Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1er Cru 1999

Lobenberg: Die Frucht springt fast aus dem Glas, gute Balance, reifes Tannin, dieser Mouton macht Spaß.

Parker: Tasted blind as a vintage comparison at the Valandraud vertical, the 1999 Mouton-Rothschild is a "useful," perhaps over-looked vintage from the First Growth estate. It has a clean and precise bouquet - you could almost describe this as dainty, which I mean in a positive sense. The fruit is beautifully delineated, almost pastille-like with subtle floral scents emerging with time. The palate is fresh on the entry with supple red berries pierced by a fine line of acidity. No, it is not complex and it has lost a little substance in recent years, yet it is well balanced with sufficient depth and body on the tobacco and cedar-tinged finish. If you can put its status aside, it boils down to nothing more than a well-made, easygoing and refined Pauillac to drink now and over the next decade. 92/100 (2017)

James Suckling: A spicy Bordeaux with berries and hints of currants. Full, super round and soft –surrounded by vanilla and blueberry pie. Lovely. Just coming around now. Delicious. 93/100 (2015)

Jeff Leve: Quite nice and on its way to maturity with a nose of tobacco, spice, cassis, black cherry, cedar chest, smoke, coffee beans and a hint of truffle. Round, soft tannins and a plush, classy, dark cherry, plum, cassis and spicy finish make this one of the best wines of the vintage. From a blend of with a high percentage of Merlot for Mouton Rothschild, 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, you can drink it now, or wait a few years. Medium/full bodied, lacking the concentration of the better vintages, it's not a wine to lay down for decades, but it's a fine version of a classic Pauillac that married perfectly with a roast chicken. The original sale price tag of $85 brought a smile to our face. Those were the days... 92/100 (2013)