2015 - Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac

Leans in more to the exuberance of the vintage than Lafite, but still with the effortless balance and stately steady-as-she-goes elegance of the Pauillac Firsts in 2015. Grilled sandalwood and cedar, crushed raspberries, crayon and graphite, expands through the palate, love this, thoroughly luscious but with a sense of restraint on the finish. Philippe Dhalluin technical director, Eric Boissenot consultant. 100% new oak for ageing. Gerhard Richter label artist.

The 2015 Mouton Rothschild is a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc aged in 100% new oak with a mid-July 2017 bottling. Deep garnet-purple colored, this Mouton pulls off an incredibly impactful entrance, emerging from the glass with profound notes of blackberry preserves, plum pudding, crème de cassis and grilled meats, featuring perfectly accessorized accents of sandalwood, cinnamon stick and fenugreek with wafts of dried roses, unsmoked cigars and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely packed with rich, ripe black fruits sparked with blue and red fruit undertones and an incredible structure of very firm, very ripe tannins, with seamless freshness and an epically long, earth-laced finish. Possessing striking natural beauty framed by impeccable crafting, this 2015 is a total diva and well worth attention. Give it a good 7-8 years in bottle, at least, and drink it over the next 30+ years.

A blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 Mouton Rothschild is deep garnet in color. It rocks up with flamboyant scents of baked plums, crème de cassis, and menthol with underlying suggestions of rose oil, sassafras, cedar chest, and Indian spices, plus a waft of dusty soil. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers a great core of ripe, black fruits, framed by beautifully ripe, grainy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and spicy.

The 2015 Mouton-Rothschild has a sense of exuberance on the nose, with fleshy red berry fruit, briary, tobacco and light sous-bois scents. This does not have the intensity of the 2015 Latour at the moment. The palate is very well balanced with pliant tannins. It's harmonious and poised, with fine depth and silky texture, though perhaps it's just missing the knockout blow on the finish. But this has an effortless, sensual personality and it should age with style.

82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc. Leather, aniseed, menthol: the nose is open wide, even if the palate is closed. For Pauillac, this seems lighter and easier than expected. Not exactly the typical Mouton signature? At ten years old, it's only just warming up; leave it longer in bottle if you want the main event. (RH)