2014 Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, Bordeaux

Deep crimson. Fragrant almost soapy nose. (Fine soap!) Good direct fruit and confidence but very much in a minor key. Almost recalls Latour in its lighter, fresher style. No sweetness. No perceptible alcohol. Easy and relaxed. Only medium weight. Certainly not opulent. Brisk finish. I may be underrating this and look forward to retasting it in Bordeaux in July. jancis_robinson_mw MW - JancisRobinson.com - Apr 2015

Explosively floral nose – the usual exotic Mouton fruit underlined by very ripe 16% Merlot. The classic 'iron fist in a velvet glove', with ripe tannins and marvellous structure. Its true qualities will need time to show.

The 2014 Mouton-Rothschild was closed at first when I tasted the wine in bottle with winemaker Philippe Dhalluin. But as it transpires, this First Growth is just toying with you. Initially quite understated, it responds to aeration like a young child peeking from around a corner and then running out, waving its hands. It suddenly hits you with gorgeous black cherries, bilberry, cedar and wilted rose petal. The palate is medium-bodied with a silky smooth entry. This is utterly seductive: a wine without a hair out of place. It is not as powerful or as complex as the 2015 Mouton-Rothschild, yet the precision and focus here is beguiling. It will require five to seven years to absorb the 100% new oak, then it will be an utterly delicious and to use a term employed at en primeur, cerebral First Growth that is destined to give two or three decades of pleasure.Neil Martin - 31/03/2017