Mouton Rothschild 2003

Pauillac, First Growth

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Tasting Notes
Very deep crimson. Strong ripe cassis notes on the nose. Very rich and savoury. Dramatic and silky. Very Mouton and almost flashy in its appeal. Very rich fruit with a silky texture. Deep and long. Just one thing: it didn’t last especially well in the decanter overnight which suggests it may not have a particularly long life ahead. But it's a gorgeous wine now. Score: 19 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2010-2025 14 November 2013
Good medium ruby. This is downright exotic on the nose: mocha, coffee, graphite and coconut, lifted by sandalwood and cinnamon spice. Then dense, supple and fine-grained without coming across as heavy. Suggestion of aromatic tree bark. A seamless wine that spreads out horizontally on the back end and finishes with very fine tannins. A bit less extreme than the average 2003, but the 2005 Mouton has more class. I suspect this is on the verge of shutting down in bottle. Score: 93 Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar 01 May 2006
Backward, powerful, and extremely tannic, the dense purple-colored 2003 Mouton-Rothschild, a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, fashioned from yields of 28 hectoliters per hectare, with a finished alcohol of 12.9%, improves dramatically with aeration. With full-bodied, meaty, powerful, dry flavors as well as a huge finish, this high class wine should be at its finest between 2012-2040+. During its sojourn in barrel, it reminded me of a hypothetical blend of the 1982 and 1986 Moutons, but since bottling, it appears different, and even more tannic than those two vintages. I still believe the finest recent Mouton-Rothschild is the 2000. Score: 95 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2012-2040 30 April 2006
Made from low yields of 28 hectoliters per hectare, this profound blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot possesses a finished pH of 3.8, alcohol of 12.9% (nearly identical to Lafite Rothschild in that sense), and 3.5 total acidity (much higher than the other first growths). The 2003 is similar in style to Mouton’s 1982, but softer and more pliable than that wine was at the same age. The Cabernet Sauvignon harvest began on the same day it did in both 1982 and 1947 ... an interesting coincidence. Black/purple-colored to the rim, with a gorgeous nose of espresso roast intermixed with classic Mouton creme de cassis liqueur-like notes, its powerful, unctuous flavors cascade over the palate revealing tremendous intensity as well as strong tannin. This enormously endowed 2003 is still sorting itself out, but it is unquestionably one of the greatest efforts of the vintage. If my instincts are correct, it is the ripest, most flamboyant Mouton-Rothschild since the 1982. Score: 95 - 98 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2012-2035 30 April 2004

Tasting Notes

Very deep crimson. Strong ripe cassis notes on the nose. Very rich and savoury. Dramatic and silky. Very Mouton and almost flashy in its appeal. Very rich fruit with a silky texture. Deep and long. Just one thing: it didn’t last especially well in the decanter overnight which suggests it may not have a particularly long life ahead. But it's a gorgeous wine now.

Score: 19

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2010-2025 14 November 2013

Good medium ruby. This is downright exotic on the nose: mocha, coffee, graphite and coconut, lifted by sandalwood and cinnamon spice. Then dense, supple and fine-grained without coming across as heavy. Suggestion of aromatic tree bark. A seamless wine that spreads out horizontally on the back end and finishes with very fine tannins. A bit less extreme than the average 2003, but the 2005 Mouton has more class. I suspect this is on the verge of shutting down in bottle.

Score: 93

Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar 01 May 2006

Backward, powerful, and extremely tannic, the dense purple-colored 2003 Mouton-Rothschild, a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, fashioned from yields of 28 hectoliters per hectare, with a finished alcohol of 12.9%, improves dramatically with aeration. With full-bodied, meaty, powerful, dry flavors as well as a huge finish, this high class wine should be at its finest between 2012-2040+. During its sojourn in barrel, it reminded me of a hypothetical blend of the 1982 and 1986 Moutons, but since bottling, it appears different, and even more tannic than those two vintages. I still believe the finest recent Mouton-Rothschild is the 2000.

Score: 95

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2012-2040 30 April 2006

Made from low yields of 28 hectoliters per hectare, this profound blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot possesses a finished pH of 3.8, alcohol of 12.9% (nearly identical to Lafite Rothschild in that sense), and 3.5 total acidity (much higher than the other first growths). The 2003 is similar in style to Mouton’s 1982, but softer and more pliable than that wine was at the same age. The Cabernet Sauvignon harvest began on the same day it did in both 1982 and 1947 ... an interesting coincidence. Black/purple-colored to the rim, with a gorgeous nose of espresso roast intermixed with classic Mouton creme de cassis liqueur-like notes, its powerful, unctuous flavors cascade over the palate revealing tremendous intensity as well as strong tannin. This enormously endowed 2003 is still sorting itself out, but it is unquestionably one of the greatest efforts of the vintage. If my instincts are correct, it is the ripest, most flamboyant Mouton-Rothschild since the 1982.

Score: 95 - 98

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2012-2035 30 April 2004

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