2022 Chateau Mouton Rothschild - 1er Grand Cru Classe Pauillac

Decanter.com – 98 pts – GH: * One of my favourite 2022s, technically very brilliant but it’s the texture that wows, generous, fruity, sleek, supple, it gives stone and graphite touches putting the terroir in the glass and overall this just screams elegance and finesse and above all drinkability! Smooth and shiny, silky, sleek, delicious from the first sip. Mouthwatering acidity combined with tannins that have the perfect balance of flinty grip, fleshy fruit and cool minerality. Certainly not shouting, they haven't pushed too far at all, more restrained and refined while still delivering a gorgeous mouthful of wine. Classy and refreshing. Concentrated but clean, pure and vibrant. Wonderful, magical - giving the concentration of the hot vintage which is want you want, but this is moreish and so succulent. One you'll want to finish the glass and then have more immediately. 16.4% press - 4% above normal, usually at 12-13%. 49% grand vin. 3.89pH. 76 IPT. Aged 100% in new barrels. 98-100 points.* - 04/2023

Falstaff Magazin – 100 pts – PM: *Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Reife Herzkirschen und Pflaumen, feines Nugat, ein Hauch von Edelholz, facettenreiches Bukett. Kraftvoll, stoffig, schwarze Beeren, reife, tragende Tannine, feine Extraktsüße, mineralisch-salzig im Abgang, Vieilles Vignes-Charakter, sehr große Länge, sicheres Zukunftspotenzial. Zeigt keinerlei Opulenz, alles aus einem Guss. (92 %CS, 8 %ME).* - 01/2023

Vinum Magazin – 20/20 pts: *Wir sind uns einiges gewohnt von Mouton, doch bei diesem Jahrgang verschlug es uns einmal mehr die Sprache: fleischig, doch auch enorm elegant, von unglaublicher Tiefe dank umwerfender Tanninqualität, ewige Länge, beispielhafte Präzision und Balance; garantiert der beste Mouton aller Zeiten.* - 04/2023

WeinWisser – 20/20pts – GL, TW: *92 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 8 % Merlot, pH 3.89, 14 Vol.-%. Ein betörendes vielschichtiges Bouquet, ungeheuer raffiniert, frisch gepflückte Schattenmorelle, roter Johannisbeernektar, edle Cassiswürze und Menthol. Im zweiten Ansatz Alpenheidelbeere, Graphit und Milchschokolade. Am königlichen Gaumen mit einer Textur wie Samt und Seide mit einer herrlich seidig-süßen Tannintextur, vereint auf unvergleichliche Art und Weise tänzerische Rasse mit extrem verführerischem Charme und Stil, ist der Wein im Médoc, der bei Chefredakteur Giuseppe Lauria direkt die Glocke der Traumnote 20/20 hat klingeln lassen. Im kaskadenartigen, ewig langen Finale mit schwarzbeerigen Konturen, tiefschürfender Terroirwürze und erhabener Adstringenz. "Die Intensität der alten Mouton Cabernet-Sauvignon-Stöcke sind das Geheimnis" fasst Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy lächelnd zusammen. Dafür kann es nur die Bestnote geben. Das ist für uns dieses Jahr der beste Pauillac!* – 04/2023

Vinous.com – (96-98) pts – AG: *The 2022 Mouton Rothschild is a powerhouse. Inky, deep and explosive, the 2022 is a real head-turner. The combination of intense dark fruit, strong gravelly/mineral notes and imposing structure clearly bring to mind another great Mouton, and that is the 1986. In a word: magnificent. The blend is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot.* - 04/2023

Vinous.com – (96-98) pts – NM: *The 2022 Mouton Rothschild was picked 1 to 26 September with one of the highest Cabernet Sauvignon contents in years, matured in 100% new oak as usual. Very deep, almost opaque in color. It is stubborn on the nose, at first, backward, then opens after 10 minutes with black plum, cassis and violet aromas. It is more voluptuous than the 2022 Lafite-Rothschild which is what you expect. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy and quite strict tannins (the IPT is 76), that frame layers of black fruit laced with tobacco and graphite. Powerful, almost burly, it is perhaps how the 1986 tasted in its youth. A Mouton-Rothschild determined to make a statement and it certainly does that. Feels a bit like tasting Thor's hammer at the moment, but it will just require considerable cellaring. 14.05% alcohol.* - 04/2023

Thewinecellarinsider.com – (98-100) pts – JL: *Dark in color, and equally dark in fruit, this is a flamboyant, ostentatious, opulent, velvet-textured Mouton that is on the exotic side. Perhaps, this is a modern version of the 1982? The wine exudes its blackberry, boysenberry, chocolate, Asian spice, tobacco leaf, licorice, smoke, and cigar wrapper notes in the perfume. On the palate, the wine is incredibly dense. There is so much fruit, you wonder if it would be better eating this with a spoon, before taking another sip? The finish is rich, intense, velvety, long, and close to seamless, holding court for over 50 seconds. I love the touch of spice that shines before the wine fades from your palate. The wine blends 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot. 14% ABV, 3.89 pH. The harvest took place September 1 - September 26. Yields were 32 hectoliters per hectare. Only 49% of the harvest was used to produce the Grand Vin. Drink from 2030-2065.* - 05/2023