Mouton Rothschild 2016

Pauillac, First Growth

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Tasting Notes
Along with the Château Lafite, the 2016 Château Mouton Rothschild is the wine of the vintage from the Médoc and is a truly profound, magical, blockbuster wine in every sense. It’s based on 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, raised in new French oak. Boasting a saturated purple color as well as an extraordinary bouquet of thick black fruits, lead pencil shavings, new saddle leather, and burning embers, with just a hint of its oak upbringing, this beauty hits the palate with a mammoth amount of fruit and texture yet stays fresh, pure, and light on its feet, with a thrilling sense of minerality as well as building tannins on the finish. It’s one of the most profound young wines I’ve ever tasted, and while it will probably keep for three-quarters of a decade, it offers pleasure even today. Bravo! Score: 100 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2023-2098 28 February 2019
The 2016 Mouton Rothschild bowled me over when I tasted it from barrel. Philippe Dhalluin compares it to the 1986 in terms of intensity of fruit, although there is more maturity and refinement in the tannins apropos of the 2016. Bottled in July 2018, this has an intense bouquet with pixelated black fruit, crushed stone, hints of blue fruit and a touch of India ink. But it is the delineation and focus that take your breath away. The palate is medium-bodied with very supple tannin framing the pure black currant and cassis fruit. The acidity is pitch-perfect, and there is a gentle but insistent grip toward the extraordinarily long finish. Racking my brains to think of another Mouton Rothschild that I have tasted over the last 20 years that was as good as this, I simply cannot come up with one. Score: 100 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2080 01 January 2019
The 2016 Mouton-Rothschild is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the latter two co-fermented, picked from 26 September and finished on 14 October. As usual, it is being matured in 100% new oak. It has a very intense bouquet with blackberry, raspberry, cold limestone and crushed violet aromas that if anything, appear to gain vigor with aeration in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, juicy tannin. There is a lot of fruit packed into this Mouton-Rothschild and therefore one can feel the weight in the mouth, yet the acidity keeps everything on tip-toes. The finish has superb precision and opulence, completing a Mouton-Rothschild that will rivet you to the spot. Tasted on two occasions, the second confirming that this is simply a magnificent wine. Whichever artist eventually designs the label is going to be drinking well. Score: 98 - 100 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2026-2065 28 April 2017
A towering, thrilling wine, the 2016 Mouton Rothschild is unbelievably beautiful today. Aromatics, fruit density and vertical structure all come together. In the glass, the 2016 is remarkably vivid and powerful, and yet a gentler, more feminine side emerges with time in the glass. The intense, mineral, savory profile recalls the 1986, but the 2016 has more grace, inner sweetness and sophistication than that wine. Even so, the 2016 is going to need at least a number of years in bottle before it starts drinking well, although it won't be the bruiser the 1986 remains to this day. This is breathtaking wine from Mouton, Tecnical Director Philippe Dhalluin and his team. Score: 100 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2041 01 January 2019
On first impression, the 2016 Mouton Rothschild is incredibly reminiscent of the 1986, especially in its aromatics. On the palate, the 2016 naturally reflects the more finessed personality of the year as well as 30 years of continual refinements in vineyard and cellar work. Graphite, grilled herbs, smoke, crème de cassis, bittersweet chocolate and ripe plums are some of the many flavors that flesh out in the glass in an utterly captivating, exquisite Mouton that I had to taste twice and then directly from barrel because of its pure allure. Although it is early, the 2016 Mouton is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. (95-98+) Score: 95 - 98 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com 25 April 2017
The 2016 Mouton Rothschild is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, with the Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot vinified together. It has a very deep purple-black color and slowly slides out of the glass with spicy notes of Sichuan pepper, cloves and cinnamon stick giving way to a core of perfumed black fruits and florals—blackcurrant cordial, candied violets, blackberry compote, rose hips and black plums—plus suggestions of espresso, damp soil, tar and beef drippings. Medium-bodied, the palate is very firmly structured and jam-packed with latent energy about to burst, offering superbly ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness to support the intense floral and black fruit layers and finishing very long and very minerally. Powerful, profound wine. Score: 100 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2026-2079 30 November 2018
For the 2016 vintage, Philippe Dhalluin and his team have wrought a big, rich Mouton full of seductive grilled coffee bean, slate, graphite, tight cassis and bilberry. This has depth and impact and closely approaches the 2010. Astonishing! Clearly powerful but with the beauty and flourish of Mouton. It is a long lasting wine, just stretching out endlessly in front of you. The tannins are ever present and precise with a sweetness to them and a satin edge. This is 100% new oak, but has that 2016 trick of seeming perfectly integrated already. A wine to age then sink into on some happy future date. 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot (the last two were co-vinified, unusually). (Image is the 2014 bottle; the design for the 2016 label will be revealed later). Score: 98 Decanter, - Maturity: 2027-2050 20 April 2017
Exotic ripe blue and black fruit aromas with cocoa, vanilla, hazelnuts. On the palate, complex swathes of voluptuously ripe black fruits, and power behind. Layers of liqueur and roast notes build to the long intense finish. Very expressive, powerfully built Mouton. Score: 96 - 98 Albany Vintners, - 19 April 2017
83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot picked from 26 September (Merlot) until 14 October (Cabernet Sauvignon). Exceptional crimson. Real lift and transparency. Quite a soaring dry style with great texture and refreshment. Very strong style statement. Infusion of Cabernet. A sort of amalgam of cassis and tar in that very Mouton way but with 21st-century lift and transparency. Quite brave in a way. Bone dry and utterly embryonic compared with most of the 2016s (with the notable exception of Las Cases). (18.5+) Score: 18 - 19 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2030-2055 18 April 2017
This is a phenomenal, muscular red that shows incredible power and depth. Full-bodied and with great concentration of tannins but this remains agile and polished. The form to this is stupendous. Such precision and clarity. The new 1986 but better. Score: 100 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 24 March 2017

Tasting Notes

Along with the Château Lafite, the 2016 Château Mouton Rothschild is the wine of the vintage from the Médoc and is a truly profound, magical, blockbuster wine in every sense. It’s based on 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, raised in new French oak. Boasting a saturated purple color as well as an extraordinary bouquet of thick black fruits, lead pencil shavings, new saddle leather, and burning embers, with just a hint of its oak upbringing, this beauty hits the palate with a mammoth amount of fruit and texture yet stays fresh, pure, and light on its feet, with a thrilling sense of minerality as well as building tannins on the finish. It’s one of the most profound young wines I’ve ever tasted, and while it will probably keep for three-quarters of a decade, it offers pleasure even today. Bravo!

Score: 100

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2023-2098 28 February 2019

The 2016 Mouton Rothschild bowled me over when I tasted it from barrel. Philippe Dhalluin compares it to the 1986 in terms of intensity of fruit, although there is more maturity and refinement in the tannins apropos of the 2016. Bottled in July 2018, this has an intense bouquet with pixelated black fruit, crushed stone, hints of blue fruit and a touch of India ink. But it is the delineation and focus that take your breath away. The palate is medium-bodied with very supple tannin framing the pure black currant and cassis fruit. The acidity is pitch-perfect, and there is a gentle but insistent grip toward the extraordinarily long finish. Racking my brains to think of another Mouton Rothschild that I have tasted over the last 20 years that was as good as this, I simply cannot come up with one.

Score: 100

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2080 01 January 2019

The 2016 Mouton-Rothschild is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the latter two co-fermented, picked from 26 September and finished on 14 October. As usual, it is being matured in 100% new oak. It has a very intense bouquet with blackberry, raspberry, cold limestone and crushed violet aromas that if anything, appear to gain vigor with aeration in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, juicy tannin. There is a lot of fruit packed into this Mouton-Rothschild and therefore one can feel the weight in the mouth, yet the acidity keeps everything on tip-toes. The finish has superb precision and opulence, completing a Mouton-Rothschild that will rivet you to the spot. Tasted on two occasions, the second confirming that this is simply a magnificent wine. Whichever artist eventually designs the label is going to be drinking well.

Score: 98 - 100

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2026-2065 28 April 2017

A towering, thrilling wine, the 2016 Mouton Rothschild is unbelievably beautiful today. Aromatics, fruit density and vertical structure all come together. In the glass, the 2016 is remarkably vivid and powerful, and yet a gentler, more feminine side emerges with time in the glass. The intense, mineral, savory profile recalls the 1986, but the 2016 has more grace, inner sweetness and sophistication than that wine. Even so, the 2016 is going to need at least a number of years in bottle before it starts drinking well, although it won't be the bruiser the 1986 remains to this day. This is breathtaking wine from Mouton, Tecnical Director Philippe Dhalluin and his team.

Score: 100

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2041 01 January 2019

On first impression, the 2016 Mouton Rothschild is incredibly reminiscent of the 1986, especially in its aromatics. On the palate, the 2016 naturally reflects the more finessed personality of the year as well as 30 years of continual refinements in vineyard and cellar work. Graphite, grilled herbs, smoke, crème de cassis, bittersweet chocolate and ripe plums are some of the many flavors that flesh out in the glass in an utterly captivating, exquisite Mouton that I had to taste twice and then directly from barrel because of its pure allure. Although it is early, the 2016 Mouton is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. (95-98+)

Score: 95 - 98

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com 25 April 2017

The 2016 Mouton Rothschild is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, with the Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot vinified together. It has a very deep purple-black color and slowly slides out of the glass with spicy notes of Sichuan pepper, cloves and cinnamon stick giving way to a core of perfumed black fruits and florals—blackcurrant cordial, candied violets, blackberry compote, rose hips and black plums—plus suggestions of espresso, damp soil, tar and beef drippings. Medium-bodied, the palate is very firmly structured and jam-packed with latent energy about to burst, offering superbly ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness to support the intense floral and black fruit layers and finishing very long and very minerally. Powerful, profound wine.

Score: 100

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2026-2079 30 November 2018

For the 2016 vintage, Philippe Dhalluin and his team have wrought a big, rich Mouton full of seductive grilled coffee bean, slate, graphite, tight cassis and bilberry. This has depth and impact and closely approaches the 2010. Astonishing! Clearly powerful but with the beauty and flourish of Mouton. It is a long lasting wine, just stretching out endlessly in front of you. The tannins are ever present and precise with a sweetness to them and a satin edge. This is 100% new oak, but has that 2016 trick of seeming perfectly integrated already. A wine to age then sink into on some happy future date. 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot (the last two were co-vinified, unusually). (Image is the 2014 bottle; the design for the 2016 label will be revealed later).

Score: 98

Decanter, - Maturity: 2027-2050 20 April 2017

Exotic ripe blue and black fruit aromas with cocoa, vanilla, hazelnuts. On the palate, complex swathes of voluptuously ripe black fruits, and power behind. Layers of liqueur and roast notes build to the long intense finish. Very expressive, powerfully built Mouton.

Score: 96 - 98

Albany Vintners, - 19 April 2017

83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot picked from 26 September (Merlot) until 14 October (Cabernet Sauvignon). Exceptional crimson. Real lift and transparency. Quite a soaring dry style with great texture and refreshment. Very strong style statement. Infusion of Cabernet. A sort of amalgam of cassis and tar in that very Mouton way but with 21st-century lift and transparency. Quite brave in a way. Bone dry and utterly embryonic compared with most of the 2016s (with the notable exception of Las Cases). (18.5+)

Score: 18 - 19

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2030-2055 18 April 2017

This is a phenomenal, muscular red that shows incredible power and depth. Full-bodied and with great concentration of tannins but this remains agile and polished. The form to this is stupendous. Such precision and clarity. The new 1986 but better.

Score: 100

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 24 March 2017

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