"Chateau Mouton Rothschild is a Classified First Growth in Pauillac that encompasses 222 acres of vineyards grown in gravelly-stone subsoils. Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild acquired the property in the 18th century. In 1922 it was passed down to Baron Philippe de Rothschild and after his death in 1988, his daughter Baroness Philippine de Rothschild held the estate. Managing director Philippe Dhaullin's innovations were instrumental in elevating the celebrity status of this chateau and the style of their wines.

​This 2020 opaque garnet beauty with 84% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot opens with a burst of fresh spring flowers and lavender. The wine leads you along a long and sensuous journey. It has an expansive palate of blueberries preserves, crème de cassis, crushed earth and a dusting of finely ground pencil shavings. All these elements meld together in a symphony of flavors and purity. The tannins are ripe and well balanced. There is a level of structural richness, sophistication and complexity in Chateau Mouton Rothschild that tells you it is a First Growth and a wine of true pedigree. It is more forward than the 2019, but definitely more scholarly. It will evolve for decades to come.

By W. Peter Hoyne