Château Mouton Rothschild 2008

From an underrated vintage for many Bordeaux wines, the 2008 Mouton-Rothschild reveals classic notes of cigar box, forest floor, underbrush, vanillin, camphor, chocolate and abundant blackcurrant and blackberry fruit. Beautifully finessed tannins coat the mouth, giving the wine a savory, expansive texture with no hard edges. It still has some tannin to shed, but this beauty is evolving quickly, displaying wonderful secondary nuances. It should age for 25+ years.

This shows the cool, leafy profile of the vintage, with fresh tobacco and bay notes standing out, while the core of plum and blackberry fruit continues to fill in behind them. Shows wet earth and singed alder elements through the finish. This has nearly dropped its angular feel and is developing well, with just a slight twinge of crisp acidity on the finish. -- Non-blind Mouton-Rothschild vertical (March 2017). Drink now through 2036.

A rich wine, opulent in character. There is power here, with richness of fruit and texture. It is both serious side and exuberant, with its bursting black berry fruits.

Starting to really come into its own, this is packed full of savoury blackberry, redcurrant and blueberry fruit with layers of liquorice, black chocolate, grilled cedar and a gentle lick of salinity through the finish. Excellent quality, and now starting to open - it was a baby at the 10 years on tasting but has inched open over the past three years. Harvest from October 2-15, with relatively low yields of 34hl/ha.

Aromas of roasted fruit plus hints of grilled meat and chocolate. Full body, firm and chewy tannins and bright acidity. Tangy and lively. Needs time still to come together to soften the tannins. A little hard. Better in 2018.

After the 2009 and 2010, the 2008 Mouton Rothschild comes across as a touch slender. Lavender, smoke, grilled herbs and licorice add the closing shades of nuance in this delightful, mid-weight Mouton. In 2008, the blend is 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Merlot harvested between October 2 and 15. Two thousand eight is remembered as a highly variable year. Overcast skies finally opened in mid-September, which allowed the growing season to conclude on a high note.

Truffles, wet earth, tobacco wrapper, forest floor and leafy notes add to the nuances. Full bodied, firm, tannic and classically styled, the wine is still austere. There is plenty of fruit buried below the wall of tannins, but you will need time for the tannins to subside. This will take at least 10-15 more years before it is civilized.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the rim. Intense bouquet, ethereal nuances of mint, eucalyptus, a touch of tar, very exotic aroma, floral hints of lilies and purples, dark berry fruit in the background. Juicy, almost opulent and round, structured with finesse, good, integrated tannins, ripe sweet cherries on the finish, elegant, sweet and persistent, approaching a first drinking phase, at least with this nose, it is a distinctive Mouton.

The 2008 Mouton Rothschild checks in as a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Merlot brought up in mostly new barrels. Undeniably one of the top wines in the vintage, it offers a rare opulence and sexiness in its awesome bouquet of crème de cassis, Asian spices, chocolate, and crushed flowers. Deep, full-bodied, powerful, and still young, it fills the mouth with fruit, has sweet tannin, and a great finish. It's still ruby/plum-colored, with no signs of evolution, but is far from unapproachable and is drinking incredibly well today. It will keep for another two decades.

40% Grand Vin (160,000 bottles – half as many as the 1970 vintage). 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot. Medium-deep garnet with a fairly dense core. An aromatic bouquet with plenty of warmth right from the first nose: Arabica coffee, dark freshly baked bread, plum, blackcurrant, gianduja chocolate notes, cedar scents and Dominican tobacco, all topped with a delicate caramel veil. Sweet, supple palate with clear Mouton toast notes; despite its inner backbone, the tannins are already quite round and give this wine real sex appeal even at the en primeur tasting. The finish brings licorice, elderberry and blackcurrant notes, again with plenty of chocolate. A great Mouton that could rise to 19/20 at peak maturity.

40% Grand Vin. 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot. Production: 160,000 bottles. That’s exactly half as much as the 1970 vintage! Medium-dark garnet, quite dense at the core. Aromatic bouquet with plenty of warmth on the first nose: Arabica coffee, dark freshly baked bread, plums, blackcurrant, gianduja chocolate notes, cedar scent and Dominican tobacco, all topped by a fine caramel sheen. Sweet palate, clear Mouton toasty notes; the tannins—despite underlying structure—are already fairly rounded, giving this wine a lot of sex appeal even at the en primeur tasting. Licorice, elderberry and blackcurrant on the finish, and here again a hefty portion of chocolate. A great Mouton that can rise to 19/20 at peak maturity. 09: Tasted again in the fall at Mouton with an ADV group. Full-on blue- to black-berry aromas with the typical Mouton sweetness. A wonderfully great Mouton, though it ultimately lacks a bit of aromatic drive on the back end. Somehow I even added the word “Chambertin”! (18/20). 20: Medium wine-red. The fairly open bouquet shows lots of red-berry definition—red cherries too—coffee powder, bread crust, i.e., pronounced toasty notes. From the mid-palate, the nose conveys a floral touch, fitting for this not-so-easy vintage. On the palate soft and juicy, with only minimal tannins left, which may call for a bit more ageing. Overall, an honest expression of the vintage: a gastronomic, feminine, fun Mouton in the glass. (18/20).

It has that “Mouton” character, with richness and a seductive yet profound side. Above all, it has gained a great deal in precision. Superb structure and finish.

Dense, tightly knit structure, marked precision, and yet so unmistakably Mouton with its exotic aromas.

Garnet-red with subtle violet highlights. Mouton’s bouquet begins—quite naturally in this context—by revealing its oak ageing. That may be where some critics of this exceptional estate stop. In doing so, they miss the floral notes, with hints of violet. They also overlook the subtle fruit notes, with a range of dark fruits such as prunes and blueberries. As the minutes pass, the wine confirms just how well it performs—compelling and convincing. The attack is silky and expressive. The palate of Mouton 2008 is exceptionally refined and broad-shouldered, with a superb symbiosis between silky, elegant tannins and vibrant fruit intensity. The style is suave, juicy, and beautifully true to its character.

Logo on the cork: M Dark, intense color, slightly evolved. An intense, fruity nose with a slight smoky edge. The palate shows a somewhat contradictory character: on the one hand, the flavors feel very southern; on the other, the texture comes across as a bit cool. As a result, it feels rather austere, even if the finish remains fragrant. Bought in the same case, in 2013 and 2015 I rated this wine 18 (96). Any variation?