2016 Pastourelle de Clerc Milon, Château Clerc Milon
Pauillac, Bordeaux, France
Deep garnet with a ruby rim, this second wine of Château Clerc Milon opens with quiet confidence. Aromas of black cherry, cassis and brandied morello mingle with subtle mint, cedar and a touch of cocoa. On the palate, it’s supple yet structured — ripe black fruit layered over creamy tannins and a fine graphite edge. The texture is silky, the balance impeccable, and the finish long and graceful, tapering into notes of mocha and spice.
For when: you want Pauillac polish without the pomp.
Pairs with: roast lamb, duck breast, or slow-cooked short rib.
If this wine were a mood, it’d be classic rock on vinyl - rich, smooth, and built to last.
Pastourelle de Clerc Milon is crafted by the Baron Philippe de Rothschild team in Pauillac, from fruit grown on the same gravelly slopes as the Grand Vin. The blend typically includes Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, reflecting both pedigree and precision. The 2016 vintage, long regarded as one of the Left Bank’s modern greats, brings structure, ripeness and stunning clarity of fruit. With a few years of maturity now softening its frame, this wine shows the elegance and depth that make Clerc Milon one of Pauillac’s quiet overachievers.
Whats in the bottle
52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Merlot
Notable Awards
92 points - Antonio Galloni, vinous.com
"The 2016 Pastourelle de Clerc Milon is absolutely gorgeous. All of the pedigree of this great vintage comes through in a rich, juicy wine endowed with striking textural resonance and depth. Floral and spice notes lift the dark red and purplish berry fruit in a supple, racy Pauillac that will drink beautifully whenever Clerc Milon decides to release it. The Pastourelle is 52% Merlot and 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the Merlot very much front and center. As a reminder, the Pastourelle is mostly sold into the restaurant wine trade and is released when the château deems it ready to drink, which is usually a few years later than the other wines in the Mouton stable."