(1982 Vintage) On the surface, Mouton is often less complicated than the other firsts. Its glamorous oak scent and flashy cassis concentration are easily matched by several ambitious second-growth Pauillacs. The greatness of Mouton lies deeper, and it shows most prominently in a Cabernet vintage like rsquo;96. The vines stand in a deep sea of small stones, a gravel plateau as difficult to walk upon as a sand dune. Cabernet loves these stones and grows grapes that come about as close to the essential flavor of the variety as seems possible. Mouton is a pure, perfectly articulates Cabernet as a Shaker chair is a pure, essential and perfect chair.

(1982 Vintage) Rating: 92(+?) - As reviewed by International Wine Cellar in Issue 84, May/June 1999. Bright deep ruby. Vinous, complex aromas of cassis, roasted plum, spice, licorice, roast coffee, game and grilled bread. Voluminous yet currently rather inexpressive in the mouth; this has a depth and texture not shown in either the '97 or '98. Distinct notes of torrefaction in the mouth. Finishes very long, with well-buffered, ripe tannins.

(2003 Vintage) "Backward, powerful, and extremely tannic, the dense purple-colored 2003 Mouton-Rothschild, a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, fashioned from yields of 28 hectoliters per hectare, with a finished alcohol of 12.9%, improves dramatically with aeration. With full-bodied, meaty, powerful, dry flavors as well as a huge finish, this high class wine should be at its finest between 2012-2040+. During its sojourn in barrel, it reminded me of a hypothetic...

(2003 Vintage) Good medium ruby. This is downright exotic on the nose: mocha, coffee, graphite and coconut, lifted by sandalwood and cinnamon spice. Then dense, supple and fine-grained without coming across as heavy. Suggestion of aromatic tree bark. A seamless wine that spreads out horizontally on the back end and finishes with very fine tannins. A bit less extreme than the average 2003, but the 2005 Mouton has more class. I suspect this is on the verge of shutting down in bottle.

(2006 Vintage) Rating: 96-100 - As reviewed by Robert Parker