1990 Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, Bordeaux

81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Merlot; pH 3.69; IPT 60; 12.2% alcohol; 76% new oak; a 79% selection.

Bright red with a pale rim. Knockout nose of aromatic herbs, strawberry, sweet spices and acacia flower; yet another wine strongly marked by its cabernet franc presence. Fresh and vibrant, this absolutely dances on the palate with strawberry, sour red cherry and raspberry flavours complicated by gunflint and herbs. 

High acidity provides great clarity and cuts to the long, floral, smoothly tannic finish. This has improved considerably with bottle age. Harvested from September 18 through October 3, this Mouton offers amazing balance and fragrance. In 1990, Mouton was still using a heavy toast for its barriques, which resulted in a smoky quality in the wines that was considered by many to be just as typical of Mouton as its opulence. 

"But we began turning things back in 1993, as we saw that our 1992 was a little unbalanced from the use of heavily toasted barrels," said Tourbier remarks.

Magnum. Served at the Versailles dinner, so note written from memory.

This was a gloriously ripe, round wine – despite being served from magnum. This was hugely dramatic and made the same sort of impact as Philippine de Rothschild. No wonder her widower, Jean-Pierre de Beaumarchais, liked it so much. I wonder how much longer it will see at the peak of its powers?

Drink 2003 - 2028

Just pipped by its older sibling. Harvest lasted from 18 September to 3 October, and grapes underwent a serious sorting after uneven ripening they also did green harvesting)—Autumn hedgerow aromatics with hawthorn and blackberries. 

The palate is soft and gentle, not as intense as the 1989, but still loaded with Pauillac signature. It didn’t get the most positive reaction on release, but this seems unfair at 30 years of age – this wine is still rippling with power. Label artist Francis Bacon with one of his last works.

Drink 2028 - 2032