Pastourelle de Clerc Milon,

Edge of gunsmoke reduction, tannins just slightly angular, but love the savoury grilled edge to this, the smoked blueberry fruits and the floral aromatics. No new oak. 50IPT. 32% of the production of Clerc Milon in Pastourelle. First full vintage for new technical director Caroline Artaud, and the second year being sold En Primeur for this wine.

The 2021 Pastourelle de Clerc Milon is a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 2% Carmenere, and 1% Petit Verdot, harvested from 22 September to 6 October, and aging in 50% new oak. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it has quite a serious nose of cedar, cassis, and pencil lead, leading to hints of plum preserves and bay leaves. Light to medium-bodied, the palate is soft, lively, and refreshing with just enough pure, uncomplicated black fruits and an herbal lift on the finish. pH 3.78. IPT 50.

The 2021 Pastorelle de Clerc Milon comes from a barrel selection made in the winery. It has a straightforward, tertiary nose, as I found in barrel, though it needs to knit together just a little more. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly hard tannins on the entry, more elegant on the mid-palate yet still a little austere on the finish. It will appeal to those that like classical claret, though the growing season denied it the flesh seen in other vintages.