Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2003

WEINWISSER: "Dichtes Rubinrot mit Granatreflexen. Grandioses Bouquet, sehr komplex und einnehmend, gerade auf einem tollen Höhepunkt: Schattenmorellen, Brombeerstrauch, Herzkirschen, nobles Cassis. Unfassbar dicht und schmelzig auch am Gaumen, perfekt konturiert mit schmelziger Hülle, wie aus einem Guss, dazu diese herrlich Lakritz- Note im Abgang."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Cigar box, jammy black raspberry, mint, ash, tobacco, cedar wood, cloves, cinnamon and wet forest floor notes start the fireworks. On the palate, the rich, sensuous, flamboyant, showy wine is a hedonistic treat for the senses from start to finish. The early harvest took place between September 15 and September 25. The wine was made from a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "This wine is dominated by new wood, which goes right through the big, dark fruit flavors and tannins. Very ripe cassis flavors are under this wood, waiting likely for many years before the wood flavors subside. This is very much in the modern, polished style of Mouton today, made even more pronounced by the heat of the 2003 vintage."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Shows the heat of the vintage, as well as the slightly extracted feel of Dhalluin´s predecessor, with a hint of jamminess to the mix of raspberry, plum and fig fruit, along with melted licorice, charred cedar and singed vanilla bean accents and a very light echo of caramel through the finish. Even with all that, there´s a flash of minty freshness lurking throughout. There´s lots here, but it´s a bit atypical.--Non-blind Mouton-Rothschild vertical (March 2017). Drink now through 2031. 23,330 cases made."

JAMES SUCKLING: "This has lots of phenolic character. Full-bodied and chewy with very ripe nuances. So much coffee and walnut character. A big and slightly overdone wine. Shows the extreme heat of the vintage. Drink now."

FALSTAFF: "Leuchtendes Rubingranat, gute Farbtiefe, violette Reflexe. In der Nase sehr klares Brombeerkonfit, sehr »Mouton«, sehr pur, ohne Röstaromen-Schnickschnack. Am Gaumen geschmeidig, wieder sehr pur, harmonisch und komplex, im Nachhall eine gute Mineralik. Ein sehr geradliniger junger Mouton, noch etwas dezent und nobel zurückhaltend. Zuletzt 2006: Mit intensiven Röstaromen, Eukalyptus, exotischen Gewürznoten. Am Gaumen stoffig, strukturiert, saftige Primärfrucht, ein kraftvoller Wein, zeigt sehr gute Länge, mit Potenzial, Schokolade im Nachhall."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2003 harvest began on September 15 and finished ten days later. The result is an outstanding 2003 Mouton-Rothschild, but it is not one of the superstars of Pauillac or the Northern Médoc. Its nearby neighbors, Lafite-Rothschild, Cos d’Estournel and Montrose, all produced wines that qualitatively dominate this effort from Mouton-Rothschild. Nevertheless, there is a lot to like. The tannins, which were so tough initially, have softened somewhat, and the nose offers up notes of cedarwood, roasted coffee, tobacco leaf and red and blackcurrants. This spicy, earthy, fleshy, medium to full-bodied 2003 is not one of the stars of the vintage. It is close to full maturity, where it should remain for another 10-15 years."