Château Mouton Rothschild Pauillac 2010 - 1er Grand Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

A sumptuous wine, still too heavily influenced by the barrel on the nose—at least in this bottle—with a beautifully velvety texture but a powerful tannic finish that reflects the full intensity of the Cabernet Sauvignon (which makes up 94.5% of the blend!). Wait, and wait some more, knowing that the 2013 and 2012 vintages will serve as a perfect interim for quite some time. Best enjoyed between 2025 and 2050.

About the estate:

Philippine de Rothschild left her children an estate in excellent condition, managed by an impeccable technical team. Originally known as Brane-Mouton, the estate became Mouton-Rothschild in 1853, when Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild acquired it. His great-grandson Philippe took over in 1922 and began bottling the wine. Mouton’s exceptional terroir and its very old vines—enhanced in recent vintages by favorable weather and a magnificent winery established in 2013—produce perhaps the most formally perfect wine in the Médoc. This will not prevent it from closing in on itself in great vintages before reaching a peak that is predicted to be glorious. The second wine, Petit-Mouton, resembles the grand vin like a younger brother, and the white, Aile-d’Argent, is gradually becoming one of the most complete in the Médoc.

Decanter

About the wine:

It reveals a nose of toasted, smoky tar—both distinctly 2010 and quintessentially Mouton—ripe and confident. It exudes a more glamorous, more seductive quality than the other Pauillac First Growths. The tannins are abundant, and the overall sensation is one of plushness, of soft, fleshy fruit, as if one were wrapped in luxurious sheets. Its character is very different from that of the other Pauillac First Growths, but it is no less enjoyable. It seems more alcoholic, more Cos than Lafite in terms of personality, in the same way that Pichon Baron is more Latour than Comtesse, yet it is nuanced, intelligent, and surprising. Best enjoyed between 2025 and 2050.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

In 2013, Mouton opened a new fermentation cellar, inaugurated during Vinexpo: 70 meters long, spread over two levels, housing 44 oak vats and 20 stainless steel vats—equipment deemed necessary to vinify the approximately 80 hectares of this estate. But it was in the old facility that the 2010 vintage was born, following a rigorous selection process, as a record was set for the proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon (94%), with the Merlots having suffered from water stress during that very dry summer. It is therefore no surprise to discover a wine with very strong aging potential. Yet while rich, full-bodied, and robust, this vintage also displays remarkable finesse—both in the bouquet, which offers surprising notes of café au lait, and on the palate, built upon savory, refined tannins that highlight the long finish. The connoisseur will have but one regret: they will need to arm themselves with patience to fully appreciate this exceptional bottle. It would indeed be a shame to open a wine too young, as it will only reach its full potential in eight, ten, or fifteen years. On the other hand, in over thirty years, this vintage will still be at its peak. Of note for oenoseemiophiles (label collectors) is that this year, the label of Mouton’s grand cru is illustrated by Jeff Koons.

About the estate:

Acquired in 1853 by the Rothschild family, Château Mouton Rothschild is closely associated with Baron Philippe. Taking the helm of the estate in 1922, he restored its prestige by modernizing it (notably through the construction of the famous “grand chai”)—an effort that culminated in 1973 with the revision of the 1855 classification and Mouton’s elevation to the rank of First Growth. Baron Philippe also turned the estate into the foundation of a small empire comprising other vineyards and a wine merchant firm. He also played an important role in the history of wine by being one of the first to bottle wine at the château, as early as 1926, and by commissioning artists to illustrate his labels. Starting in 1988, his daughter Philippine, who passed away in 2014, continued his work. Her children, Camille and Philippe Sereys de Rothschild and Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild, succeeded her. Philippe Dhalluin has been the director since 2003. At his disposal is an 84-hectare vineyard located primarily on a hilltop of very deep gravel known as the “Plateau de Mouton” and a brand-new winery built in 2013.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

Philippe Sereys de Rothschild has presided over this iconic family-owned estate in Pauillac since 2014. The wine, as flamboyant as ever and naturally exuding generous smoky notes, is more in its element than ever. While Mouton experienced a slump in the mid-1990s, it was brilliantly revived in the early 2000s. Since then, a series of magnificent vintages has continued to write the legend of the only 1855 classified growth to have been promoted: from second growth, it logically rose to first growth in 1973. The architect of the estate’s revival, Philippe Dhalluin has handed the reins to a strong duo consisting of Ariane Khaida (general manager) and Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy (technical director). Mouton, equipped with a new winery since 2013, continues to thrive at the top. Of particular note is the progress made by the white wine, which is clearer and more precise than ever.

James Suckling

About the wine:

This is clearly a perfect wine, displaying incredible depth of fruit with notes of blackcurrant, dark chocolate, minerals, and licorice. Full-bodied, tight, and well-structured, with ripe tannins that gradually soften and captivate you. It makes me want to drink it right now. But this is a wine meant for the long term. Extraordinary. 94% Cabernet Sauvignon. Best in 2020.

Vert de Vin

About the wine:

The nose is elegant and fresh, offering concentration (with delicacy), power (with subtlety), as well as lovely depth, a refined texture, and a melodious, multi-layered character. This wine benefits from being decanted. It features notes of vibrant blackberry, juicy blackcurrant, and hints of juicy Gariguette strawberry, combined with touches of violet, refined minerality, graphite, and dark berries, as well as subtle hints of zingiber, sweet spices, discreet notes of cinnamon and hazelnut, and an imperceptible hint of pepper (in the background). The palate is fruity, perfectly balanced and refined, elegant, offering delicacy, richness, a lovely finesse of texture, tension (in finesse), power (in delicacy), as well as concentration, a multi-layered, melodious quality, lovely delicacy, a hint of darkness, depth, and a lovely brilliance of ripe, juicy, and subtly tart fruit. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of ripe wild blackcurrant, small ripe wild black berries, fresh/juicy raspberry, and, more subtly, juicy/fresh strawberry, combined with hints of graphite, incense, refined minerality, dark chocolate/mocha, morello cherry, and subtle hints of coffee (in the background). The tannins are elegant, fresh, precise, and structuring.

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

About the wine:

Incredible in every sense of the word, it has everything one could expect from a Pauillac and from Mouton Rothschild. Just as good, though in a style distinct from the opulence of the 2009, you’ll find incredible levels of intensity, density, richness, liveliness, and structure. The fruit is perfectly ripe, expressing great purity with notes of crushed stone, flowers, a spice box, pencil lead, blackcurrant, blackberries, and Cuban cigars. The racy finish is seamless and easily lasts over 60 seconds. This is not a wine for today. It is meant for the future. Your children will be able to enjoy it when it reaches maturity. Drink from 2030 to 2080.