2016 Chateau Mouton Rothschild - 1er Grand Cru Classe Pauillac

Falstaff Magazin - 99pts - PM: *Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, dezente Randaufhellung, mit feinen Gewürznoten unterlegte schwarze Beerenfrucht, ein Hauch von Nougat und Edelholz, feiner Cassistouch im Hintergrund. Komplex, reife Herzkirschen, integrierte, reife Tannine, feines Brombeerkonfit, zarter Nougat, beeindruckendes Rückgrat, sehr viel Rasse und Frische, Brombeeren und Cassis im Abgang, mineralischer Nachhall, große Länge, sicheres Reifepotenzial.* - 05/2017

Weinwisser - 19/20pts - GL: *83 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 15 % Merlot, 1 % Cabernet Franc, 1 % Petit Verdot. Dunkles Purpur mit satter Mitte und lila Rand. Dicht verwobenes blaubeeriges Bouquet mit Brombeeren und Lakritze, dahinter schwarze Johannisbeeren und ein Touch After-Eight-Minze. Am Gaumen mit stützendem Tannin, fein aufrauend, aber in der Entwicklung am weitesten von allen drei Pauillac-Premiers, da ist Fülle und Frische bereits in Balance, ein beruhigender Mouton, der frühes Genussvergnügen bereiten wird.*

JancisRobinson.com – 19/20pts – JR: *Tasted blind. Rich, round and juicy. Very transparent and easy and beautiful. Just the job. Great balance. Glorious.* - 01/2020

JamesSuckling.com - 100pts - JS: *This is a phenomenal, muscular red that shows incredible power and depth. Full-bodied and with great concentration of tannins but this remains agile and polished. The form to this is stupendous. Such precision and clarity. The new 1986 but better.* - 04/2017
~~~
JamesSuckling.com – 100 pts – JS: *Dark ruby, purple color. Aromas of blackcurrants, black truffle, crushed stone, licorice and hints of tar. Full-bodied, deep and vertical on the palate, drawing you in and down. The structure is very tannic and powerful, yet the tannins are folded into the wine. One of the most powerful Moutons ever for me. Try after 2027.* -12/2019

Vinous.com - (95-98+)pts - AG: *On first impression, the 2016 Mouton Rothschild is incredibly reminiscent of the 1986, especially in its aromatics. On the palate, the 2016 naturally reflects the more finessed personality of the year as well as 30 years of continual refinements in vineyard and cellar work. Graphite, grilled herbs, smoke, crème de cassis, bittersweet chocolate and ripe plums are some of the many flavors that flesh out in the glass in an utterly captivating, exquisite Mouton that I had to taste twice and then directly from barrel because of its pure allure. Although it is early, the 2016 Mouton is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage.* - 04/2017
~~~
Vinous.com – 100 pts - AG: *A towering, thrilling wine, the 2016 Mouton Rothschild is unbelievably beautiful today. Aromatics, fruit density and vertical structure all come together. In the glass, the 2016 is remarkably vivid and powerful, and yet a gentler, more feminine side emerges with time in the glass. The intense, mineral, savory profile recalls the 1986, but the 2016 has more grace, inner sweetness and sophistication than that wine. Even so, the 2016 is going to need at least a number of years in bottle before it starts drinking well, although it won't be the bruiser the 1986 remains to this day. This is breathtaking wine from Mouton, Tecnical Director Philippe Dhalluin and his team.* - 01/2019

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - (98-100) pts - NM: *The 2016 Mouton-Rothschild is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the latter two co-fermented, picked from 26 September and finished on 14 October. As usual, it is being matured in 100% new oak. It has a very intense bouquet with blackberry, raspberry, cold limestone and crushed violet aromas that if anything, appear to gain vigor with aeration in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, juicy tannin. There is a lot of fruit packed into this Mouton-Rothschild and therefore one can feel the weight in the mouth, yet the acidity keeps everything on tip-toes. The finish has superb precision and opulence, completing a Mouton-Rothschild that will rivet you to the spot. Tasted on two occasions, the second confirming that this is simply a magnificent wine. Whichever artist eventually designs the label is going to be drinking well.* - 04/2017
~~~
Vinous.com – 100 pts - NM: *The 2016 Mouton Rothschild bowled me over when I tasted it from barrel. Philippe Dhalluin compares it to the 1986 in terms of intensity of fruit, although there is more maturity and refinement in the tannins apropos of the 2016. Bottled in July 2018, this has an intense bouquet with pixelated black fruit, crushed stone, hints of blue fruit and a touch of India ink. But it is the delineation and focus that take your breath away. The palate is medium-bodied with very supple tannin framing the pure black currant and cassis fruit. The acidity is pitch-perfect, and there is a gentle but insistent grip toward the extraordinarily long finish. Racking my brains to think of another Mouton Rothschild that I have tasted over the last 20 years that was as good as this, I simply cannot come up with one.* - 01/2019

Thewinecellarinsider.com – 100 pts – JL: *The nose can only be described as black currant liqueur. From there you find 5 spice, blackberry and wild cherry. The barrel aging has really concentrated this wine. Unctuous, intense, concentrated and flat out, delicious. It is not often Pauillac is described as decadent. But that is exactly what takes place here. The wine covers every taste receptor on your palate. If you have the chance to taste this elixir, don't pass on it. If you have the disposable income to lay this incredible wine down, do it,. As this is going to be impossibly expensive as it matures.* - 09/2019