2023 Chateau Mouton Rothschild - 1er Grand Cru Classe Pauillac

Decanter.com – 98 pts – GH: *Gorgeous red and black fruit on the nose, ripe strawberries, cherries and blackcurrants, really fruit forward and expressive, not so much on the mineral or floral side. Smooth and supple, this is agile and has great movement. A sense of life, depth and richness, but this is so suave. The fruit and tannins fill the mouth but with wonderful coolness - blueberry and crisp cherry. Lots of liquorice and wet stones also come through; graphite, chalk, mint, a touch of toastiness on the finish. It has flashes of exoticism, as well as finesse. Structure and seriousness but with bounce, full of texture and nuance. Tannins have built a broad wine and this is a real success with lots of energy and vibrancy throughout but with no harsh acidity or too lean tannins. Stylish, characterful and executed very well. 11% press wine, last year was 17%. 93% Cabernet in the blend, second highest in history after 2010 which was 94%. 75 IPT. 40% grand vin production. A potential 100-point wine.* - 04/2024

Falstaff Magazin – 97 pts – PM: *Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Feine Edelholzwürze, schwarze Waldbeeren, zart nach Brombeeren und Lakritze, tabakige Nuancen. Saftig, elegant, feine rotbeerige Noten nach Preiselbeeren, seidige, feine Tannine, frische Säurestruktur, angenehme Kirschfrucht im Abgang, saliner Nachhall, bleibt haften, ein lebendiger Speisenbegleiter, ein Hauch von Cassis im Rückgeschmack.* - 05/2024

Vinum Magazin – 97/100 pts: *Diskret, mit Noblesse und Tiefe, Rauch, Zartbitterschokolade, Minze über klarer Frucht. Am Gaumen mit Rasse und Schliff, wie aus dem Stein gemeisseltes Tannin, markante Säure, ein Wein voller Leben, Dynamik und Eleganz.*

JancisRobinson.com – 18/20pts – JL: *93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot. Cask sample. Pure Cabernet-cassis aroma. Juicy and gourmand on the palate but with a steely tannic frame behind. Good density and still tightly wound. Will need time.* - 04/2024

Vinous.com – (96-99) pts – AG: *The 2023 Mouton Rothschild is shaping up to be one of the best wines of the vintage on the Left Bank. Its balance of intense, super-concentrated fruit and equally imposing structure is spellbinding. Dark red-toned fruit, blood orange, spice, pencil shavings and dried herbs gain intensity in the glass. I especially admire its vertical build and overall energy. This is an exciting young Mouton endowed with palpable dynamic energy. It's a superb effort from the team led by Technical Director Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy.* - 04/2024

Vinous.com – (96-98) pts – NM: *The 2023 Mouton Rothschild was picked from September 7 to 30 and contains 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, the second highest ever (after the 2010). Matured entirely in new oak as usual, this has an intense, floral bouquet with violet petals infusing the black fruit and touches of licorice loitering just off stage—very fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with extremely refined tannins. Focused and harmonious, it’s velvety smooth with a long and tender finish that has more crispness than the 2022. In fact, I might ultimately end up preferring this over the 2022…it will be interesting finding out in the future!* - 04/2024

Thewinecellarinsider.com – (98-100) pts – JL: *Cuban cigars, blackberries, flowers, smoke, espresso, spice, fruitcake, licorice, roasted nuts, and currants are a treat in the perfume. The palate offers layers of energetic, long, deep, fruits with a racy edge. The wine builds as it lingers with the fruit moving from red, to black, and back to red, with a refreshing sprig of mint, a touch of chocolate, and a dash of spice, adding to the complexity. The key to the vintage initial heat spell in August helped propel the grapes to phenolic ripeness. The ability to wait for the moment of their choice, allowing for a longer hangtime for the Cabernet played a major role this year. The wine blends 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 7% Merlot. Only 2010 had more Cabernet in the blend. 13.3% ABV, 3.79 pH. The harvest took place September 7 - September 30. Drink from 2030-2065.* - 05/2024