- The wine is available at £690 (12×75) SEP.
- Neal Martin described it as a, “classic Pauillac through and through”.
- The 2016 at the same price and a slightly better score offers value.
Château Clerc Milon 2020 has been released for €56.40 per bottle ex-négociant, up 17.5% on the 2019’s opening price.
It is being offered by the international trade for £690 per dozen, 11% up on the current Market Price of the 2019.
This is the fourth vintage in a row to receive a score of around 92 from Benchmark Critic, Neal Martin. Those four vintages are very close in price but there is potential value in the 2019, 2017 and 2016. See more Fair Value analysis below.
Critical opinion
Martin gave the 2020 a bracket of 91-93 points, saying it had a “crisp, well-defined bouquet” and was an “elegant rather than a powerful Clerc Milon” that had him returning to the glass often.
His tasting partner at Vinous, Antonio Galloni, scored it a little lower at 90-92 points. He found it “not terribly complex” but suspected it would offer “a bit of pleasure right out of the gate”. He also noted this year’s higher than usual proportion of Merlot in the blend.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW scored it 92-94, noting its “energetic black fruit flavours”, while James Suckling rated it 95-96.
Fair Value
Clerc Milon’s prices have a strong correlation with age. All the wines from 2017 to today’s release have a score of around 92 from Martin. Prices have not varied very much, the 2018 has exactly the same price and score as the 2020 for example.
Both the 2019 and 2017 are less expensive than today’s release, with the 2017 (£660) at a 4.5% discount looking Fair Value according to the methodology. The 2019, however, at an 11% discount looks the best value of the last four vintages.
Likewise, the 2016 is the same price as today’s release but with a score of 93-points from Martin is another in-bottle alternative and from an acclaimed vintage.
Other wines
The estates’ second wine, Pastourelle de Clerc Milon, is being offered En Primeur for the first time this year.
Martin scored it 87-89 and called it “tight, focused and straightforward”.
Our Bordeaux En Primeur 2020 page contains everything you need to know about this year’s campaign. You can also sign up for our daily En Primeur email alerts using the form below.
