2010 Mouton Rothschild

You can put the 2010 Château Mouton Rothschild up with the crème de la crème of this great vintage, and it shows the more masculine, structured style of the year while bringing that classic Mouton opulence and sexiness. Blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, graphite, and spring flower notes all shine here, and this beauty is full-bodied, has a flawlessly layered, balanced mouthfeel, and a blockbuster finish. This is classic Mouton magic, and it’s one of the most textured, seamless wines out there. Drink 2025-2050.

Hard to give a wine of the vintage in 2010, as there are so many exceptional bottles from the top estates, but it's not so hard to say that Pauillac is the appellation of the year - and this Mouton shows you why. Gunsmoke and campfire aromatics, glamorously encapsulating the house style with its plush and juicy damson and black cherry fruits, supremely confident, studded with pomegranate, orange peel, cumin and freshly cut herbs, generous without relinquishing control, deceptively supple tannins that know exactly what to do. Will deliver for decades, and it is an exceptionally beautiful wine. 100% new oak, Philippe Dhalluin director. Tasted ex-retail, not ex-château.

A wine of noble bearing and exceptional beauty, the 2010 Mouton Rothschild is a flat-out stunner. The aromatics alone are beguiling. On the palate, the wine is every bit as thrilling, with myriad layers of flavor that continue to open up in the glass. Graphite, gravel, smoke, plum, black cherry and savory herbs are all strikingly delineated throughout. Vivid and crystalline, the 2010 is a jewel of a wine, but it is impossibly young now. Readers who can be patient will be treated to a fabulous wine. Today, the 2010 reminds me of a more civilized version of the 1986. The 2010 is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon (the highest amount of Cabernet ever here). Dollops of Merlot round out the blend. Harvest took place between September 29 and October 13.