Château Clerc Milon is a Pauillac Fifth Growth (1855 Grand Cru Classé) owned by the Baron Philippe de Rothschild family, with vineyards bordering Lafite and Mouton. The 2008 is the estate’s grand vin, a Cabernet Sauvignon–led blend reported at roughly 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot (Berry Bros. & Rudd). The wine is typically raised about 18 months in French oak, around 50% new, a regime that shows in the wine’s toast and tobacco accents.
Across major critics, the 2008 reads as a classically proportioned Clerc Milon with depth, freshness, and a firm Pauillac frame. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (90) calls it “dense ruby/purple-tinged,” with “attractive aromas of toast black currants and forest floor,” describing it as “deep, full-bodied, rich, elegant and moderately tannic,” and “an outstanding success from the Mouton Rothschild staff.” Wine Spectator (90) emphasizes structure and savory detail: “a solid structured core of red currant, cherry skin and fig notes” with “savory herb, violet and light-handed toast,” finishing with “nice cut on the iron-tinged finish.”
The strongest published score in this set comes from Wine Enthusiast (93), an excellent review, praising a wine that is “dark, deep, rich and dense,” with “just the right wood element,” “black berry juice and a pure line of acidity,” and noting that it is “weighty for a 2008 while keeping the freshness.”
Neal Martin (91) finds an “earthy, broody bouquet” of “dark plum, blackberry and cedar,” plus a “saline note,” with a “medium-bodied” palate and “supple tannins,” though he notes it is “a little oaky” on the finish. Decanter (92) agrees it may not match the estate’s best modern peaks, but still calls it “an excellent wine nonetheless,” citing “lush and dense black fruits with a roasted coffee bean edge,” “a gentle hint of tobacco leaf,” and tannins still evident in a “squeeze of acidity.”
For drinking, reviewers generally place it in a window from the mid-2010s onward, with enough structure to continue developing in bottle.
