Château Mouton-Rothschild

5/7/2019 WeinWisser WEINWISSER : 20 / 20 5/1/2019 Vinous VINOUS (ANTONIO GALLONI) : 94-97 / 100 The 2018 Mouton Rothschild is dense and unctuous in the glass, with striking textural depth and plenty of overall intensity. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, spice, leather and sweet spice infuse a Mouton that stands out for its unctuousness and fruit intensity. There is plenty of tannin, but it is nearly buried by the sheer voluptuousness of the fruit. In 2018, Mouton is radiant, sensual and impeccable in its balance, even if it doesn't possess the sheer visceral thrill, energy or pedigree of truly great vintages. The blend is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. 5/1/2019 Jeb DUNNUCK JEB DUNNUCK (JEB DUNNUCK) : 96-98 / 100 Representing 76% of the total production, the 2018 Mouton-Rothschild checks in as 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc brought up in new oak. The most backward and reserved of the First Growths, this deeply colored beauty boasts a rich, layered bouquet of blackcurrants, graphite, scorched earth, and liquid violets. Deep, full-bodied, and seamless on the palate, it's more elegant than the opulently styled 2016, but it’s still an incredibly powerful and promising Mouton that’s going to live for half a century or more. 96-98+ 4/24/2019 La Revue du Vin de France LA REVUE DU VIN DE FRANCE : 19,5-20 / 20 4/23/2019 The Wine Cellar Insider THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER (JEFF LEVE) : 98-100 / 100 Opaque in color, the purple black hue is gorgeous. The perfume with its sea salt, lead pencil, blackberry liqueur, black currants, tobacco, spice and smoke is a knockout! That will keep you busy enough but it is on the palate where you'll really experience the wine as it hits and coats every nook and cranny in your mouth. The wine is lavish, dense, concentrated and showy. The naturally flamboyant nature of Mouton Rothschild comes though loud and clear. Even with all this voluptuousness, the wine is energetic and intense. The finish remains with you for well over 60 seconds. Clearly, the 2018 is going to be one of the great vintages of Mouton ever produced. The blend comes from 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc and reached 13.8% alcohol. The harvest took place from September 10 to October 3, the Grand Vin represents 66% of the harvest with very low yields of only 28 hectoliters per hectare. 4/23/2019 Wine Advocate WINE ADVOCATE (LISA PERROTTI-BROWN) : 97-99 / 100 The 2018 Mouton Rothschild is composed 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. Grapes were harvested September 10 to October 3, and the wine was blended at the beginning of December; it has 13.8% alcohol, and the tannins were slightly higher this year. Deep purple-black in color, it is a little closed to begin compared to some 2018s, slowly unfurling to reveal a profound nose of warm black plums, blackcurrant cordial, star anise, blueberry pie and mocha with suggestions of candied violets, oolong tea, camphor and unsmoked cigars plus a touch of crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers waves of opulent, spiced black and blue fruits with seamless acid lifting this gorgeous mouthfeel that is at once plush from the ripe fruit and firm and grainy from the super ripe tannins, finishing very long and wonderfully creamy. 4/17/2019 Decanter.com DECANTER.COM (JANE ANSON) : 99 / 100 This has incredible persistency and density of flavour in 2018. It’s extremely well knitted with everything drawn out and taut through the mid palate, slowly layering on the succulent, plump notes of damson, juice-filled blackberries, charcoal, menthol, cigar box, pencil lead and black chocolate that is a signature of the vintage. I always love that this property shares the same gravel-filled plateau as Lafite and yet the two have such different personalities and interpretations of vintages – with Mouton here absorbing the richness of the year and adding a touch of glamour into the wine as always. The alcohol, while still very balanced compared to most in the vintage, is unusually high at Mouton because, as managing director Philippe Dhalluin says; ‘usually the poor soils at Mouton mean the grapes make tannins but not sugar, but in 2018 they made both’. There is the tiniest touch of Petit Verdot in the blend but under 1% so it’s not in the official figures. 100% new oak which has been beautifully integrated. 62% of production went into the grand vin. 3.78pH. 88IPT. The artist design for the 2018 label will be revealed later. 4/17/2019 Wine Enthusiast WINE ENTHUSIAST (ROGER VOSS) : 97-99 / 100 This wine is ripe and juicy, packed with black fruits and generous tannins that sit on a velvety texture. It is dense, concentrated and intensely structured in bold tannins, but still the purity of the dark shines through. 4/12/2019 Jamessuckling.com JAMESSUCKLING.COM (JAMES SUCKLING) : 100 / 100 I am a little bit speechless about this one. I have not seen such earthy and totally deep character of the soil in a young Mouton in my career. Of course, I didn’t taste 1945 or 1959 when they were young, but I have been lucky enough to have a few bottles in my life. There is really terroir-driven character to this. Layered and so intense with polished and incredible tannins. 4/8/2019 Quarin JEAN-MARC QUARIN (JEAN-MARC QUARIN) : 99 / 100 4/1/2019 Beck YVESBECK.WINE (YVES BECK) : 98-99 / 100 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc Pourpre violacé. Que de finesse et de complexité. D’abord le nez s’affiche de manière filigrane, multifacettes. Il se révèle au fil des secondes et commence par présenter le terroir au travers de cèdre et de graphite. Le fruit se révèle par des notes de mûres et de cassis. Beaucoup de fraîcheur. Finalement je relève un peu de café, de torréfaction, mais dans une mesure filigrane. La mise en bouche est gracieuse, élégante, subtile et imposante. Les tannins se révèlent tout doucement, lentement et sont subtilement puissants ! Ils assurent idéalement les arrières, confèrent une touche suave et promettent un avenir brillant. Encore une fois, un très grand Mouton. Beaucoup de finesse et de persistance. 2025-2052