Chateau Clerc Milon 1999 (1x75cl)

A 1999 Pauillac that has been resting in bottle for over 25 years. Pauillac reds are usually built on Cabernet Sauvignon, and with this much age the wine typically moves away from fresh fruit toward softer, savoury, more mellow territory. Bottles this old always vary from one to the next, so treat it as an older wine and open it with a bit of patience rather than expectations.

This is the sort of bottle people bring out for a milestone dinner or hand over as a client gift, when the year on the label matters as much as what is inside. Stand it upright for a day or two, decant gently off any sediment, and pour it with roast beef or a slow-cooked stew. Free delivery in Hong Kong over HK$800, flat HK$80 below that, no minimum order.

Tasting notes

Mature Pauillac typically shows dried dark fruit, cedar, tobacco leaf and a little earthiness, with tannins that have softened over the years. Older bottles vary, so what turns up in the glass is part of the experience.