2003 Clerc-Milon, Pauillac

SKU #1021610 93 points James Suckling

Slightly cooked fruit on the nose, with a toasted oak and meaty character. Full bodied, with round and chewy tannins and loads of fruit. Big and burly, I like it. (3/2011)

93 points Wine Spectator

Loads of licorice and currants follow through to a full-bodied palate, with lots of refined tannins and a long, long finish. This is very structured and layered. (JS) (3/2006)

91 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The dense ruby/purple-colored 2003 is surprisingly fresh and crisp, displaying no signs of the vintage’s extreme heat. This full-bodied, powerful, rich, backward, dense, tannic effort reveals notes of Chinese black tea, creme de cassis, licorice, and melted chocolate. Give it 4-5 years of cellaring, and drink it over the next two decades. (RP) 91+ (4/2006)

90 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Medium ruby-red. Liqueur-like dark berries complicated by truffle, leather and cooler herbal notes. Fat, sweet and rich in a rather full-blown style. This was quite closed a year ago in barrel but now offers considerable early appeal. Finishes with suave tannins. (ST) (5/2006)

K&L Notes

91 points Neal Martin's Wine Journal: "A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Carmenere, and 3% Cabernet Franc, the 2003 has a typical ’03 bouquet where there is a sense of some dead fruit. It is there, but it is not animated. The palate is sweet and sensual on the liquorice-tinged entry. There is more cohesion and freshness than many of its peers with a delightful balsamic tinged finish. This is very fine for the vintage, even if the bottle in London a couple of weeks before showed even better. Drink now-2020." (01/2014)