Wine Advisor
Mouton Rothschild 2002
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Description
Formerly known as Château Brane-Mouton, it was in 1853 that Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild acquired the property located on the Left Bank in the Bordeaux region in the Médoc. From this date, the Château was renamed Château Mouton-Rothschild. Under the leadership of Baron Philippe de Rothschild, Mouton-Rothschild saw its reputation grow to become an emblem of the Pauillac appellation.
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
This has a little more intensity on the nose than Latour with more smoky, cigar box aromas. Very classic in style. The palate has a tannic entry, very masculine with cedar-infused blackberry, tobacco and damson. It does not quite have the harmony of Latour ’02 and there is a hardness on the finish that softens with time in the glass. This is a solid, worthy Mouton-Rothschild that should be considered a success for the vintage. Drink 2010-2025. Tasted November 2006.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A candidate for wine of the vintage, there are only 20,000 cases of the 2002 Mouton-Rothschild (there are 25,000 cases of the 2000). Made from low yields of 31 hectoliters per hectare, it is a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. The color may be the most saturated and opaque of any Medoc Cabernet-based 2002. It is a broad-flavored offering displaying tell-tale creme de cassis intermixed with smoke, cocoa, leather, and licorice. Still excruciatingly tannic, but incredibly dense, powerful, and rich, the phenolic measurements were nearly off the charts for this full-bodied, monster-sized Mouton. Given most Moutons’ track records, I suspect the 2002 will shut down after bottling, and perhaps need a minimum of 10-15 years to re-emerge. This is unquestionably a vin de garde for long-term cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2040
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
I have always rated this Mouton highly since en primeur when I thought it showed much more breeding than recent years. Retasted back at the chateau in July 2003: the nose has closed down a little but there are still swathes of plum and blackberry here. The palate is very smooth, full-bodied, much more intense and multi-dimensional than other recent Grand Vins. Very long and pure - this is a total success for Mouton. Then in April 2005. A beautiful seamless nose of black cherry, vanilla and a little plum. Very good definition and intensity. Not as full-bodied as before, but wonderful balance and a silky texture. The tannins are surprisingly supple and lithe - perhaps this will not be as long lasting as I thought? Still, this is perhaps the best First Growth of 2002.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted blind as a vintage comparison at the Valandraud vertical, the 2002 Mouton-Rothschild is a wine that burned brightly in its youth, though recent encounters suggest that maybe it is beginning to flag as it enters what you might call middle age. Here, it has a conservative bouquet with blackberry, cedar, warm bricks and melted tar aromas - an unfussy, uncomplicated, quite serious Pauillac bouquet. The palate is well balanced with crisp acidity. It feels lively on the entry with fine tannin, a Mouton that is nimble on its feet with a gentle grip towards the finish, which offers a satisfying aftertaste of spice and clove. It does not mirror some of the outstanding bottles I consumed within the first decade of its life, and peering into this First Growth, it is difficult to see whether it will repay those who cellar it longer. Tasted December 2016.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted blind at Farr’s 2002 Bordeaux tasting. The nose on this wine is tightly-coiled, holding something back for later, but you can coax out some attractive aromas of blackberry, tobacco, saddle-leather and pine cones. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, not quite as refined as Latour, but certainly coalescing in the glass beautifully with a wonderfully poised, almost feminine finish that caresses the palate. Lovely. Tasted October 2009.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Dense purple to the rim, this wine exhibits the classic cassis aroma that is so characteristic of Mouton. Medium to full-bodied, tannic, powerful, and cut somewhat from the 1988 mold, this is a backward, chewy, well-endowed Mouton-Rothschild that will require considerable patience from those who purchase it. A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, the wine needs a good decade of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030+.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2002 Mouton-Rothschild, which was made by the late Patrick Leon, has a well-defined bouquet with pretty blackberry and graphite scents, quite precise and focused. This has matured well in bottle. The palate is medium-bodied with a cohesive entry, youthful, not amazingly complex and perhaps towards the end the limitations of the growing season impinge upon complexity. A touch of dark chocolate on the aftertaste. I would drink this over the next 10 to 15 years. Very fine. Tasted at the château.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Good saturated ruby-red. Tight nose hints at currant and smoky oak. Highly concentrated, densely packed and built to age. As young as it is, it also shows a lovely velvety texture rare for this vintage. Finishes with terrific breadth, subtle minerality and noble tannins. I've been a fan of this wine since the outset.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Bright, full ruby. Brooding aromas of dark berry liqueur, espresso and mocha; strong torrefaction notes. Then dense, minerally and consistent, with flavors of roasted plum and chocolatey oak. Wonderfully ripe and deep. Finishes with broad, chewy tannins that reach the incisors. A superb vintage for Mouton. One of the few Northern Medoc wines I tasted to have lower acidity in 2002 than in 2003, and one of the great successes of the vintage.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
(a blend of 77% cabernet sauvignon, 12% merlot, 10% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot) Bright ruby. Pure, floral, quintessential cabernet aromas of cassis, graphite and violet; absorbing the new oak very slowly. Sweet, dense and suave, with lovely depth and purity of fruit. Bright acids frame and extend the wine's flavors. Finishes with big, firm, tongue-dusting tannins and subtle, building notes of cassis, bitter chocolate and camphor. It must be noted that some discerning fellow tasters who sampled this wine on another day described it as a fleshy, more exotic right-bank style, but my sample was pure, cabernet-dominated Pauillac of first-growth class.
About the Producer
Chateau Mouton Rothschild is located in the Pauillac appellation in the Medoc of Bordeaux, France. In the 1855 classification, it shares the distinction of being a First Growth with Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Latour, Chateau Margaux and Chateau Haut-Brion. Mouton Rothschild has adopted a modern approach to winery management, employing a viticulturalist to oversee the vineyards. From the cultivation of the grapes to the pruning of the vines, from the tracking of the ripening of the grapes to the manual harvesting, everything is done to perfection. Today, Château Mouton has 90 hectares of vineyards, most of which are located on a hill called "Plateau de Mouton", at an altitude of 27 meters. The soil is deep gravel, with good drainage and heat storage, which allows the grapes to ripen slowly. The vineyard is planted with 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, with a planting density of approximately 10,000 vines/ha and an average vine age of 44 years. The vineyard also contains 7 hectares of excellent plots for the production of high quality white wines, with 56% Sauvignon Blanc, 43% Semillon and 1% Muscadelle, planted at a density of 9,000 vines per hectare. During the harvest season, the grapes are picked and sorted by hand, and the carefully selected grapes are placed in fermentation vats by gravity alone through moving vats. As a result, the grapes are not subjected to any unnatural pressure or restraint and remain in their natural, pure state from the time they are harvested until they enter the fermentation vats. At the end of fermentation, the wine is transferred to new oak barrels to mature for about 20 months. In 2012, Mouton Rothschild's new winery, which combines traditional techniques with modern technology, was inaugurated. It is divided into two floors, connected by metal columns. The interior is equipped with oak barrels and stainless steel tanks of different sizes, which correspond to the different plots and varieties of the vineyard, in order to achieve a more optimal winemaking blend. Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, France is the main wine of the estate and accounts for half of the total production. It has been praised by many critics and wine lovers for its beautiful, elegant and unique style, which is in harmony with the terroir of the region, and its artistic design of the label. In addition to the main label, the winery also has Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, France (1993) and Aile d'Argent Blanc du Mouton (1991). Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Bordeaux, France). The Petit Mouton Rothschild is made from the younger vines on the estate and is harvested, vinified and bottled on the same basis as the full-length wine. The wine quickly gained a foothold in the market and was very well received. The Silver Wings dry white wine is rich, complex and elegant, and although its production is scarce, it is quickly becoming a symbol of Bordeaux's premium white wines and a favorite among wine enthusiasts.
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