The 2018 Mouton-Rothschild Bordeaux Blend from Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, is a highly acclaimed red wine featuring a composition of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. It boasts a 14.5% alcohol content and is sealed with a cork. This wine has garnered exceptional reviews from numerous professional wine critics.
James Suckling awarded it a perfect score of 100, noting the "exquisite purity of black currants, raspberries, and some citrus" and describing it as "full-bodied with seamless tannins that coat the palate." Suckling likened this vintage to the legendary 1959 Mouton, and he recommended trying it after 2026 for optimal enjoyment.
Wine Enthusiast’s Roger Voss also gave it a high score of 99, emphasizing its "dense structure, powerful tannins, and intense black fruits." Voss highlighted the wine’s "richness and sustained concentration" and suggested that it will age magnificently, advising not to drink it before 2029.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, represented by Lisa Perrotti-Brown, matched this score with another 99. She described the wine as "deep garnet-purple colored" with "bright, vivacious notes of crushed blackcurrants, juicy blackberries, and redcurrant jelly." Perrotti-Brown praised its "super firm, super ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness."
Jeff Leve from The Wine Cellar Insider also awarded the 2018 Mouton-Rothschild a perfect 100, commending its "dark red ink color" and "waves of sensuous, decadent, velvety, dark red fruits and spice." Leve compared this vintage to a "better version of 2009," highlighting its concentration, purity, and opulence.
Decanter’s review, which also scores it at 100, praises the wine’s "tannic power, density, layers, and structure," describing it as "big, textured, and complex."
Jeb Dunnuck provided a score of 97, noting its "backward, primordial bouquet of pure crème de cassis, scorched earth, burning embers, and graphite." He emphasized its need for a decade of bottle age to reach its full potential.
Vinous's Neal Martin gave a range of 95-97 points, calling the wine "blessed with a glorious and extremely pure bouquet" and describing it as "one of the more extravagant Mouton-Rothschilds in recent years."
Wine Spectator’s J.M. awarded it a score of 98, describing it as "large-scaled" with "remarkably pure, focused, and driven" fruit.
Jane Anson, who also gave it a perfect score of 100, stated it is "one of the all-time great Moutons" and highlighted its "beautiful fruits" and "velvety but determined tannins."
Lastly, The Wine Independent’s Lisa Perrotti-Brown gave it a score of 98, noting its "vibrant scents of kirsch, juicy blackcurrants, and black raspberries."
Overall, the 2018 Mouton-Rothschild is a powerhouse wine, celebrated for its complexity, depth, and aging potential.