Château Mouton Rothschild, 1er Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2002
The Mouton range was an absolute delight to taste this year. Philippe Dhalluin and his team have produced some sumptuous, lavishly fruited wines that are texturally very alluring. Mouton in particular was much more open and fragrant than normal. Aromas of Asian spice, crème de cassis, potpourri, graphite, truffle, black cherry and menthol waft from the glass. Usually Mouton at this stage is reserved and required considerable coaxing to evaluate its aromatics. The palate is also more forthcoming than we are used to. Swathes of charming, seductive fruit cascade over the palate. Texturally this is like pure cashmere with gorgeous, opulent tannins and a pure crème de cassis finish. Excellent.
critic reviews
The 2002 Mouton-Rothschild, which was made by the late Patrick Leon, has a well-defined bouquet with pretty blackberry and graphite scents, quite precise and focused. This has matured well in bottle. The palate is medium-bodied with a cohesive entry, youthful, not amazingly complex and perhaps towards the end the limitations of the growing season impinge upon complexity. A touch of dark chocolate on the aftertaste. I would drink this over the next 10 to 15 years. Very fine. Tasted at the château.
Tasted blind as a vintage comparison at the Valandraud vertical, the 2002 Mouton-Rothschild is a wine that burned brightly in its youth, though recent encounters suggest that maybe it is beginning to flag as it enters what you might call middle age. Here, it has a conservative bouquet with blackberry, cedar, warm bricks and melted tar aromas - an unfussy, uncomplicated, quite serious Pauillac bouquet. The palate is well balanced with crisp acidity. It feels lively on the entry with fine tannin, a Mouton that is nimble on its feet with a gentle grip towards the finish, which offers a satisfying aftertaste of spice and clove. It does not mirror some of the outstanding bottles I consumed within the first decade of its life, and peering into this First Growth, it is difficult to see whether it will repay those who cellar it longer. Tasted December 2016.