Tasting notes

2009:  A blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Merlot.  Fine and fragrant aromas of spice, black fruits, florals and musk.  On the palate the wine is at once elegant, but with an underlying power, with ripe red and black fruits, liquid minerals, graphite and a touch of spice.  Not flamboyant or opulent - indeed less exotic than I expected given the perfect vintage conditions - with lovely savoury tobacco and blackcurrant flavours on the long, complex finish.  A majestic wine beautifully expressing its terroir.  96-99 points, drink 2018-2040.  April 2010.

2007:  From 41% of the harvest, a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, aged in 100% new

oak.  Immediately powerful flavours, surprisingly rich (although not as exotic as Mouton can be) coffee, plum and dark fruits.  Quite complex already, good ripeness and plenty of intensity.  A rich and mouthfilling style, creamy and fleshy, this is perhaps not classic, but quite delicious.  93-95 points, drink 2014-2025.  April 2008.

2006:  A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot.  Complex yet restrained aromas of coffee, spice and blackberry.  Elegant, yet very powerful presence on the palate, with good richness and impressive complexity.  Certainly a classic, somewhat reticent style of Bordeaux requiring many years to reveal its full potential, but this is a tremendous wine.  Great length of finish, with very fine tannins.  Lovely, classic style.  94-97 points, drink 2020-2035.  April 2008.

2005:  Representing 61% of production, a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, aged in 95% new oak.  Beautiful rich, full aromas of mocha, cassis, liqueur plum, very powerful and layered.  Elemental on the palate, very powerful-yet-fine structure, great intensity and complexity, with five spice and pepper, plum and coffee flavours.  Wonderful ripeness and balance of flavour, with ample fruit intensity to marry the fine, firm tannins, and enough exotic character of soy and spice to make this a great Mouton.  95-97 points, drink 2020-2045.  May 2006.

2004:  Enticing aromas of plum, spice, minerals and cedar.  On the palate the wine is medium-bodied, quite complex with good weight and intensity, but perhaps not especially dense or concentrated.  Lovely spice and cassis flavours on the palate, good freshness and fine-yet-firm tannins, this is a lovely, classic style of Bordeaux.  93 points.  Drink 2012-2020.  December 2007.

2003:  A hedonistic style, certainly maximising the vintage conditions.  Very exotic aromas, spice, minerals, mocha, coffee and ripe plum.  Dense, with firm but fully-ripened tannins on the palate, and lovely rich, ripe fruits, perhaps a hint of sur-maturite but just a hint!  Very enjoyable already, but will doubtless settle down and improve further with a few years in the bottle.  Appears to have the structure to age long-term.  Delicious wine.  96 points.  November 2006.

2000:  Certainly a vin de garde, this is an incredibly dense wine.  Lifted and powerful aromas of spice, plum, cassis and coffee.  On the palate there is ripe fruit, but it is almost overshadowed at the moment by the firm, polished tannic structure.  I love the rich, cassis flavours on the finish, which is very long and very complex, albeit a touch brash at the moment.  97 points (February 2003).

1999:  Still quite hard and ungiving, needing another few years before becoming approachable.  Solid, tannic, but with good fruit flavour beneath the tannins.  Should prove to be an extremely good Mouton.  90 points (October 2002).

1996:  Beautiful, fragrant aromatics of blackberry, red fruits, plum, cassis and cedar.  This is a really inspiring-smelling wine!  On the palate it certainly delivers, showing a hint of exotic spice, cassis, plum and tobacco flavours on the palate.  Starting to show a little maturity but with plenty of primary fruit still, this has a long future ahead of it.  Very complex, and delicious at the moment.  96 points (February 2010).

1995:  In September 2004 the wine was surprisingly approachable already, with powerful but attractive flavours of ripe cassis, chocolate, coffee and spice.  Well-structured, but not overbearing ripe tannins that will clearly soften and integrate with further time.  Lovely and pure.  96 points.  Then, in August 2005 the wine had wonderful, fragrant and powerful, with minerals, hints of graphite, slight tobacco and cedar and ripe herbs.  The wine has great elegance, fresh acidity, wonderful length and good complexity.  94 points.

1994:  Something of a personal favourite, particularly for the vintage, I’ve had this three times with consistent notes.  Quite rich, lifted aromas with mocha being dominant, a hint of woodspice and an undergrowth/truffle note.  Tasty on the palate, without substantial complexity or depth, but quite stylish and flavoursome in its own way.  A good effort for a somewhat difficult vintage.  92 points.

1982:  Very fine, showing minimal signs of development, incredible structure on the palate, layers and layers of fruit, with cedar, spice, minerals and cassis of incredible depth of flavour and intensity.  Amazingly concentrated, this wine will last forever!  100 points (September 2004).

1972:  Surprisingly drinkable for such a poor vintage, with tertiary flavours and hallmark spice and mocha character remaining.  A little thin and over-developed on the palate, but retains a resemblance of Mouton character.  85 points, drink now.  August 2005.

1955:  Lovely ripe, developed character, still with fruit sweetness remaining, showing flavours of cassis, leather, olive and cedar.  Great length and powerful complexity.  Beautiful, mature Bordeaux.  98 points (September 2004).

1934:  Simply amazing for 70 years old, showing some sweet liqueur character, very dry, but still some fruit remaining, and a long and reasonably intense finish.  Wonderful condition.  97 points (September 2004).

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