Château Clerc-Milon: Vineyards
Although I have discussed the location of Château Clerc-Milon in relation to Pauillac and to Mousset, where the new cellars have been built, I have not so far pointed you towards Milon, the village that gave its name to the Clerc-Milon estate (as well as other notable properties, the aforementioned Château Duhart-Milon, and the lesser known Château Haut-Milon for example). This little village is situated a little way to the west of Mousset and Château Clerc-Milon, closer to Château Lafite-Rothschild, at the northern edge of the Pauillac appellation.
This helps to illustrate the remarkably parcellated nature of Clerc-Milon, which comprises over 100 separate vineyard plots, scattered around Milon and, as described above, closer to Mousset where the new cellars are built. When the property was acquired by Baron Philippe, the 16-or-so hectares that came into his possession were dotted here and there, but as he reconstituted the vineyard he focused on land towards the east, closer to the water. As a consequence although thee are still some inland plots, today the majority of the Clerc-Milon vineyards are situated on the Mousset crest overlooking the Gironde.
As of the 2011 vintage there were 40 hectares in full production, with another 5 hectares set to come online soon. Some vineyards have seen a little replanting in recent years. The vines average about 53 years of age and are planted at varying densities, ranging between 8000 and 10000 plants per hectare. The soils underfoot are a mixture of two-thirds sandy gravel, with a deeper seam of clay-limestone.
