The 2018 Mouton Rothschild is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc—there is also a splash of all the Petit Verdot they had, but it doesn’t even register in the percentage. It has 13.8% alcohol, which is relatively modest for the vintage. Deep garnet-purple colored, it straight away pops with bright, vivacious notes of crushed blackcurrants, juicy blackberries and redcurrant jelly with slowly emerging nuances of candied violets, stewed plums, licorice and black tea, plus a waft of dusty red soil. The medium-bodied palate is built like a brick house with super firm, super ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting the muscular black fruits, finishing long and savory with lingering mineral suggestions. This is so, so delicious and, due to the ripeness of tannins, approachable now. It will be difficult to keep your mitts off it for a good 5-7 years, when all those tightly tucked away nuances should begin to emerge. After that, it should improve over the course of 25 years or more and drink for 40+.
Composed of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 1998 Mouton Rothschild is deep garnet-brick in color with lovely crème de cassis, dried roses, hoisin and baking spice notes with underlying notions of dried cherries and mulberries plus touches of wood smoke, incense and forest floor.
Medium to full-bodied and packed with rich fruit framed by firm, chewy tannins, it is stacked with complex, evolving flavors and finishes with incredibly long-lasting perfumed notes.
According to winemaker Philippe Dhalluin, this needs about three hours of decanting at this stage. I simply love the place this wine is in right now, possessing plenty of mature, tertiary characters yet still sporting bags of fruit. It won’t be fading anytime soon either and should cellar nicely for 20-25+ more years.
Deep garnet-purple in colour, it slowly unfurls to reveal notes of warm black plums, baked black cherries, kirsch, and freshly crushed blackcurrants with hints of candied violets, cinnamon toast, Ceylon tea and pencil shavings. Medium-bodied, the palate is charged with amazing energy, featuring dynamic black and red fruits and loads of baking spice and mineral sparks, framed by ripe, fine-grained tannins and finishing long and fragrant.
Given the intensity of fruit and structure, while this is a relatively elegant Mouton that will be approachable early on, I don’t see it as being short lived. It should give pleasure for a good 40+ years.
Château Mouton Rothschild is a renowned winery located in the Pauillac appellation of the Bordeaux region in France. The estate has a long and rich history, dating back to the mid-18th century when it was owned by the Marquis de Brane. In 1853, it was purchased by Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild, who renamed it Château Mouton Rothschild.
The winery is known for its exceptional red wines, which are made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot grapes. The vineyards are situated on a gravelly plateau, which provides excellent drainage and allows the vines to produce grapes of exceptional quality.
The winemaking process at Château Mouton Rothschild is a carefully controlled and monitored process, with each step designed to bring out the best in the grapes. The grapes are hand-harvested and sorted before being fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine is then aged in oak barrels for up to 24 months, depending on the vintage.
The resulting wines are complex and full-bodied, with rich fruit flavors and a long, smooth finish. They are highly sought after by wine collectors and connoisseurs around the world, and are considered some of the finest wines produced in Bordeaux.
In addition to its red wines, Château Mouton Rothschild also produces a white wine called Aile d'Argent. This wine is made from a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Muscadelle grapes, and is aged in oak barrels for up to 12 months. The resulting wine is crisp and refreshing, with notes of citrus and tropical fruit.
Overall, Château Mouton Rothschild is a producer of exceptional wines that are highly regarded by wine lovers around the world. Its long history, commitment to quality, and dedication to the winemaking process have made it one of the most respected wineries in Bordeaux.
Deep garnet-purple coloured, this Mouton pulls off an incredibly impactful entrance, emerging from the glass with profound notes of blackberry preserves, plum pudding, crème de cassis and grilled meats, featuring perfectly accessorized accents of sandalwood, cinnamon stick, and fenugreek with wafts of dried roses, unsmoked cigars, and tilled soil.
Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely packed with rich, ripe black fruits sparked with blue and red fruit undertones and an incredible structure of very firm, very ripe tannins, with seamless freshness and an epically long, earth-laced finish. Possessing striking natural beauty framed by impeccable crafting, this 2015 is a total diva and well worth attention.
Deep garnet-purple colored, this Mouton pulls off an incredibly impactful entrance, emerging from the glass with profound notes of blackberry preserves, plum pudding, crème de cassis and grilled meats, featuring perfectly accessorized accents of sandalwood, cinnamon stick and fenugreek with wafts of dried roses, unsmoked cigars and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely packed with rich, ripe black fruits sparked with blue and red fruit undertones and an incredible structure of very firm, very ripe tannins, with seamless freshness and an epically long, earth-laced finish. Possessing striking natural beauty framed by impeccable crafting, this 2015 is a total diva and well worth attention.
Deep garnet-purple coloured, this Mouton pulls off an incredibly impactful entrance, emerging from the glass with profound notes of blackberry preserves, plum pudding, crème de cassis and grilled meats, featuring perfectly accessorized accents of sandalwood, cinnamon stick, and fenugreek with wafts of dried roses, unsmoked cigars, and tilled soil.
Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely packed with rich, ripe black fruits sparked with blue and red fruit undertones and an incredible structure of very firm, very ripe tannins, with seamless freshness and an epically long, earth-laced finish. Possessing striking natural beauty framed by impeccable crafting, this 2015 is a total diva and well worth attention.
Château Mouton Rothschild is a renowned winery located in the Pauillac appellation of the Bordeaux region in France. The estate has a long and rich history, dating back to the mid-18th century when it was owned by the Marquis de Brane. In 1853, it was purchased by Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild, who renamed it Château Mouton Rothschild.
The winery is known for its exceptional red wines, which are made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot grapes. The vineyards are situated on a gravelly plateau, which provides excellent drainage and allows the vines to produce grapes of exceptional quality.
The winemaking process at Château Mouton Rothschild is a carefully controlled and monitored process, with each step designed to bring out the best in the grapes. The grapes are hand-harvested and sorted before being fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine is then aged in oak barrels for up to 24 months, depending on the vintage.
The resulting wines are complex and full-bodied, with rich fruit flavors and a long, smooth finish. They are highly sought after by wine collectors and connoisseurs around the world, and are considered some of the finest wines produced in Bordeaux.
In addition to its red wines, Château Mouton Rothschild also produces a white wine called Aile d'Argent. This wine is made from a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Muscadelle grapes, and is aged in oak barrels for up to 12 months. The resulting wine is crisp and refreshing, with notes of citrus and tropical fruit.
Overall, Château Mouton Rothschild is a producer of exceptional wines that are highly regarded by wine lovers around the world. Its long history, commitment to quality, and dedication to the winemaking process have made it one of the most respected wineries in Bordeaux.
The 2014 Mouton-Rothschild was closed at first when I tasted the wine in bottle with winemaker Philippe Dhalluin. But as it transpires, this First Growth is just toying with you. Initially quite understated, it responds to aeration like a young child peeking from around a corner and then running out, waving its hands. It suddenly hits you with gorgeous black cherries, bilberry, cedar and wilted rose petal.
The palate is medium bodied with a silky smooth entry. This is utterly seductive: a wine without a hair out of place. It is not as powerful or as complex as the 2015 Mouton-Rothschild, yet the precision and focus here is beguiling. It will require five to seven years to absorb the 100% new oak, then it will be an utterly delicious and to use a term employed at en primeur, "cerebral" First Growth that is destined to give two or three decades of pleasure.
The 2012 Mouton-Rothschild clearly has the upper hand over the 2011, if not quite at the level of the 2009, 2010 and what I envisage will be the 2015. There is obviously greater fruit intensity here, as if the contrast has been dialled up a couple of notches. It is quite showy on the nose, preening in its infancy with pure black cherries, graphite, and hints of cold slate-like scents, later that hint of seaweed I observed when tasted blind a few months earlier.
The palate is beautifully balanced with great vim and vigour. This is a Mouton that will not be put down - vivacious, vivid, and delineated with wonderful focus and crucially, impressive persistence on the finish. Do not underestimate this Mouton-Rothschild, because I can see an upswing as it matures in bottle.
The 2011 Mouton-Rothschild is probably the "weakest" of the releases between 2008 and 2012, although that would be unfairly disparaging what is a perfectly respectable, if rather unexciting Mouton.
Here, it has those graphite and cedar aromas present and correct, the former a little more accentuated and with a light sea-spray note emerging with time. The palate is well balanced with cedar and a slight peat-like note infusing the black fruit, rigid in its youth but nicely delineated. As I discerned out of barrel, what it lacks is that peacock's tail on the finish, bolting out of the exit door before you have really got to know each other.
Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Mouton Rothschild is a little closed to begin, slowly unfurling to reveal notes of baked black cherries, crème de cassis, blackberry compote and bouquet garni with suggestions of sweaty leather, pencil lead, cedar chest and black truffles plus a hint of crushed rocks. Full-bodied, the palate is solidly constructed of super firm, ripe, grainy tannins and lively acidity, framing the densely packed black fruit, finishing on a persistent mineral note.
Deep garnet coloured, the 2009 Mouton Rothschild gives up bold earthy notions of underbrush, tilled soil and fungi over a core of crème de cassis, plum preserves and Indian spices with a waft of camphor. Full-bodied with a firm, velvety tannin texture and packed with black fruit preserves and exotic spice layers, it has seamless freshness and a very long, decadently fruited finish.
The 2006 Mouton-Rothschild was really the wine that put winemaker Philippe Dhalluin on the map, in the sense that unlike the 2005 born in a great vintage, this 2006 had to transcend it. It remains one of the standouts of the growing season and replicates previous showings just the week earlier and in January.
As expected, the nose has quite brilliant delineation with blackberry, graphite, here an almost cold slate-like scent. The palate is harmonious with the carefully judged acidity, fine-grain tannin, and immense detail on the finish. Recent bottles suggest that it may close for several years, in which case, either enjoy this in the next few months or cellar this for a few years and receive vinous dividends down the line.
Deep garnet with hint of brick, the 2005 Mouton Rothschild is evolving into unabashed, flamboyant notes of Christmas cake, plum preserves, chocolate-covered cherries, eucalyptus and crème de cassis with beautifully fragrant wafts of potpourri, incense, Indian spices and cigar box. Full-bodied, the palate performs vinous pirouettes with dazzling exotic spice, floral and earthy nuances, framed by firm, grainy tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing very long and mineral laced.
Deep garnet with hint of brick, the 2005 Mouton Rothschild is evolving into unabashed, flamboyant notes of Christmas cake, plum preserves, chocolate-covered cherries, eucalyptus and crème de cassis with beautifully fragrant wafts of potpourri, incense, Indian spices and cigar box. Full-bodied, the palate performs vinous pirouettes with dazzling exotic spice, floral and earthy nuances, framed by firm, grainy tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing very long and mineral laced.
It came across tight and broody on the nose, a hint of seaweed tincturing the black fruit, later on a whiff of smoke. It does not feel as refined as either the 2004 Lafite-Rothschild or the 2004 Latour. The palate is medium-bodied and shows more class than the aromatics: cohesive and with just the right amount of grip, a little chewy perhaps but with a pleasant saline sensation towards the "correct" finish. It ticks all the boxes but does not go that extra mile.
The 2003 harvest began on September 15 and finished ten days later. The result is an outstanding 2003 Mouton-Rothschild, but it is not one of the superstars of Pauillac or the Northern Médoc. Its nearby neighbours, Lafite-Rothschild, Cos d’Estournel and Montrose, all produced wines that qualitatively dominate this effort from Mouton-Rothschild. Nevertheless, there is a lot to like.
The tannins, which were so tough initially, have softened somewhat, and the nose offers up notes of cedarwood, roasted coffee, tobacco leaf and red and blackcurrants. This spicy, earthy, fleshy, medium to full-bodied 2003 is not one of the stars of the vintage. It is close to full maturity, where it should remain for another 10-15 years.
The 2002 Mouton-Rothschild is a wine that burned brightly in its youth, though recent encounters suggest that maybe it is beginning to flag as it enters what you might call middle age. Here, it has a conservative bouquet with blackberry, cedar, warm bricks and melted tar aromas - an unfussy, uncomplicated, quite serious Pauillac bouquet.
The palate is well balanced with crisp acidity. It feels lively on the entry with fine tannin, a Mouton that is nimble on its feet with a gentle grip towards the finish, which offers a satisfying aftertaste of spice and clove. It does not mirror some of the outstanding bottles I consumed within the first decade of its life, and peering into this First Growth, it is difficult to see whether it will repay those who cellar it longer.
A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, the opaque purple-colored, chunky 2001 Mouton-Rothschild does not possess the finesse and stature often achieved by this first-growth. It offers a tell-tale cassis-scented nose, and a monolithic, medium to full-bodied style with relatively high, austere tannin in the finish (a characteristics I also noticed in cask). A dry, angular, backward effort for the vintage, it should be forgotten for at least a decade. Let’s hope the fruit continues to expand and sweeten, but that’s no sure thing.
Deep garnet colored with a touch of brick, the 2000 Mouton Rothschild (composed of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot) boldly bursts from the glass with tantalizing Black Forest cake, dried mulberries, kirsch and blackcurrant pastilles notes plus wafts of iodine, incense, potpourri and cinnamon stick with a hint of cigar boxes. Medium to full-bodied, the palate packs in the muscular fruit, framed by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with phenomenal length. This is an incredibly complex and multifaceted wine, and it's drinking deliciously now.
This said, I can’t help but feel that it is holding something back, that it still has another layer of opulence and seduction to reveal in its tight-knit fruit and solid structure. I personally can’t wait to see how this beauty will continue to unfold over the years to come.
The rich, complex, well-developed bouquet of oriental spices, toasty oak, herbs, and ripe fruit is wonderful. On the palate, the wine is also rich, forward, long, and sexy. It ranks behind both Haut-Brion and Chateau Margaux in 1985. I am surprised by how evolved and ready to drink this wine is. Readers looking for a big, boldly constructed Mouton should search out other vintages, as this is a tame, forward, medium-weight wine that is close to full maturity. It is capable of lasting another 15+ years. This estate compares their 1985 to their 1959, but to me it is more akin to their 1962 or 1953.
This wine has never quite developed, and, sadly, additional time in the bottle does it no favors. It is a high acid Mouton that has always been austere. What black currant fruit it possessed in its youth now seems to have disappeared or evaporated. It is the tannin, acidity, alcohol, and wood that make up much of the uninspiring aromatics and flavors. The 1979 Mouton is an uninteresting wine that has no place to go.
