2005 Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1er Cru, Pauillac

The 2005 Château Mouton-Rothschild is a deeply impressive First Growth. It has been blessed with a sensational nose that comes racing out of the blocks with audacious scents of black fruit, cedar, smoke and pencil box (Philippe Dhalluin mentioned that the signature smokiness/fireside hearth was tangible in around 80% of the vats during élevage). There is a sense of bravura here, of aristocracy. The palate is medium-bodied with sumptuous black fruit, perhaps beginning to soften in texture, one or two years off its plateau. There are layers and layers of black fruit intermingling with graphite and black pepper, and it wisely reins everything in on the finish that is more classic in style and in keeping with the vintage. If you are fortunate enough to have this wine in your cellar, even though those tannins are starting to be abraded by time, afford it another five or six years. Tasted August 2016.

98 points Neal Martin for The Wine Advocate

The 2005 Mouton-Rothschild has developed magnificently, and is even better than I remember. The final blend was 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Stunning notes of creme de cassis, melted asphalt, roasted espresso and cedarwood are present in this young, full-bodied, powerful, concentrated Mouton. Just beginning to enter its adolescence, it should hit full maturity in 10-15 years and last for 50 or more. The greatness of this vintage is increasingly apparent as the wines throw off their cloaks of tannin.

97 points Robert Parker Jr for The Wine Advocate #216, Dec 2014

There are few names in the world of fine wine as revered as Château Mouton Rothschild. Elevated to First Growth status in 1973 after decades of determined campaigning by Baron Philippe de Rothschild, the estate has become a symbol of Bordeaux excellence, uniting exceptional terroir, visionary winemaking and its celebrated annual artist designed labels. Today, Mouton Rothschild remains one of Pauillac's greatest wines, combining power, opulence and extraordinary refinement.

The legendary 2005 vintage is recognised as one of the greatest Bordeaux harvests of the modern era. Perfect growing conditions delivered fruit of exceptional concentration, freshness and precision, while the deep gravel soils of Pauillac produced Cabernet Sauvignon of remarkable structure and purity. More than twenty years of bottle age have brought increasing complexity, yet the wine still possesses decades of magnificent evolution ahead.

Deep garnet with only the slightest signs of maturity, the bouquet is profoundly expressive, revealing cassis, blackcurrant and black cherry layered with cigar box, cedar and graphite. As the wine unfolds, notes of violets, truffle, pencil shavings, dark chocolate and exotic spice emerge, creating extraordinary depth and complexity. The palate is majestic, combining immense concentration with impeccably polished tannins, vibrant freshness and seamless balance. Powerful yet effortlessly graceful, it finishes with remarkable persistence, leaving waves of black fruit, mineral detail and classic Pauillac character.

A fitting partner for Chateaubriand, roast venison, Wagyu beef, truffle infused dishes or mature hard cheeses. One of the defining wines of the 2005 vintage, this First Growth promises an unforgettable experience today and an extraordinary future for generations of collectors.

Cellaring: Drink now to 2065+.