Mouton Rothschild - Pauillac 2020

Vinous

96-96

byNeal Martinthe2/28/2025

The 2020 Mouton-Rothschild has a delineated and intense bouquet, slightly more tertiary than its peers, with graphite and cedar notes developing in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins. Silky smooth in texture, it's a very polished 2022, fanning out gloriously toward the finish. To put it prosaically, this is a very delicious First Growth with a very sustained aftertaste and the sapidity to tempt you back for more. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Jamessuckling.com

100

byJames Sucklingthe5/14/2023

The purity of blackcurrants, blueberries, creme de cassis, and flowers. Hints of subtle spearmint. Iron. Blood orange. Medium-bodied with a compacted palate, like a cylinder of perfectly ripe fruit and fine tannins. A million layers of tight-grained tannins. It goes on and on. Such freshness and weightlessness to it. Ethereal. New classicism. Modern take on the 1986. 12.79% alcohol. 84% cabernet sauvignon, 13% merlot, 2% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Drink after 2030 but hard to not drink now.

Wine Advocate

100

byWilliam Kelleythe4/6/2023

The 2020 Mouton Rothschild is a striking wine and one that I regretted not purchasing en primeur as soon as it landed in my glass. Offering up complex aromas of minty cassis, pencil shavings, loamy soil, cigar wrapper, espresso roast and violets, it's medium to full-bodied, broad and layered, with terrific concentrated, beautifully refined tannins and a long, penetrating finish. Checking in at 12.8% alcohol, its incipient complexity, ineffable sense of completeness and exquisite balance mark it out as the purists' choice among the trio of 2018, 2019 and 2020. In this vintage, the lots that made it into the blend were largely confined to the core gravel terroirs that represent Mouton's heart, meaning that there's a little less to go around. This was the first vintage overseen by Mouton's new technical director, Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy, and he has begun with a flying start.

Jeb DUNNUCK

97

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/30/2023

The 2020 Château Mouton Rothschild is in the running for the biggest, baddest, and most concentrated wine in the vintage. Based on 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petite Verdot brought up in new barrels, this inky hued beast of wine offers up classic Mouton ripe black fruits, scorched earth, tobacco leaf, and freshly sharpened pencil-like aromatics. These carry to a full-bodied, concentrated, tannic, backward 2020 with terrific purity, building, mouth-coating tannins, terrific balance, and one gorgeous finish. Unfortunately, as with many of the top 2020s, this isn't for those looking for instant gratification, and a decade (or more) of cellaring is advised. This hit 13.1% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.78. It will be a 50-, 60-, 70+-year wine.

Vinous

99

byAntonio Gallonithe2/24/2023

The 2020 Mouton Rothschild is very clearly one of the great, great wines of the Left Bank in 2020. All the elements are in perfect balance. A wine of total sensuality and nuance, Mouton is all finesse in 2020, all elegance. An explosion of dark cherry fruit, plum, pomegranate, mint and cinnamon are all amplified. From barrel, the 2020 Mouton hinted at greatness. Today, that greatness is evident. The rich, vibrant finish is a thing of beauty.

Vinous

97

byNeal Martinthe2/15/2023

The 2020 Mouton Rothschild has a taut and fresh bouquet, vibrant black fruit, cedar and graphite - wonderful mineralité that floods through in this First Growth. This is a less flamboyant than the 2019, yet arguably more sophisticated and terroir-driven. The palate is medium-bodied with fine filigree tannins, an unerring sense of symmetry here, gradually building in the mouth towards a distinctively classically styled and quite persistent finish, pencil lead lingering on the aftertaste. This is an outstanding/upstanding Mouton-Rothschild.

TASTED

99

byAndreas Larssonthe7/6/2021

Excellent purity, depth and definition, another very cabernet, very Pauillac expression with layers of inky dark fruit, crème de cassis, cigar box, roasted coffee, some sage and mint aromas. Very dense and concentrated with great power and precision, a benchmark muscular example without heaviness with copious powdery tannin, bright freshness and a superbly long lingering finish.

Vinous

96-98

byAntonio Gallonithe6/1/2021

The 2020 Mouton Rothschild is sensual, delicate and polished. Bright floral notes lead into a core of sweet red cherry, cedar, mint, anise and blood orange. In 2020, the Mouton is a wine of unreal elegance and finesse. I can't wait to taste it from bottle, as I think there may be much more to it than it’s showing today. Technical director Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy noted that the 2020 was slow to extract because of its low alcohol (13.1%) compared with recent vintages.

Jeb DUNNUCK

97-99

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/28/2021

Dense purple-hued and a monster of a wine, the 2020 Château Mouton Rothschild checks in as 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, all of which hit 13.1% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.78. Classic Mouton notes of cassis and currant fruits give way to a more mineral-driven red offering loads of scorched earth, graphite, liquid violets, and crushed stone aromas and flavors. Gorgeously concentrated, full-bodied, and structured, with a firm tannic, inward style that relents with time in the glass, this is a serious Mouton that's going to need a decade of cellaring yet should be just about immortal.

Vinous

96-98

byNeal Martinthe5/27/2021

The 2020 Mouton Rothschild is an intriguing proposition, aromatically speaking. Initially, it is less forthcoming than the last three vintages, but it’s just toying with you, eventually releasing captivating scents of blackberry, raspberry, crushed stone, touches of India ink and traces of violet petal. The oak is seamlessly integrated and these aromatics grow in stature with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with very lithe and finely chiseled tannins that frame the pixelated black fruit. Displaying wonderful mineralité and tension, this is a less exuberant and lavish Mouton Rothschild, perhaps, but more cerebral and intellectual than this First Growth during the 1990s. As smooth as Snoop Dogg's flow, this is a marvelous Mouton.

Decanter.com

98

byJane Ansonthe5/25/2021

The tannins are carefully wrapped up and finessed, slowly but surely building in power and width, with concentrated blue and black fruits through the palate. Cabernet Sauvignon is dominant on the attack, with a deft, savoury and not overly exuberant delivery of flavour. As the slate and saline side builds up, you also feel a slowing down and a tugging back of the tannins. As the wine relaxes in the glass, it becomes more and more signature Mouton, full of exuberance, finesse and pleasure. There is less sweet black cherry fruit than in a year like 2018 or 2019, more on the cassis and bilberry side, it will behave in a more classical manner in the decades to come. 100% new oak. Harvest September 7 to 24. 2% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. Could go to 100 points after ageing.

The Wine Cellar Insider

98-100

byJeff Levethe5/21/2021

Dark, almost opaque in color, the wine opens with a cornucopia of scents; spice-box, dark Cuban cigar wrapper, flowers, creme de cassis, blackberry espresso, mint and a drop of dark chocolate. Concentrated, full-bodied, deep, long, intense and complex, texturally, the wine is opulent, plush and velvety. But there is also more than ample lift keeping everything upbeat. The seamless finish is perfectly balanced, with all its layers of polished, sensuous, silky fruits in the right place for over 60 seconds! The wine blends 84% Cabernet Sauvignon,13% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, 13.1% ABV, pH 3.8. Yields were low at 32 hectoliters per hectare with only 49% of the harvest going into the Grand Vin, so not much wine was made. The harvest took place September 7-September 24. The first vintage with Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy calling the shots is a tremendous success! This is a contender for wine of the vintage. 98-100

Wine Advocate

97-99

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe5/20/2021

The 2020 Mouton Rothschild is composed of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, with an alcohol of 13.1% and a pH of around 3.78. Deep purple-black colored, it starts off with subtle notions of fresh raspberries and blackberries, needing considerable swirling and patience to unlock its intense core of blackcurrant pastilles, rose oil, licorice and cardamom, plus touches of cedar chest, black truffles and crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate is like a tightly coiled spring, possessing exhilarating tension and very firm, ripe, multi-grained tannins to frame the layer upon layer of black and red fruits intertwined with earthy and mineral accents, finishing very long and very fragrant. It is certainly the most coy, reticent and elegant grand vin of this trio of vintages (2018, 2019 and 2020), bearing Mouton's signature perfume, opulence and stylishness with great grace and sophistication as opposed to devil-may-care flamboyance. It's this gently teasing, achingly beautiful restraint that collectors are not going to want to miss.

Anthocyanes

97-99

byYohan Castaingthe5/11/2021

Avec un bouquet éclatant et frais, Mouton Rothschild 2020 est une ode aux cabernets grâce à son nez de cassis, de mure, un peu bourgeon de cassis et des épices nobles. Légèrement cèdre et très graphite. A l'aération, les arômes deviennent très floraux (iris, lilas et violette). L'archétype des arômes du cabernet. En bouche, c'est cristallin, très frais, les tanins sont délicieux et d'une finesse incroyable avec une allonge superbe soutenue par une fraicheur émotionnelle. Toute la puissance du cabernet-sauvignon, son allonge et ses tanins cristallins avec une pointe gourmande et juteuse des merlots. Finit en queue de paon. Une magnifique bouteille. Un très grand vin qui continue sa mue stylistique et apporte un nouveau chapitre plus frais et plus précis. Bravo !

Bernard Burtschy

97-99

byBernard Burtschythe5/10/2021

Falstaff

97-99

byPeter Moserthe5/10/2021

Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, dezente Randaufhellung. Zart tabakig unterlegte schwarze Beerenfrucht, ein Hauch von Brombeeren und Cassis, Nuancen von Edelholz, noch etwas zurückhaltend. Saftig, reife Kirschen, angenehme Fruchtsüße, feine, reife Tannine, etwas Nougat im Abgang, wunderbar balanciert und bereits gut entwickelt, eine Spur leichtfüßer als zuletzt, mit sicherem Reifepotenzial ausgestattet, eine Schönheit.

My Bettane + Desseauve

97-98

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/7/2021

Jamessuckling.com

99-100

byJames Sucklingthe5/4/2021

This is a great and impressive Mouton with plushness and precision. A million layers of tannins. It’s full and very friendly, even seductive, in a rich and opulent way, yet it always remains fresh. Balanced and refined. Nothing sticks out here. Every so fine-grained tannins provide flesh. Looking forward to seeing its evolution. 84% cabernet sauvignon, 13% merlot, 2% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot.