Mouton Rothschild Pauillac 2020

100 points William Kelley (Wine Advocate): "The 2020 Mouton Rothschild is a striking wine and one that I regretted not purchasing en primeur as soon as it landed in my glass. Offering up complex aromas of minty cassis, pencil shavings, loamy soil, cigar wrapper, espresso roast and violets, it's medium to full-bodied, broad and layered, with terrific concentrated, beautifully refined tannins and a long, penetrating finish. Checking in at 12.8% alcohol, its incipient complexity, ineffable sense of completeness and exquisite balance mark it out as the purists' choice among the trio of 2018, 2019 and 2020. In this vintage, the lots that made it into the blend were largely confined to the core gravel terroirs that represent Mouton's heart, meaning that there's a little less to go around. This was the first vintage overseen by Mouton's new technical director, Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy, and he has begun with a flying start. Drink: 2030-2070. (4/6/23)"

100 points Georgina Hindle (Decanter): "Dark fruits on the nose, blackcurrants and cherries with savoury nuances of dark chocolate and tobacco. Fresh and forward on the palate, this hits you square on, still very lean and direct, almost piercing and severe in its intensity and drive, though wonderfully precise: it’s like an arrow. Serious and focussed yet full and layered, the texture is lovely, a slight graininess that lingers but it’s the acidity and the fruit purity that are so excellent - they give such a sense of vibrancy and make this wine so thrilling. You get a feeling of pent-up energy, but after a few minutes the slight density of the ripe fruit comes through, giving some plushness and weight. I love the Cabernet details and the mineral element that leaves the mouth cool and fresh. A well constructed, subtle beauty. Drinking Window: 2029-2050. (1/3/23)"

100 points James Suckling: "The purity of blackcurrants, blueberries, creme de cassis, and flowers. Hints of subtle spearmint. Iron. Blood orange. Medium-bodied with a compacted palate, like a cylinder of perfectly ripe fruit and fine tannins. A million layers of tight-grained tannins. It goes on and on. Such freshness and weightlessness to it. Ethereal. New classicism. Modern take on the 1986. 12.79% alcohol. 84% cabernet sauvignon, 13% merlot, 2% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Drink after 2030 but hard to not drink now. (5/14/23)"

100 points La Revue du Vin de France: "Mouton 2020 confirms without a shadow of a doubt its potential for primeur tastings. This perfectly-tuned wine imposes its power, but also its brilliance and refinement. It delivers waves of fresh fruit on the palate, carried by the slightly minty freshness of its tannins. The impressive length of the finish makes this a Mouton of legend. (2024)"

99 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2020 Mouton Rothschild is very clearly one of the great, great wines of the Left Bank in 2020. All the elements are in perfect balance. A wine of total sensuality and nuance, Mouton is all finesse in 2020, all elegance. An explosion of dark cherry fruit, plum, pomegranate, mint and cinnamon are all amplified. From barrel, the 2020 Mouton hinted at greatness. Today, that greatness is evident. The rich, vibrant finish is a thing of beauty. Drink: 2030-2060. (Feb 2023)"

99 points Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux): "Intense, concentrated, powerful, deeply spiced, fleshy but restrained, this inches open and feels vibrant, pure, chiselled, seamless, with an electric charge. Expect plenty of smoked and grilled cassis, bilberry and damson fruits, sandalwood and mint leaf. Has the 2020 signature where flavours are classically serious and balanced but intense, just a monumental Mouton with the freshness and architecture of 2016, edged with floral aromatics, wonderfully enticing and with presence. 100% new oak. First vintage for Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy as director, following Philippe Dhalluin's retirement. One of the wines of the vintage. (11/29/22)"

99 points Peter Moser (Falstaff): "Deep dark ruby garnet, purple reflections, opaque core, delicate rim brightening. Intense black forest berry fruit, tobacco, nuances of cedar and mint, multifaceted and inviting. Complex, balanced and juicy, fine cassis, ripe cherries, fresh acid framework, fine, supporting tannins, an incredibly finessed, light-bodied Mouton, mineral and long lasting, a hint of nougat in the finish, great future, definitely needs to be locked away for a few more years. (2028-2070). (2/22/23)"

99 points Wine Enthusiast: "This is a massive, impressive wine. Dense tannins and succulent black fruits are the outward manifestation of the hidden power of this concentrated wine. The fruit is opulent, full of possibility. Drink this wine from 2028. (Apr 2023)"

98 points Chris Kissack (Winedoctor): "The 2020 from Mouton-Rothschild, with its label depicting a moonlight serenade of the vines by Scottish artist Peter Doig, opens with a beautiful sense of elegance on the nose, relaying notes of dark fruits, spiced damsons, liquorice and black olive, with such wonderful and ethereal clarity. The palate keeps up this level of performance, being divinely reposed, purely formed and yet not short on rich character, with layers of toasted currant, black olive, damson and liquorice, all resting on a quite profound structure of finely grained yet substantial tannins. This has such beauty, energy, drive and elegance, with a complete sense of harmony despite its huge and savoury grip, it is just remarkable. It remains profound, long and pure in the finish also. The result of work by Mouton director Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy, along with his maître de chai Gérard Linaire, so kudos to them, as this is a great Mouton. The alcohol here is 12.79%. (Dec 2022)"

98 points Tim Atkin, MW (May 2021).