Château Mouton Rothschild 2013

A success in one of the region's most difficult years, showing tension and energy to the mix of red currant and damson plum fruit, stitched with light anise, violet and bay hints. Has a slightly crunchy feel through the finish, typical for the vintage. Admirable flesh as well. -- Non-blind Mouton-Rothschild vertical (March 2017). Best from 2021 through 2038.

This generous, almost opulent wine has both concentration and rounded fruits. It's open already, hinting at wood-aging while concentrating much more on the ripe fruits. Packed with fruit and tannins, it's densely textured. It will age, of course; don't start to drink before 2025.

When tasted en primeur, this was a lightweight Mouton, but it too has gained weight over the years. There's solid fruit and integrated oak on the blackcurrant-scented nose. The palate is succulent and fleshy, and shows surprising power without too much density. The fruit is ripe and appealing, but it lacks some vigour and persistence.

A warm and delicious Mouton with light spice, currant, and hints of chocolate. Very subtle and refined. Full to medium body. Seamless tannins that dissolve on the finish. Wonderful length for the vintage. 89% cabernet sauvignon, 7% merlot, and 4% cabernet franc. Salty and delicately fruity. Better in 2020 but beautiful now.

The 2013 Mouton Rothschild is delicate, pretty and nicely lifted throughout, with a Pinot-like purity to its fruit. A distinctly lithe Mouton, the 2013 should offer fine drinking over the next two decades, or so although it is certainly not a blockbuster. Bright red cherry, raspberry rose petal and blood orange are some of the signatures. Seventeen millimeters of rain at the end of the season caused an outbreak of rot and resulted in a compact harvest between September 30 and October 9. Because of the wine's mid-weight structure, Philippe Dhalluin brought the new oak down to about 80%. The 2013 is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. This is the second vintage made in the new cellar. More importantly, the 2013 is far more impressive from bottle than it was from barrel. Approximately 45% of the crop was used for the Grand Vin.

Truffle, forest floor, cigar box, cedar chest and cassis are easy to find on the nose. Medium/full bodied, elegant, charming and fresh, give this perhaps 4-5 years and you'll have a quite nice, albeit lighter style of Mouton Rothschild to enjoy for the next decade and probably longer. Made using a blend of 889% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, the fruit was picked from September 30 to October 9.

Aromas of roasted coffee, mocha, fine oak, spicy notes and ripe dark fruit on the nose. On the palate finely grained texture with ripe tannin, fresh dark fruit and a long, rounded finish.

89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. Bright garnet with medium intensity, fine rim. A delicate, buoyant bouquet—red cassis, violet, cinnamon, marzipan—layered with a touch of caramel and vanillin; it opens nicely but shows relatively little drive. On the palate, it feels like tasting a wine that’s already ready to drink: the tannins are fine, the fruit is easygoing, and the astringency sits in a noble, refined, though potentially somewhat restrained register; the finish is floral and juicy. A “Mouton light,” in a slightly better vinification style than 1997. That’s going to be an expensive Pauillac diet. I hope that with further aging it will at least put a bit of flesh on those lean ribs.

89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. Bright garnet with medium density, fine rim. Delicate, buoyant bouquet—red cassis, violet, cinnamon, marzipan—supported by a touch of caramel and vanillin; it opens nicely but shows relatively little drive. On the palate, it feels like a wine ready to drink: fine tannins, agreeable fruit, and an astringency in a noble, refined yet potentially somewhat restrained register; the finish is floral and juicy. A “Mouton-light,” in a slightly better vinification style than 1997. This will be an expensive Pauillac diet. I hope that with further ageing it will at least put a little fat on its lean ribs. (17/20). Before bottling at the estate. Lots of dark toasty notes, giving the impression that something in the underlying material has been masked. Soft acidity, but with a certain core. A kind of reincarnation of the 1987.

(89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc) Spicy, fresh, elegant, complex bouquet with blackcurrant, mocha, subtle licorice, precious woods, and smoky notes. An elegant, multi-layered, refined palate with a silky, fine-boned structure, plenty of fine tannins, a powerful, sweetly expressive aromatic profile, and a long, sweet, full finish. 18/20 2022 - 2038

Even in a challenging vintage, there are certain expectations around tasting First Growths, and I was a little nervous before tasting this wine, as I was sharing it with somebody who had never drunk a bottle of Mouton before, and I didn't want them to be disappointed. First relief - it maintains estate signature, with a depth and richness to the colour that you're not going to find in many wines from this vintage. Mouton needs a touch of glamour, and here you get waves of grilled campfire, baking spices and liquorice on the opening moments. The tannins are elongated and fine, a little less supple than you will find in a 12-year-old Mouton in most years, but rounded out with pureed blackberry, with rose stems and cranberry fruits showing the slightly under-ripe character of the fruit, while skilfully accentuating floral aromatics. On the edge of tertiary, fully in its drinking window, and giving a ton of pleasure. I have given this one point more than last time I tasted it in 2023, because this was an unforgettable moment, but bear in mind that in a vertical of Mouton, it would still be an outlier. Harvest September 30 to October 9, Philippe Dhalluin director.

Medium garnet in color, the 2013 Mouton Rothschild gallops out with energetic notes of blackcurrant jelly, kirsch, and prunes, leading to suggestions of wild fungi, dusty soil, and charcuterie. The mediuml-bodied palate is packed with black fruit layers, framed by amazing tension and fine, ripe tannins, finishing long and earthy. This is very nicely done!

This 2013 stands out for its beautifully broad palate and the smoky notes so characteristic of the Mouton terroir. A very fine success for the vintage, with a finish marked by remarkable, mouthwatering savory intensity. The palate shows superb richness.

Ruby red with purplish highlights. A very elegant bouquet revealing spicy notes such as cinnamon, blackcurrant and blackberry. A very lovely texture on the palate. Fruity, elegant, vibrant touch. Seductive. A hint of blackcurrant. An elegant, light tannic structure. A fine wine, fairly tight-knit. Grainy. Cocoa. Persistent.

A dark, intense, beautiful color. A refined nose with ripe fruit and a delicate toasted note. The palate is mellow and smooth, with an elongated, full, rich body, plenty of flavor and even some breadth. A finish with fine tannins. A fine achievement.