Chateau Mouton Rothschild Premier Cru Classe, Pauillac 1996

This was tasted from jeroboam in September 2019.

The last time I tasted the 1996 Mouton Rothschild maybe a couple of years ago?), I recall it was a bit broody and closed. This showing was anything but! Deep garnet in color, it sashays out of the glass with lavishly dressed, gregarious crème de cassis, baked blackberries and plum pudding scents plus touches of menthol, fenugreek, star anise and sandalwood with fleeting glimpses at dried rose petals and oolong tea. The full-bodied palate is richly fruited, opulent and oh-so seductive, with bags of youthful black fruit and lovely finely grained tannins, finishing with fantastic freshness and length.

Drink 2019 - 2056

77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc; pH 3.85; IPT 73; 12.7% alcohol; 83% new oak.

Bright ruby with a palish rim. Intense, fragrant aromas of strawberry, iris, coffee, white pepper and bay leaf are lifted by an aromatic spice note; one can recognize the cabernet franc here. Rich, dense and suave, with very pure red fruit, cedar and herb flavours that coat the palate and are nicely carried by vibrant, harmonious acidity. Finishes with outstanding length, noble tannins and a late spicy, floral kick. This outstanding Mouton has improved enormously since its release. Tourbier agrees: "We were a little worried initially that this Mouton seemed too rigid, almost austere. Instead, it did a complete turnaround once bottled, surprising us as well."

The 1996 Château Mouton Rothschild is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and 10% of Cabernet Franc. 

This beauty shows the fresh, clean, incredibly classic style of the vintage, offering vibrant dark fruits, spring flowers, tobacco, and coffee, and like many 1996s, there’s a wonderful, herbal freshness in the aromatics and flavours. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and focused on the palate, its tannins are nicely integrated, the balance is spot on, and this beauty is drinking incredibly well today. It should continue to evolve for another two decades.

Drink 2023 - 2044

Currants, minerals and flowers on the nose and palate. Full-bodied, with layered tannins and a fresh, clean finish. A beautiful precision to the wine.

Drinking beautifully.

Tasted from an ex-château jeroboam at the Palace of Versailles charity dinner.

The 1996 Mouton-Rothschild is the high point of what in retrospect was an inconsistent decade for this First Growth. It has a very attractive, classic Pauillac bouquet: predominantly black fruit laced with cedar, freshly rolled tobacco and light graphite scents. It is not lavish, but tightly controlled. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, though not as fine as recent vintages under Philippe Dhalluin. There is satisfying density and gentle grip toward the finish, which feels fresh and contains enough energy to suggest that it is only just reaching its plateau.

Drink 2019 - 2040

The evolution of the 1996 continues to confirm that this vintage is indeed awesome. The wine is looking extraordinary as it enters into its last few months of barrel age. Massive, thick, and rich, it looks to be as prodigious as the slightly softer 1995. It is a sensational Mouton that appears to be every bit as complete and potentially grand as the other Medoc first-growths in this vintage.

Drink 2006 - 2030