Château Mouton Rothschild en primeur history: 2016 – 2020
See Jane Anson's ratings and tasting notes for Château Mouton Rothschild wines from the 2020 en primeur sample back to the 2016 vintage, plus release price information.
Château Mouton Rothschild 2020 could be upgraded to 100 points after ageing, wrote Jane Anson in her recent en primeur tasting note on the young first growth wine.
We’ve brought together Anson’s Mouton Rothschild en primeur scores, as well as in-bottle ratings, on the Pauillac estate’s grands vins back to the 2016 vintage.
You’ll also find release price information.
Mouton Rothschild en primeur scores
- Mouton Rothschild 2020: 98 points
- Mouton 2019: 98 points
- Mouton 2018: 99 points (Latest in-bottle score: 100)
- Mouton 2017: 96 points (Latest in-bottle score: 96)
- Mouton 2016: 98 points (Latest in-bottle score: 99)
These scores above also show how ratings can nudge up, or down in some cases, between the en primeur barrel sample tastings and the in-bottle reviews that normally take place around 18 months later.
Of the 2020 barrel sample, Anson noted; ‘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.’
While Anson believes the 2020 has the potential to hit a perfect 100-point score, it’s the Mouton 2018 vintage that currently heads the rankings of the estate’s last five vintages.
‘A big, textured and complex wine that is taking it all in its stride,’ Anson wrote of the 2018 after tasting it in-bottle.
However, she also described the Mouton 2016 as ‘monumental’ and ‘easily one of the wines of the vintage’.
More generally, it has previously been noted that Bordeaux’s 2018 and 2016 vintages have different profiles, due to weather conditions.
Mouton Rothschild en primeur prices: Recent vintages
Data: Jane Anson’s latest rating of the wine, with prices sourced from Liv-ex on 1 June 2021.
Mouton 2020 (97 points): Not yet released
Mouton 2019 (98): Ex-Bordeaux €282 per bottle | Ex-London £3,588 (12x 75cl in bond) | Current price: £4,711 ($6,675)
Mouton 2018 (100): Ex-Bordeaux €408 | Ex-London £5,112 |
Current price: £5,860 ($8,304)
Mouton 2017 (96): Ex-Bordeaux €348| Ex-London £4,320 |
Current price: £3,871 ($5,485)
Mouton 2016 (99): Ex-Bordeaux €420 | Ex-London £5,180 |
Current price: £5,524 ($7,828)
See also: Bordeaux wine investment – 20 years of hits and misses
Prices may vary and are published for informational purposes only. This does not constitute investment advice.
Mouton wine style
‘This is the first growth that you can always rely on to impress at any gathering,’ wrote Jane Anson in a profile of the Bordeaux first growths last year.
‘Its luscious fruit profile, aged in 100% new oak (as are all the first growths), is wrapped up with notes of chocolate, liquorice and grilled almonds, with an emphasis on silky texture and caressing tannins.’
Mouton Rothschild at a glance
- Vineyards: Reds – 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot.
- Owner: Philippe Sereys de Rothschild, Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild, Camille Sereys de Rothschild (fifth generation since Nathaniel de Rothschild bought the estate in 1853).
- Winemaking: MD Philippe Dhalluin retired on 1 December 2020. It was previously announced that Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy would become director of winemaking, with Ariane Khaida as executive director of châteaux wines across the group.
- Upgraded to first growth status in 1973, the only château promoted in the 1855 Classification since its inception.
Mouton Rothschild en primeur and in-bottle tasting notes
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Back to our Bordeaux 2020 en primeur homepage
Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, 1er Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2020
Dark fruits on the nose, blackcurrants and cherries with savoury nuances of dark chocolate and tobacco. Fresh and forward on the palate, this hits you square on, still very lean and direct, almost piercing and severe in its intensity and drive, though wonderfully precise: it’s like an arrow. Serious and focussed yet full and layered, the texture is lovely, a slight graininess that lingers but it’s the acidity and the fruit purity that are so excellent - they give such a sense of vibrancy and make this wine so thrilling. You get a feeling of pent-up energy, but after a few minutes the slight density of the ripe fruit comes through, giving some plushness and weight. I love the Cabernet details and the mineral element that leaves the mouth cool and fresh. A well constructed, subtle beauty.
2020
Château Mouton RothschildPauillac
Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, 1er Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Gorgeous nose with a soft sweetness to the fruit aromas - a quality of the cooler year with freshness and vibrancy to the fruit profile. A great core of black fruits - blackcurrant, plums and cherries, balancing power but also succulence in the best way. Muscular but refined and finessed, feels so well constructed with harmonious tannins. The texture is smooth, deep and coursing but with such elegance to the overall frame. Deep and concentrated, but I love the touches of sour cherry and then smoky, liquorice aspects with a mineral freshness. It feels as if when it's ready it will expand and just give and give. I love it.
2019
Château Mouton RothschildPauillac
Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, 1er Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2018
This has so much tannic power, with density, layers and structure along with layers of blackberry, liquorice, baked earth, cigar box and the signature exotic spices of Mouton. A big, textured and complex wine that is taking it all in its stride. 100% new oak. There is the tiniest touch of Petit Verdot in the blend, but under 1%, so it’s not in the official figures. 62% of production went into the grand vin. 3.78pH. 88IPT. The artist for this vintage is Xu Bing.
2018
Château Mouton RothschildPauillac
Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, 1er Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2017
Graphite, black chocolate, pencil lead, blackberry and liquorice. This is serious, not holding back on its confident sense of power and depth. 100% new oak coming through as toasted grilled almond aromatics, this has no issue with settling in for the long term and will deliver over the next two to three decades. Easy to love.
2017
Château Mouton RothschildPauillac
Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, 1er Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2016
In 2016 Mouton has produced one of the top contenders for the wine of the vintage. Massive and profound, it also retains wonderful freshness which adds to the appeal of this monumental first growth. Deep and impenetrable in colour with cassis, exotic spice and lead-pencil/graphite notes on both nose and palate, this Mouton stays light on its feet whilst carrying the structure to age for 50 years. Still very young, this will probably be a 100-point wine with a few years extra ageing.
2016
Château Mouton RothschildPauillac
