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Four Decades of Mouton-Rothschild
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Four Decades of Mouton-Rothschild
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Wednesday September 29, 2004
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Speaker: Mark Golodetz, Wine Writer and Consultant
Kevin Zraly wrote that when Chateau Mouton-Rothschild was elevated to a "first growth" in 1973, Baron Philippe de Rothschild changed his motto to: "First, I am. Second, I was. But Mouton does not change."
We tasted 11 vintages from before and after the re-classification: 1964, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1971 1975, 1978, 1982, 1985, 1986, and 1990. The 1978 was corked. The rest of the wines in the tasting showed well. Aile d'Argent, Bordeaux Blanc and Petit Mouton, Pauillac were the Aperitifs.
The wines were purchased from Mark Golodetz's cellar and Acker Merrill auction. The prices listed are retail prices quoted from the internet. The tasting notes and ratings for Chateau Mouton- Rothschild were provided by Mark Golodetz, the tasting notes for the Aperitif's were provided by Vivian Tramontana. The votes for first, second and third were by the attendees. The final rating of first, second and third was a weighted average of votes calculated by Mark Golodetz.
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| Flight I: Aperitif |
Votes 1st,2nd,3rd |
Full Retail Price $ |
Aile d'Argent, Bordeaux Blanc 1997
Color of pale straw. Lively aromas of pineapple and melon. Refreshing flavors of white peach buoyed by crisp acidity. Lingering impressions of peach in the long finish. |
n/a |
$54.00 |
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Petit Mouton, Pauillac 1998
Good color, medium to full body, plenty of smoky cassis and licorice, and a soft, expansive, drinkable style.
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n/a |
$45.00 |
| Flight II: Chateau Mouton-Rothschild |
Votes 1st,2nd,3rd |
Full Retail Price $ |
1964
Decent nose of wood shavings and violets. Became more expressive with time, but on the palate, the wine was slightly dilute. Rating 87. |
0,0,1 |
$175.00 |
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1966
The nose marred by a swampy element, but made up by a well balanced palate, showing earth and some residual fruit. Short - medium finish. 86. |
0,1,1 |
$170.00 |
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1967
Surprising still alive, but lacking concentration, all flavors in a minor key. 85 |
0,0,0 |
$85.00 |
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1970
Extremely tannic, but some fruit peeping out. I sensed that it was still not quite ready, but also questioned whether the fruit would outlast the tannins. Great length. 88. |
0,2,2 |
$140.00 |
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1971
The surprise of the tasting. Bursting with fruit, this light bodied wine was pretty easygoing and a delight to drink. Medium length 91. |
1,3,2 |
$100.00 |
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1975
This was puzzling. Changed a good deal in the glass; initially seemed to have emerged from tannin hell, but later began to withdraw. A wine to open at the beginning of the evening and hold for a few hours and watch. |
0,0,1 |
n/a |
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1978
Maderized. |
0,0,0 |
$120.00 |
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1982
The first of the big boys. Still dumb, but every element is there. Dark fruit, leather, smoke and earth, massive in the middle and very good length. But unapproachable. The group put it in third place behind the 1985 and 1986; it took my second place 97+. |
3,11,2 |
$600.00 |
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1985
Little doubt which was the easiest wine to drink today, massive fruit, flowers, licorice and coffee. Seamless in the mouth, great length and utterly charming. 96 The second favorite of the group. |
8,3,6 |
$200.00 |
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1986
My past experience with this wine has been phenomenal; a candidate for my top five wines of the decade. A few minutes after it was poured, it showed how it would develop into a magnificent opulent and massive wine, perfection, and then sadly it began to close revealing its massive structure, and extraordinary length. 100. The favorite of the tasting. |
11,1,5 |
$350.00 |
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1990
The browning and light color of the wine next to the saturated crimson of the 1986 told the story. A pleasant, nondescript wine that showed a little fruit, but plenty of charred oak (mocha) flavors. Frankly this was an OK wine, but in the context of the vintage, I felt it was mediocre. 88.
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0,0,0 |
$210.00 |
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