1982 - Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac

Every now and then, you chance upon a 1982 Mouton-Rothschild that blows you away. This is one such example. It has a wonderful, outgoing, precocious bouquet, with blackberry, cedar and a sprig of wild mint that is so exuberant it enraptures the olfactory senses. The palate is fuller and denser than the '82 Pichon-Lalande, with wonderful poise and layers of graphite-tinged black fruit mixed with light aniseed notes. It is unapologetically extravagant and yet it is all delivered with a kind of carefree joie de vivre. Stupendous. Tasted single blind at the 1982 dinner at Cornus in London.

Parker's first ever 100 point wine (along with Petrus 1982), this at first seemed to be softer through the mid palate than the other First Growths in the lineup, but once it opened up, the autumnal blackberry and bilberry fruits came tumbling into place, as did charred sandalwood, cigar box, campfire smoke, and waves of crushed rose petal aromatics. Showing full tertiary welcome, with melted tannins, and the gently finessed pleasures of fully mature Pauillac. I wouldn't count out the ability of this vintage to remain at this point for another few decades. The Mouton label in 1982 was painted by artist and film director John Huston to celebrate Baron Philippe de Rothschild's 60th harvest at the Pauillac First Growth (and the 10th vintage since its promotion to First Growth status). Harvest September 15-24, 100% new oak.