Château Clerc Milon 2012, Pauillac

The dancers on Clerc Milon’s label come straight from the Rothschild collection of 17th-century German goldsmithing, and they’ve become one of Pauillac’s most recognizable emblems. The estate sits between Mouton and Lafite, on some of the most prized gravel in the Médoc, and the style has grown steadily more refined since the early 2000s.

The 2012 plays to the vintage’s strengths. It’s aromatic, elegant, and shaped more by finesse than muscle. Cedar, graphite, red currants, and a touch of Pauillac spice. 13 years in, the tannins have relaxed into a smooth glide, but the structure still holds everything firmly in place.

Château Clerc Milon