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Neal Martin, April 2024, Score: 96-98
The 2023 Mouton Rothschild was picked from September 7 to 30 and contains 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, the second highest ever (after the 2010). Matured entirely in new oak as usual, this has an intense, floral bouquet with violet petals infusing the black fruit and touches of licorice loitering just off stage—very fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with extremely refined tannins. Focused and harmonious, it’s velvety smooth with a long and tender finish that has more crispness than the 2022. In fact, I might ultimately end up preferring this over the 2022…it will be interesting finding out in the future! Drink 2030-2070.
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Antonio Galloni, April 2024, Score: 96-99
The 2023 Mouton Rothschild is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintages on the Left Bank. Its balance of intense, super-concentrated fruit and equally imposing structure is spellbinding. Dark red-toned fruit, blood orange, spice, pencil shavings and dried herbs gain intensity in the glass. I especially admire its vertical build and overall energy. This is an exciting young Mouton endowed with palpable dynamic energy. It's a superb effort from the team led by Technical Director Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy. Drink 2033-2073.
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Wine Advocate, April 2024, Score: 94-96
Aromas of crème de cassis and dark berries mingled with pencil shaving, espresso roast and violets introduce the 2023 Mouton Rothschild, a medium to full-bodied, layered and fleshy wine with a creamy core of ripe but lively fruit, sweet tannins and an expansive finish. In terms of parcels, the 2023 is quite different in origins from the 2022, favoring plots that are better-drained rather than those resistant to drought. It's a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot, without either Cabernet Franc or Petit Verdot featuring in the blend, and it attained 13.3% alcohol.
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James Suckling, April 2024, Score: 98-99
This is the most structured Mouton since the great 2016, with tannins that start slowly and then take off. It’s muscular and toned. It’s full-bodied but doesn’t come across too heavy. It builds up in intensity and goes on and on and on. It just keeps expanding. I took a double take here. 93% cabernet sauvignon and 7% merlot.
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Matthew Jukes, April 2024, Score: 20+
I love that 2023 Mouton has no nerves as it sits in the glass awaiting analysis. And then it starts: stylish, confident, cool, and multi-faceted. While 2022 was built on ripeness, extract, and a larger dose of press wine, it is an imposing and magnificent creation, while 2023 is more linear, sleek, refined and finely honed. It has what one might call a more classical framework, with a size 13, not 14 (we are talking alcohol, not dress size) body. With a lower pH (higher acidity), lower sugar levels, and, accordingly, lower alcohol, this is a ravishing beast, and it packs intensity without weight and deceptive degrees of charm and lasciviousness despite the impeccably calm exterior. It is a black hole wine. There is so much flavour and power from a finite and focused source. The tannins pull with direction and persistence from the outer extremities of the flavour, and they build a boundless expanse of flawless Cabernet. This happens when you harvest steadfast Mouton Cabernet in late September and decorate it with pristine Merlot. This is a masterful, tense and gripping wine. It does not hide chapters of flavour and intrigue in the folds of its robes, preferring to allow you to see everything on display, and the view is serene and sensational. How can two consecutive vintages taste so similar yet so cosmically and irresistibly different? Only at Mouton.
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William Kelley, April 2024, Score: 98-99
With 93% Cabernet Sauvignon in the finished blend, representing the highest proportion since the great 2020 vintage. This is a wine which is inherently Mouton. It immediately catches the eye and has all the component parts to prove that 2023 is more than just a good year, and had the ability to produce exceptional wines with strong terroir and Château identity. Dense opaque colour, it is plush and opulent, with cassis and summer pudding fruit, pine scent and graphite. A wine of tremendous intensity, full and powerful, with a structured tannic profile. It is layered with a ripe sweetness of fruit, ground coffee bean, chocolate and Moroccan spice. Very long and the sweet lift of dark berry on the finish leaves you with nothing but a smile. Fabulous.
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Jane Anson, April 2024, Score: 98-100
High Cabernet, and the grape is dominant not just in blend but character, totally delicious, with tension, flesh, and confidence, building layers of black fruits, graphite, cocoa bean, espresso, pomegranate and smoked earth throughout the palate. When Cabernet works at Mouton, it is hard to beat, and it's on full display in 2023. One of my clear wines of the vintage. Of any vintage. 100% new oak for ageing. 40% grand vin, harvest September 7 to 30.
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LPB, April 2024, Score: 95-97
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2023 Mouton Rothschild needs considerable swirling to coax out notes of freshly crushed blackcurrants and wild blueberries leading to touches of clove oil, lavender, star anise, and black truffle with a hint of wild sage. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound, with a firm frame of grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting the muscular black fruits, finishing on a lingering ferrous note. The blend is 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot, with pH 3.79, and an alcohol of 13.3%.
