Two Moutons

Notes from a non-blind tasting with Erwan Le Brozac of Mouton Rothschild. As well as the two First Growths we also tasted d'Armailhacs, Clerc Milons and a Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild in the lead up ... We finished a bottle of the 2010 Mouton Rothschild later with dinner.

Some other tasters preferred the 2005 over the 2010 and they were a good contrast in styles ...

Both wines were vigorously decanted about 5 hours earlier (which they definitely needed) ...

• 2010 Château Mouton Rothschild 97 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Impenetrable, deep red colour with purple highlights. The best bouquet of any wine I've had so far in 2015 ... very intense and lifted. A multi-layered, complex, multi-dimensional nose packed full of spices, a melange of red and black fruits, tobacco, graphite and minerals, charry oak, savoury elements etc etc. On palate, pinpoint perfect balance and delicacy, matched by serious fruit weight and huge power. Surprisingly accessible. Vibrant with perfect acidity. The flavour profile again detailed and multi-dimensional, including blackberries, red and black cherries, graphite, liquorice, earth, dark plums and more and more. Real Mouton typicity. Incredible length, finishing on fine minerality. The 100% new oak made its presence felt but the super fine-grained tannins will integrate with time. I preferred the 2010 over the 2005 for its greater apparent acidity, which lent greater finesse, line and focus to the wine. Erwan compared this wine with the '82 and said 'but you don't need to wait 20 years'. Give it 10+ years cellar time. Cabernet Sauvignon 68%, Merlot 24%, Cabernet Franc 8% from vineyards that are Cabernet Sauvignon 77%, Merlot 12%, Cabernet Franc 9%, Petit Verdot 2%.

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• 2005 Château Mouton Rothschild 95 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Very dark black red colour. An expressive, aromatically explosive bouquet. A bigger, but not a more complex, bouquet of spices, warm earth, dark roses, blackberries, savoury game meats and musk. There was also underlying minerality and plenty of spicy oak. I probably would have thought it a sensational nose (which it was), except that it was beside the 2010. On palate, seemingly more unresolved and raw than the 2010. Appearing firmly locked down, around a solid, tight core of red and black fruits. Huge architecture. Linear, focused and driven, but not without elegance. To me, the 2005 didn't quite have the acidity or the fineness of tannins of the 2010. Also, it is beginning to develop savoury secondary characteristics, truffles, dried herbs and tobacco. Again a very long finish, but with some firmness on the back. I don't doubt the quality here, it is a very special wine. I'd just give this wine 10-15+ years to come together. Cabernet Sauvignon 85%, Merlot 14%, Cabernet Franc 1%.

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