The 1990 Mouton-Rothschild is a Bordeaux blend from the prestigious Mouton-Rothschild estate in Pauillac, Bordeaux, France. This red wine, sealed with a cork and featuring an alcohol content of 12.5%, has garnered varied reviews from professional critics over the years.
James Suckling awarded the wine a score of 90, describing it as "a less-than-extraordinary Mouton with licorice and sandalwood on the nose." Despite this, Suckling found it "lovely and easy to drink" with a "medium body, good fruit, and soft tannins" (jamessuckling.com, 3/17/2015).
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, writing for Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, also rated the 1990 Mouton-Rothschild a 90. She acknowledged its reputation for not living up to the estate's or the vintage's standards but emphasized that the wine "was not looking nearly as bad" as expected. She noted the challenges of the hot, dry vintage on Mouton's free-draining gravel soils, resulting in "less density and chewier tannins." Nonetheless, she praised the wine's "subtle, compellingly elegant redcurrant jelly, dried cranberries, and powdered cinnamon notes" and highlighted its medium body, bold freshness, and mineral finish. "Indeed, it is skinny compared to great vintages, but it is aging gracefully," Perrotti-Brown concluded, recommending it to those who prefer "soft-spoken, more delicately expressed styles" (Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 11/1/2019).
Decanter magazine provided a more favorable review, scoring the wine a 94. They highlighted the meticulous sorting of grapes following an uneven ripening and green harvesting. Describing the wine as having "autumn hedgerow aromatics with hawthorn and blackberries," Decanter noted that while the palate is "soft and gentle" and not as intense as the 1989 vintage, it still carries the "Pauillac signature." They found that, despite a lukewarm reception at release, the wine "is still rippling with power" at 30 years of age (Decanter, 10/26/2018).
In summary, the 1990 Mouton-Rothschild presents a complex profile with elements of elegance and softness. While it may not meet the highest expectations for its estate and vintage, it offers a unique experience that continues to evolve with age.
