2004 Mouton Rothschild (Ex Chateau 2016 release)
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Tasting notes
The 2004 Mouton Rothschild takes a few swirls of the glass to coalesce, slightly minty black fruit commingling with cassis and iris flower. Doesn't quite "flow" like subsequent vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, fleshy on the mid-palate and concentrated in the context of the vintage. A touch of burnt toast and white pepper appears on the finish. It doesn't have the same complexity as, say, the 2008 or 2012, but it will continue to age nicely in bottle. Tasted at the château in bottle and a week later, en magnum at the Académie du Vin dinner.
Critic scores
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Last tasted three or four years ago, the 2004 Mouton-Rothschild is a satisfactory wine, even if in my opinion it pales again subsequent success in so-called "challenging" vintages such as 2006 or 2008. It came across tight and broody on the nose, a hint of seaweed tincturing the black fruit, later on a whiff of smoke. It does not feel as refined as either the 2004 Lafite-Rothschild or the 2004 Latour. The palate is medium-bodied and shows more class than the aromatics: cohesive and with just the right amount of grip, a little chewy perhaps but with a pleasant saline sensation towards the "correct" finish. It ticks all the boxes but does not go that extra mile. Tasted September 2016.
The 2004 Mouton Rothschild is supple, forward and inviting. Dark cherry, plum, tobacco and grilled herbs are all pushed forward. This is an especially succulent Mouton, partly because of the high percentage of Merlot that was common during this era. Gravel, pencil shavings, smoke and cured meats add myriad shades of nuance on the powerful, explosive finish. Philippe Dhalluin told me he waited as long as possible to harvest in 2004, the driest vintage Mouton had seen up until that point. (AG)
About the producer
Pauillac-based Ch. Mouton Rothschild is one of the five First Growths, producing some of the finest wine in Bordeaux and the world. Known for its flamboyant style, the label for the Grand Vin is designed by a different artist each year.