Vintage 1982
A.O.C. Pauillac, Bordeaux, France
Mouton Rothschild has been under the Barons de Rothschild ownership for over 100 years, and it was the unremitting efforts of the flamboyant Baron Philippe de Rothschild that resulted in the Mouton’s historical upgrade to premier Grand Cru status in 1973 – the only change ever made to the Bordeaux classification of 1855.
Prior to the original classification, Mouton’s wine labels declared, Premier ne puis, Second ne daigne, Mouton suis (‘First I cannot be, Second I do not deign to be, I am Mouton’). After the upgrade, the motto was changed to Premier je suis, second je fus, Mouton ne change (‘First I am, second I was, Mouton does not change’). Unashamedly gregarious and glamorous Mouton is not your typical first growth.
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“This remains one of the great wines of the decade. This bottle shows wonderful clarity although it has nowhere near the intensity of Latour with a heady perfume of blackberry, tobacco, graphite and perhaps overall, less ostentatious than say, three of four years ago. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, a touch of mocha on the entry, very fresh and vibrant with a huge build towards the tobacco-tinged, dried blood, spicy finish that is suppler than Latour. This bottle is less ostentatious than others I have encountered, but still a compelling experience.” eRobertParker.com (Mar 2012)
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Code: 100619
Optimum Drinking Period: 2015-2050
Robert Parker: 100
Wine Spectator: 98
Stephen Tanzer: 98
