Château Mouton Rothschild 2018

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+.

This large-scaled wine is brimming with cassis and distilled plum fruit that’s remarkably pure, focused and driven in feel, supported by a seamless, iron-clad and remarkably polished structure, doing its job without detracting from the fruit. Add in sparkles of savory, racy floral and sanguine accents, as well as some pretty ridiculous length, and you have another battleship of a wine in the making. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2030 through 2050.

This has so much tannic power, with density, layers and structure along with layers of blackberry, liquorice, baked earth, cigar box and Mouton’s signature exotic spices. A big, textured and complex wine that is taking it all in its stride. 100% new oak. There is the tiniest touch of Petit Verdot in the blend, but under 1%, so it’s not in the official figures. 62% of production went into the grand vin. pH 3.78. IPT 88. The artist for this vintage is Xu Bing.

I am a little bit speechless about this one. I have not seen such an earthy and profoundly soil-driven character in a young Mouton in my career. Of course, I didn’t taste 1945 or 1959 when they were young, but I’ve been lucky enough to have a few bottles in my life. There is truly a terroir-driven character to this. Layered and so intense, with polished and incredible tannins.

86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc. Barrel sample. Black core with purple rim. Pure, perfectly ripe and lightly spiced cassis. Perfect Cabernet Sauvignon with a nice touch of cassis leaf to freshen the aroma – invitingly perfumed. On the palate, much more freshness than on Petit Mouton, the tannins slimmer and finer even if they are compact and very present. Chewy, generous in fruit, big but harmonious. Structured and deep and so much more to come. (JH)

The 2018 Mouton-Rothschild needed 2–3 hours before I began composing a single word. Eventually it unfolds with the same aromatics that I observed out of barrel: extraordinarily pure blackberry, blueberry, pressed violet petals and potpourri. It still has the alluring Margaux-like florality. The palate is medium-bodied with filigreed tannins, disarmingly satin-like texture and wonderful cohesion. This is a sophisticated Mouton-Rothschild that is maybe less ostentatious than other recent vintages, but well aware of its class and breeding; it knows that there is no need to show off. The precision on the finish is riveting. Assessing it over many hours to plot its evolution, I wager that this First Growth may well drink earlier than I anticipated, so give it 5–6 years in bottle. Chapeau to retired winemaker Philippe Dhalluin and his team.

Dark red ink in color, the wine exudes Asian spice, espresso, smoke, cigar box, walnuts, cocoa, blackberry and red currant aromas. If you can pull yourself away from seeking additional nuances in the perfume, the wine hits your palate with waves of sensuous, decadent, velvety, dark red fruits and spice that clock in at over 60 seconds. Think of 2018 as a better version of 2009, with more concentration, silkier tannins, additional levels of purity and opulence. Even with all this voluptuousness, the wine is energetic and intense. The blend comes from 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, 13.8% ABV.

Dark ruby garnet, deep core, purple reflections and subtle brightening on the rim. Fine noble wood savouriness, delicate cedar, fresh with fine notes of red berry, cassis and tobacco, still a little reserved. Juicy, black cherry, fruit sweetness, ripe, silky tannins, lively structure, mineral and beautifully balanced. Already well developed with a fine and long savoury finish. Light-footed, elegant with lots of complexity and seriously age-worthy. (2025-2070).

Opaque purple. What a regal Mouton, with beguiling blackcurrant, fine cocoa, ebony and licorice. On the second pass, fresh thyme and Tasmanian mountain pepper. On the royal palate, a texture like velvet and silk, a perfectly supportive tannic frame, cocoa‑like extract, reminiscent of 2009 thanks to its richness and warmth. In the catapulting finish, freshly brewed espresso, dark chocolate–orange truffles and rosemary. It keeps stretching on and doesn’t want to stop – truly, truly, truly great Mouton cinema this year!

Kunz barrel sample 19: (86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc) Concentrated, fresh, complex, deep and elegant bouquet, cassis cream, cedar, precious woods, subtle roasted notes, mint, delicate nougat, graphite. Finely concentrated, multi-layered, elegant, creamy palate with dense dark fruit, lots of fine tannins, varied, concentrated aromatics, a very dense, elegant structure, and a very long, powerful, aromatic finish with pronounced aftertastes.

(86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc) Concentrated, fresh, complex, deep, elegant bouquet: cassis cream, cedar, fine woods, delicate toasted notes, mint, subtle nougat, graphite. Finely concentrated, multi-layered, elegant, creamy palate with dense dark fruit, plenty of fine tannin, varied and concentrated aromatics, a very dense, elegant structure, and a very long, powerful, aromatic finish with intense afterflavors. 20/20 2028 - 2060

I’m not alone in considering this one of the all-time great Moutons – it was awarded World's Greatest Wine in a competition last year that saw numerous rounds of blind tasting. It’s worth finding out why – this is a powerhouse of beautiful fruit – layer upon concentrated layer of blackberry, cassis, liquorice, baked earth, cigar box, black truffle and Mouton’s signature smoked and grilled spices. The tannins are velvety but determined, holding onto their fruit with no intention of letting go for another few decades. 100% new oak. There is the tiniest touch of Petit Verdot in the blend but under 1% so it’s not in the official figures. 62% of production went into the grand vin. pH 3.78. IPT 88. The artist for this vintage is Xu Bing.

The 2018 Mouton Rothschild is deep garnet-purple in color. It sashays out of the glass with vibrant scents of kirsch, juicy blackcurrants, and black raspberries, plus suggestions of lavender, cedar, and camphor, with a waft of roses. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has firm, grainy tannins and a lively backbone supporting the muscular fruit, finishing with a minty lift.

Magnificent aromatic intensity and an imposing body, a great start in life for a very large-format Mouton.

Mouton has always cultivated a flamboyant style. In the 2018 vintage, it bursts on the palate and unfurls an impressive flow of fruit. This is a Mouton that is broad, deep, and suave, with subtly grained tannins that will need at least ten years of aging.

97–99. Barrel Sample. 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.