The 2009 Château Mouton Rothschild is a Pauillac First Growth from Bordeaux’s Médoc, blending 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Merlot in a particularly generous expression of this celebrated estate. Promoted to Premier Cru Classé in 1973, Mouton combines exceptional vineyard pedigree with its distinctive tradition of artist-designed labels; the 2009 label features artwork by Anish Kapoor. The growing season brought abundant sunshine and a dry summer, followed by warm September days and cool nights, allowing the grapes to reach full maturity in excellent condition. The resulting wine combines substantial concentration with rounded tannins and the aromatic complexity that defines great Mouton.
The 2009 reveals blackcurrant, blackberry and ripe plum, layered with cedar, tobacco, graphite, liquorice and dark chocolate. Its full-bodied palate is opulent and deeply textured, with abundant ripe tannins balanced by freshness and exceptional persistence. Jeb Dunnuck awarded 100 Points in 2023, praising its concentration, complexity and long-term potential, while Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW awarded 99 Points for The Wine Advocate in her ten-year retrospective. Jane Anson also awarded 99 Points in 2023, highlighting its seductive fruit and muscular structure. These later assessments underline how much development remains ahead, even as bottle age begins to reveal more savoury detail.
Ben’s Recommendation:
What makes this bottle particularly compelling today is the combination of an outstanding vintage, First Growth pedigree and seventeen years since harvest. A well-stored bottle can already offer considerable pleasure, but the 2009 still has the concentration and structure for a long future. I would drink it now through approximately 2050, with patient collectors likely to find further complexity beyond that. Stand the bottle upright beforehand to settle any sediment, then decant carefully and assess how much air it needs; a sound bottle may benefit from several hours. Serve in large Bordeaux glasses alongside roast lamb, beef fillet, venison or duck with mushrooms. For someone seeking a great Pauillac with both present-day appeal and substantial cellar potential, this is an exceptional choice.
