TN: 1986 Château Mouton Rothschild (France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac)

  • 1986 Château Mouton Rothschild - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (1/2/2021)
    Well, every now and then you pull a wine and it has everything. This was surely one of those times. When I first pulled the cork, I was taken aback by the gobs of bright red fruit reeking from the bottle. I mean it was like I was at a cherry and raspberry packing house. Then beautiful impressions of earthy soil wafted out. I did a quick taste, and grinned from ear to ear. “This is gonna be great!” I proclaimed. Then I decanted into Grassl decanter. Over the next few hours the wine relaxed from its storage. What it left was a most compelling melange of bright red fruit, earth/soil, green tobacco, and a hint of cedar box. I was wondering if the wine would be a little too youthful, before I pulled the cork. Well, that thought was easy dispelled with each sip. While it is “young for its age,” it is so great to drink right now. The fruit, acid, and tannins were so in step with each other, with never a thought of austerity, but more like a glowing, buzzing, beckoning to drink this perfect juice. I drank this bottle with my immediate family, and we were all raving about this through the whole meal. This was a quintessential power without weight wine, and one that will surely make it to 100+ years!!! (100 pts.)

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That’s exactly how I remember this wine.
Who is less than stunned by it must somehow got a “bad bottle”, but I never had something suboptimal.

Congrats … [cheers.gif]

The 1986 Mouton remains one of the best wines of my wine-drinking lifetime. Good TN!

Thanks. I have one…now to find the “perfect” time to open it.

Awesome, Charlie!

Always the hardest thing isn’t it? Last night was the first night it was just Julie and kids. We have had three or more extra people at our house since COVID and really since Thanksgiving a year ago. A few of my son’s European golf teammates got stuck here during the pandemic, and a bro in law going through a divorce. So I was feeling relieved and at ease last night, which gave me the good feeling of pulling something nice. So yes your “perfect” time happened for me…

Well done. I had a bottle several years ago and it was stunning. Convinced me that Mouton > Lafite.

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I have had but one glass a decade or so ago and it must have been a damaged wine as I found it good, but not shatteringly so.

Fun to read this note :slight_smile:. I had the '82 over the Holiday, and I long to try the '86 for comparison… I have had two bottles of '82 now in the last two years, and my own impression is that if well-stored, an 8-hour decant was superior to a 4-hour one. More hours, let the spine relax and the fruit develop/explode.

Thanks for the note, I was curious where this was at. I have one laying down as well. And timing is the hardest thing; I wish it were as simple as food pairing. Special bottles always resonate with special events. Not rushing this one though and I have a plan A, B and C in mind; maybe a decade out.

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My one is still waiting. Have to buy 3 more, soon.
Thank you a lot.

Thanks for the note. This is one of my favorite Bordeaux.

Bases on three bottles I’ve tried, when it’s on it’s on but that varies from bottle to bottle.

Hopefully this birth year wine is still kicking by the time I’m able to afford it!

I think it the best ‘86, which isn’t saying much because I don’t like the vintage. Sold my Margaux for a very nice profit years ago. Bought one case of Mouton futures, which I immediately buried in the least accessible corner of my home cellar. Sounds like it’s time to dig one out.

I had two bottles in the cellar, one we drank in 2014, the other in 2016. I made the following notes in 2014. In 2016, I did not make notes, but gave it a 93. It was more approachable, but still needed more cellar time. Both times, I was disappointed I did not decant longer.

My 2014 notes:

After a 1.5 hour decant, this wine was still stubborn and unyielding. It was simply not willing to give anything. I was surprised and disappointed. The structure was elegant and refined, and hints of glory peered out. Color was deep and dark. With time during the prime rib meal, the wine began to reveal its fruit, but it never really opened up. Needs a good 3-4 hour decant. The 1990 Pichon Baron outshone the Mouton. I hesitate to give a score, since I think with more decanting time, the wine would have come alive. It’s a 92+ wine, I just can’t evaluate further.


See above. I agree completely for the '86. It’s good to hear your thoughts about the '82, as I have two bottles in the cellar that I have been thinking about!

For me, Lafite > Mouton. I just opened a bottle of '96 Lafite this past week. It was magnificent.