The 2009 Mouton Rothschild has a striking label from Anish Kapoor. The wine is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Merlot that begs comparison as a young wine with what the 1982 tasted like in 1985 or, I suspect, what the 1959 may have tasted like in 1962.
Representing 50% of their production, the wine has an inky purple color to the rim and not terribly high alcohol for a 2009 (13.2%), but that is reflected by the high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon.
It has a remarkable nose of lead pencil shavings, violets, creme de cassis and subtle barrique smells. It is stunningly opulent, fat, and super-concentrated, but the luxurious fruit tends to conceal some rather formidable tannins in the finish.
This is an amazing wine that will be slightly more drinkable at an earlier age than I thought from barrel, but capable of lasting 50 or more years. Kudos to the Baroness Philippine de Rothschild and the entire Mouton team, lead by Monsieur Dalhuin.
◆ロバート・パーカー氏評:99+点
そして、セカンドの、ル・プティ・ムートン2009にも…
『今まで味わった中で、最高のル・プティ・ムートン』
と、その出来栄えに、惜しみない賛辞を与えています!
1級格付けのセカンドの中では、比較的手の届きやすい価格というのも、嬉しいところ♪
注目のセカンド、ご紹介します!
■『ワイン・アドボケイト誌199号』より抜粋■
The 2009 vintage is administrator Philippe Dalhuin's finest effort to date.
I don-t think I have ever enjoyed a Le Petit Mouton (which represents 27% of their total production) more than his 2009, which is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. Dense ruby/purple, with plenty of ripeness, it displays the famous Mouton creme de cassis intermixed with spring flowers, licorice and some background forest floor notes.
This beauty can be drunk now or cellared for 15 or more years.
This extraordinary Mouton should turn out to be the finest they have made since the monumental 1982 and 1986.
In early tastings、 Mouton often seems to tag along behind the other first-growths.
Yet in 2006、 there is no question that the Baronne Philippine de Rothschild gave carte blanche authority to her talented administrator、 Philippe Dalhuin、 to turn up the heat in 2006.
Yields were a tiny 32 hectoliters per hectare、 the harvest took place between September 20 and October 15、 and a minuscule 44% of the crop made it into the grand vin (the lowest percentage in more than half a century).
The final blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot is unusually high in Cabernet Sauvignon、 but it possesses Mouton’s hallmarks of pure creme de cassis and flowers in addition to a toasty oak character.
Profoundly concentrated、 super-textured、 and rich、 Mouton’s powerful、 full-bodied 2006 is unquestionably a strong candidate for the “wine of the vintage.”
Kudos to Mouton’s winemaking team for fashioning this brilliant wine.
The 2005 Mouton Rothschild will have to take a back seat to the prodigious 2006、 but administrator Philippe Dalhuin deserves considerable credit for pushing Mouton to higher quality levels over recent years.
A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest mostly Merlot、 the dark purple-hued 2005 exhibits a restrained but promising nose of cedar、 tobacco leaf、 creme de cassis、 and toasty oak.
Full-bodied、 tannic、 and extremely backward、 with the vintage’s tell-tale acidity、 it appears to be even more closed in the bottle than it was from barrel.
It does possess a long finish and multilayered mouthfeel.
This is an undeniably outstanding、 yet restrained、 shy wine for a Mouton Rothschild.
Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040+
◆ロバート・パーカー氏評:96点 (ワイン・アドヴォケイト誌176号)
【ロバート・パーカー氏の評価】
The 2005 Mouton-Rothschild (a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon、 14% Merlot、 and 1% Cabernet Franc) tips the scales at 13.2% alcohol、 one of the highest percentages ever achieved at this estate.
It does not possess the power or awesome depth of the 1986 or 1982、 but it may represent a modern-day clone of the 1955.
A tannic、 backward、 concentrated、 powerful Mouton built for the ages、 it will require 10-15 years to reach its full potential.
An inky/blue/purple color is accompanied by classic notes of creme de cassis and smoke、 but no trace of new oak.
That in itself is a good indication of how rich and concentrated this wine must be to have absorbed all its oak at this stage of its evolution.
One might also term it 1996-like in style given its fresh acidity and bright personality.
Medium to full-bodied、 impeccably elegant、 powerful yet subtle and reticent at present、 it will be extremely long-lived.
A superb Mouton、 the 2005 is composed of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon、 14% Merlot、 and a dollop of Cabernet Franc.
Under the new administrator、 Philippe Dalhuin、 the strictest selection of any recent vintage was instituted (64% of the production was used)、 and the 2005's 13.5% natural alcohol is one of the highest ever achieved at this estate.
While not as good as the 1986 or 1982、 the 2005 is a brilliant wine offering a classic inky/blue/purple color along with notions of creme de cassis、 licorice、 and sweet oak.
Full-bodied、 powerful、 and exceptionally pure with good underlying acidity as well as a boatload of tannin、 it will approach full maturity between 2015-2020、 and should keep for 40 years.
Composed of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot、 the deep purple-colored 2007 Mouton reveals sweet aromas of creme de cassis、 subtle oak、 and flowers.
Medium to full-bodied and elegant with sweet tannin as well as flavors and a texture that build incrementally on the palate、 this strong effort should evolve over the next 15 years.