Domaine Henri Milan - Clos Milan 2009

The Henri Milan estate, well known in Parisian wine circles for a few “natural wines” (with no added sulfur), produces a much broader range of wines on its 15 hectares of vineyards right next to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Established since 1956 within the Les Baux-de-Provence appellation, the estate left the appellation in 2007 to pursue its own path in line with the philosophy of Henri, a man of conviction and an explorer of winemaking methods using as few inputs as possible. He also decided to label all his wines as “Vin de France” in order to maintain complete freedom in his choices. Since 2013, his daughter Emmanuelle has been gradually taking over the reins. Since then, the wines have been evolving toward greater precision—a development we welcome.

Le Clos 2009, vinified from whole clusters and aged for forty-eight months (twenty-four in barrels, twenty-four in tanks), offers notes of fresh coffee, subtly oxidized blackcurrant juice, and pepper on the finish. It is a well-rounded, smooth, and still very generous wine. It will pair beautifully with meals, starting this winter.

In the Galine neighborhood of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, a small town in the Alpilles that is highly sought after by an affluent clientele, the iconoclastic Henri Milan, supported by his son, Théo, remains true to the bold, unconventional wines he pioneered in the 1990s. Winemaking methods that deviate from conventional standards—carried out with minimal sulfur—highlight the lively, dancing fruit flavors derived primarily from limestone scree and blue marl. Produced through short maceration of Grenache, Syrah, Merlot, Cinsault, and Cabernet Sauvignon, the reds are full of flavor, ranging from fruit-forward cuvées to the ambitious S&X, Eliott, and Le Clos. The identity of the whites—La Carrée (100% Roussanne) and Le Grand Blanc (Grenache Blanc, Rolle, Roussanne, Chardonnay, and Muscat Petit Grains)—is defined by a striking prominence of clean, distinct flavors.