The 2008 release from illustrious First Growth Estate Château Mouton Rothschild is composed of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Merlot. On the nose, red fruit, blackberry and blackcurrant combine harmoniously with floral notes such as violet. On airing, roasted, toasted notes mingle graciously with delicate touches of cedarwood. Powerful and full-bodied on the palate with silky, velvety tannins, notes of black berried fruit and vanilla nuances. Featuring an iconic label design from Chinese painter, Xu Lei.
Reviews:
- Wine Advocate: From an underrated vintage for many Bordeaux wines, the 2008 Mouton-Rothschild reveals classic notes of cigar box, forest floor, underbrush, vanillin, camphor, chocolate and abundant blackcurrant and blackberry fruit. Beautifully finessed tannins coat the mouth, giving the wine a savory, expansive texture with no hard edges. It still has some tannin to shed, but this beauty is evolving quickly, displaying wonderful secondary nuances.
- Vinous: The 2008 Mouton Rothschild has a more open bouquet than I expected: blackberry, pencil box, a whiff of the Gironde estuary, a hint of pressed flowers with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with sweet tannin, a little fleshier than the Château Margaux with a lovely saline finish that does not outstay its welcome. You could broach this now though personally I would prefer to wait.
Producer Information
Château Mouton Rothschild is located in the commune of Pauillac, in the Medoc, 30 miles (50km) northwest of the city of Bordeaux. The grand vin is among the most highly rated and priced wines in the world, and is generally regarded as the most exuberant and powerful of all Bordeaux. It was famously added to the First Growths set out in the 1855 Classification in 1973.The château started life as Brane-Mouton, and was among the best in Bordeaux through the 18th and early 19th Centuries, although there was a dip in quality and price in the 1840s. The Rothschild family bought (and renamed) the property in 1853 and quickly restored its reputation, but not in time for the 1855 Classification of Médoc wines, in which Mouton was only ranked a second growth wine. Lafite, Latour, Margaux and Haut-Brion attained Premier Cru Classé status.
