Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2016

Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2016

The Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2016 is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, with the Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot vinified together. It has a very deep purple-black color and slowly slides out of the glass with spicy notes of Sichuan pepper, cloves and cinnamon stick giving way to a core of perfumed black fruits and florals—blackcurrant cordial, candied violets, blackberry compote, rose hips and black plums—plus suggestions of espresso, damp soil, tar and beef drippings. Medium-bodied, the palate is very firmly structured and jam-packed with latent energy about to burst, offering superbly ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness to support the intense floral and black fruit layers and finishing very long and very minerally. Powerful, profound wine.

Winemakers notes

Mouton’s congenial managing director, Philippe Dhalluin, was unfortunately in Napa while I was in Bordeaux in October, so I was hosted by Eric Tourbier—Mouton’s technical director—and Clerc-Milon’s winemaker, Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy. While discussing the particularly abundant range of aroma/flavor compounds I was perceiving in the 2016 reds, Danjoy commented, “When you have a wet spring, you tend to have more aromatic precursors. Also, it was a long maturation period. The vine made a lot of aromatic components.

The gap between the Merlot and the Cabernet Sauvignon for ripening was very long. In fact, Cabernet was very late this year. We didn’t know if the Cabernet Sauvignon was going to make it! The big surprise for us was the Cabernet Franc—all of it was delicious. We used it all in the grand vin at Clerc Milon.” When we came to taste Le Petit Mouton and Mouton Rothschild, Eric Tourbier, smiling like the cat that got the cream, said simply, “It was a dry summer. We had very small berries and a good level of ripeness.” He then added, matter-of-factly, “I’ve been at Mouton for 30 years.

I think this is my best vintage. The 2016 may be compared to the 1986?” Maybe, but while I’m a huge lover of the incredibly provocative and sometimes formidable 1986 (I had it again just a few weeks ago), I’m thinking this 2016 is going to give a lot more hedonic pleasure in its first 25 years in bottle than the 1986—just coming around now—certainly did.