CHATEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD 1er Grand Cru Classe, Pauillac 1996 Bottle

Description

Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1996 is a strikingly mature Pauillac combining depth with refined tertiary complexity. Deep garnet with an orange rim, it shows cooked blackcurrant, black cherry conserve and dried plum with saddle leather, cedar chest and cigar box. Earthy truffle, forest floor and dried mushroom meet tobacco leaf and balsamic, framed by graphite minerality. Medium plus to full bodied, plush yet structured, rounded tannins support concentrated dried black fruit, black olive and savoury layers of soy and olive tapenade. Baking spice, dark chocolate and tobacco add nuance while cool acidity drives a long saline mineral finish. Best decanted and enjoyed now. Critics: Decanter 98 ; "Opulent concentrated cassis." Wine Advocate 97+ ; "Richly fruited opulent." James Suckling 95 ; "Beautiful precision."

ABOUT THIS WINE
Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1er Grand Cru Classe Pauillac 1996 is a strikingly mature claret that combines the estate’s signature depth with refined tertiary complexity. The colour shows a garnet core with an orange tinged rim, indicating significant development while retaining vitality. The bouquet is layered and evocative, opening with cooked blackcurrant, black cherry conserve and dried plum, overlaid by savoury notes of saddle leather, cedar chest and cigar box. Earthy aromas of truffle, forest floor and dried mushroom mingle with hints of tobacco leaf, balsamic reduction and well aged cedar, while a subtle graphite and iron minerality gives definition and lift.

On the palate the wine is medium plus to full bodied with a plush yet structured texture. The original tannic spine has softened and integrated into the mid palate, offering support without astringency. Concentrated dried black fruit and black olive lead, followed by complex savoury layers of soy, cured meat and olive tapenade. Secondary notes of baking spice, dark chocolate and tobacco add nuance, while cool acidity maintains freshness and drives the flavours to a long saline and mineral finish that lingers with echoes of leather and dried herb.

The 1996 vintage in Bordeaux produced wines of good ripeness and ripe tannins, with warm conditions that favoured concentration while retaining an underlying balance. At Mouton this translated into a wine with generous fruit that has evolved gracefully into a richly nuanced mature profile.

This bottle is best enjoyed now; a short decant will help open the aromatics and clarify structure. Drink 2026 to 2034, peaking 2026 to 2029. Serve with roasted or braised beef, lamb with herb crust, game dishes and mature hard cheeses, or with mushroom and truffle enhanced preparations that echo the wine’s developed savoury character.

*****

DECANTER 98 points
Tasted by: Andy Howard MW
Drinking Window: 2022 - 2035
The standout wine of the tasting (as expected). Opulent, concentrated with intense cassis notes on both the nose and palate, with a deep-purple hue in the glass (although not quite as deep as the 1995). Mint, cool, menthol on the nose with restrained oak hovering in the background. The palate is ultra-elegant with a freshness from the acidity and perfectly-ripe tannins, combined with subtle oak and intriguing spicy, cedary notes. A wine that is drinking beautifully now but still has one (or possibly two) decades to go. Harvested 27 September to 9 October. 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc.

THE WINE ADVOCATE 97+ points
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Drink Date: 2019 - 2056
The last time I tasted the 1996 Mouton Rothschild (maybe a couple of years ago?), I recall it was a bit broody and closed. This showing was anything but! Deep garnet in color, it sashays out of the glass with lavishly dressed, gregarious crème de cassis, baked blackberries and plum pudding scents plus touches of menthol, fenugreek, star anise and sandalwood with fleeting glimpses at dried rose petals and oolong tea. The full-bodied palate is richly fruited, opulent and oh-so seductive, with bags of youthful black fruit and lovely finely grained tannins, finishing with fantastic freshness and length. This was tasted from jeroboam in September 2019.