite , which surprised me , but still a beautiful wine. — 3 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.5

Tasted blind. Medium ruby garnet , medium garnet rim . Quite classic and elegant, with cigar box , grafite and some dried earth , some slightly toasty notes also . On the palate this shows good balance , fresh acidity , classic blackcurrant , cigar box , earthy touch . Good depth and length , grafite tinged finish , quite correct and no extra sweetness or weight . Good length and a spicy , mineral , blackcurrant tinged finish . Lafite ? Still young , really well balanced. From now and over the next 10 to 15 years. This was actually the Mouton , which was a great surprise, but certainly a pleasant one ! — 3 days ago

romo

9.2

3L. Textbook Pauillac. Proper yet lifeless - at Chris & Mary’s — 13 days ago

Jeremiah Diaz

9.4

Clear, deep ruby to purple in color; on the nose, it’s clean with pronounced primary and secondary aromas of cassis, blackberries, and graphite; on the palate, it's dry with medium plus acidity, medium tannins, medium alcohol, medium body, and medium intensity primary and secondary flavors of black plums, blueberries, and crushed gravel with a long finish. This wine is balanced and complex. Overall, I rate this wine as very good. I think it would have improved with age, or more time in a decanter. — 21 days ago

with Nellie

Yoly Sardinas

9.0

Brasserie Bordelaise. Lunch for the second time — a month ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.0

1966 vintage. Mid-shoulder fill. Lip under the foil an anthrax fever dream. Cleaned than up with an ice cube and a napkin. Used a Durand but this cork merely chuckled at it. Worst cork I’ve ever (tried to) extracted with a Durand. Bring out the funnel with screen to sift/filter out all the semi-ancient cork sed. Wasn’t going to decant as per usual guest wishes so went with the smallest decanter. Tasted 15 minutes, 45 minutes and 1.5 hours after opening. Light, well aged-Burgundy body. Substantial, (STILL!!!) feminine-styled offerings fruit/spicewise. Ummm…reason why Pichon-Lalande-and La Mission Haut-Brion-are my two fave BDX big guns. This was still showing better than you woulda thunk. 8.14.26 — 2 months ago

David Dorn

9.2

Very nice wine- drinks young but the fruit and structure is already there and it will continue to get better with age. Excellent! — 3 months ago