Critic Notes
My joint top wine (with Ch Margaux) of the vintage. A real firework display but still controlled. Very rich on the palate: broad yet silky, earthy yet so refined. This is Mouton at a new peak and it's hard to imagine a better balance of elegance and power. Apr 2016, Steven Spurrier, www.Decanter.com, Drink: 2024-2050
Score: 98-/100DecanterDrinking Window: 2024-2050
The 2015 Mouton-Rothschild is a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc matured entirely in new oak, as usual. This represents a relatively high percentage of Merlot simply because, as winemaker Philippe Dhalluin told me, that quality was so good. I afforded my sample four to five minutes to open as it was a little reduced at first, but eventually it reveals a gorgeous, extraordinarily intense bouquet of blackberry, cassis, incense and cold slate aromas. In some ways it reminds me of Latour as much as Mouton Rothschild. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannin, perfectly pitched acidity, wonderful tension and impressive length. There is a strong graphite theme running through from start to finish that is little grainy and so it will require preferably a decade in cellar. But what freshness and panache here, a classic Mouton-Rothschild that will live for 50 or 60 years, not a million miles away from say, the 1986 or 2010. Expect this to settle at the top of my banded score once in bottle. Apr 2016, www.eRobertParker.com, Drink: 2027-2060
Score: 97-99/100Neal MartinDrinking Window: 2027-2060
The 2015 Mouton Rothschild is a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc aged in 100% new oak with a mid-July 2017 bottling. Deep garnet-purple colored, this Mouton pulls off an incredibly impactful entrance, emerging from the glass with profound notes of blackberry preserves, plum pudding, creme 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. Give it a good 7-8 years in bottle, at least, and drink it over the next 30+ years. Feb 2018, www.robertparker.com
Score: 98-/100Lisa Perrotti-Brown
82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc. 57% of the crop. Very majestic nose. Obviously first-growth quality. Savoury and plush in terms of texture. Restrained without being a wimp. Lovely scent. Dry finish but with some of Mouton's opulence before then. Very fine. Very exciting. Some saline sap as well as all the ripe fruit. Apr 2016, www.JancisRobinson.com, Drink: 2025-2045
Score: 19-/20Jancis RobinsonDrinking Window: 2025-2045
In 2015, Mouton Rothschild is fabulous. A big, towering wine, the 2015 makes its presence felt with layers of super-ripe dense fruit and striking textural resonance that carries all the way through to the finish. The 2015 is much more reticent from bottle than it was from barrel, which is not at all surprising, but is something readers should take into account. Even with all of its obvious intensity, the 2015 Mouton is a wine of classically inspired proportions. I can't wait to taste it in another 15-20 years. The 2015 is 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc that spend 19 months in 100% new French oak.
Score: 97-/100Antonio GalloniDrinking Window: 2025 - 2055
Very racy and refined with super polished tannins and focused dark fruits. Blackberry, orange peel, and blackcurrants. Full. Very long and thought provoking. A wine that delivers power and finesse. Juicy and fresh. Mar 2016, www.jamessuckling.com
Score: 96-97/100James Suckling
Is this one of the wines of the vintage? It all depends on whether you like the Napa-esque Mouton style, which is every bit as recognisable as that of Lafite (at the other extreme in 2015). This is a big, bold, concentrated wine, with toasty, 100% new oak and plush, compact tannins and succulent fruit flavours. Impressive, but how will it age? We shall see. Apr 2016, www.timatkin.com, Drink: 2025-2035
Score: 94-/100Tim AtkinDrinking Window: 2025-2035
