WTN: Mouton Rothschild at Bobby Vans

Last night our Bordeaux group got together at Bobby Van’s for a Mouton tasting. I didn’t actually own any Mouton, but Frank generously agreed to a trade. I arrived to the round table to find a bubbly waiting, couple whites followed soon after.

2008 Gaston Chiquet Special Club
Almost every time I drink a special club (usually Bara, Michel, or Gimmonet for me) I think I should buy these more. Add Chiquet to the list. Lemon, apple, and sourdough toast. Nicely balanced, fun. B++

2014 Louis Michel Montee de Tonnerre
I liked this a lot though my neighbor did not. Fresh, vibrant, flinty. B+

1993 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne
Much more advanced than another recent bottle, OTH and oxidized. C-

Unfortunately we were well into the reds by time appetizers arrived, I wouldn’t recommend ‘86 Mouton and crabcake as a match. Porterhouse went fine with later reds.

Solo
1970 Ch. Mouton Rothschild
I had a pretty good bottle of this a few years ago, but this is past it. Good color, but some caramel/soy on the nose, pruney on palate, and tired clipped palate. C+/C

Second Flight
1985 Ch. Mouton Rothschild
This had a different character than the others tonight, but I liked a lot in a Figeac kind of way. Funky with noticeable (but not offensive to me) barnyard, obvious acids, red fruits with leather and cedar. A-/B+

1986 Ch. Mouton Rothschild
Big but with approachable tannins, young black fruit, just developing mocha, cigarbox, and earth notes. Really a beautiful (young) wine. A-/A

Third Flight
1988 Ch. Mouton Rothschild
Tannic, lean, I tend to like ‘88 more than most, but this was a little too ‘88 for me. B-

1989 Ch. Mouton Rothschild
Plusher style, some lead pencil and tobacco, moderate finish. B+

1990 Ch. Mouton Rothschild
Surprising some green notes for a ‘90, but a nice mature midbodied claret if not what one might expect from a 1st in a ripe year. B/B+

Fourth Flight

1995 Ch. Mouton Rothschild
Lush and plush with sweet black fruits, nice length, maybe a bit held in reserve. B+/A-

1996 Ch. Mouton Rothschild
Tight, structured, just some cassis peeking through, maybe just shut down hard but even allowing for that I thought a bit disappointing compared to the other ‘96 Firsts I’ve had. B+/B

Final Flight
2000 Ch. Mouton Rothschild
Young, structured, but pretty approachable. Red and black fruits, a little coffee and spice, funner now than the ‘05 though I think the ‘05 wins on potential. A-/B+

2003 Ch. Mouton Rothschild
The sweetness and ripeness are there, but I’m happy to not find this OTT ripe. Most overt oak, big tannins, moderate finish. B

2005 Ch. Mouton Rothschild
Even though this is young and primary, there’s some leather and spice peeking out, a little espresso too. Very full scaled, but nice balance of tannin, acid, and fruit A-/B+

Group voting (3/2/1 format)
1986 29 pts
2000 17 pts
1989 11 pts
2005 5 pts
1985 3 pts
1995 1 pt

Very fun night.
I thought the highs were VERY good, though a couple wines were a little disappointing for their vintage.

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice.Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

[David M. Bueker]

Excellent.

Isn't that always how it happens, where the dinner service does not match up with the way the tasting is progressing. I recall from a tasting one of my groups did on "F***ing Aaron Boone" night where Bryant Family Cabernet Sauvignon ended up being served with the palate cleanser, grapefruit sorbet!

Anyway, thanks for some great notes. I keep staring at the bottle of '86 Mouton I received from the Bob Ross cellar raid, and now you have me thinking it's time to drink it!

[Jenise]

David, I opened one of my 86s a year ago and it was just like Dale's--a baby. A very interesting and obviously worthwhile baby but just a baby. Wait if you can.

My only experiences with Mouton is the 2002 (good, not great) and the 1989, which always displayed its breed with subtlety, the two times we've had it.

Do people ever actually come upon a great Bonneau du Martray? My experiences seem to traverse the range of the common experience among my friends and my internet browsing: too young, over the hill, weird, TCA.

Agree about Chiquet and the Special Clubs.

[David M. Bueker]

I love the 2002 Mouton!

It's not a spectacular vintage (for any Bordeaux), but Mouton hit the mark IMO.

Do people ever actually come upon a great Bonneau du Martray? My experiences seem to traverse the range of the common experience among my friends and my internet browsing: too young, over the hill, weird, TCA.

I do! The 1985s are drinking fantastically well at the moment! Everything you look for in a mature Burgundy!

Greetings from Sweden / Fredrik L

Our Bordeaux group often eats at steakhouses. We usually have 8-12 of the theme reds to get through. We usually have a bubbly or white (or two) as folks arrive and order, but before food comes out we usually need to start the flights. So at steakhouse it usually comes down to seafood or salads that don't pair well, or having bacon (or BVans had veal meatballs) as an appetizer- I'm a carnivore with a big appetite, but I don't want meat before my meat.

Chaim, before PremOx, I was a big BdM fan. I've had great '78s, '85s, '86, 91, '92, '93.
'96 & '99 were brilliant when young, but BdM has one of the worst pox records. 2011 was great recently, needs time to integrate oak. but who would chance it?
Hopefully this was a cork, as it's pre-pox era, and I've had very good bottles of 93.