Chateau Mouton Rothschild Pauillac 2009 750ML

Pure perfection, and reminding me slightly of the 1982, the 2009 Château Mouton Rothschild boasts an opaque ruby hue as well as an incredibly perfumed, sexy, seductive style in its ripe currant and cassis fruits as well as new saddle leather, spicy oak, smoke tobacco, and graphite-driven aromas and flavors. Complex, full-bodied, and beautifully concentrated, with sweet tannins, this masterpiece is already impossible to resist yet won't hit full maturity for another decade and will evolve for 50-60 years if well stored.

The 2009 Mouton-Rothschild is as concentrated as the 2010, but it presents itself in a more consumer-friendly, seductive style. Opulently textured and full-bodied with gorgeous levels of crème de cassis, melted licorice, espresso roast and chocolate, it possesses high but sweet, velvety tannins, massive body, and fabulous purity as well as length.

The texture is the most striking thing on this wine, right from the attack. It rolls out a carpet of silk and welcomes you in, and displays the gourmet edge that Mouton does so expertly, with blackberry, black cherry, crushed blueberries and garrigue. It has a softness that makes it not necessarily signature Pauillac, but certainly signature Mouton, with the ripeness of the fruit tempered by firm, brushed tannins and a core of controlled acidity. Crushed mint leaves appear on the finish. Multi-layered and brilliant.

With a ton of ripe blackcurrant and some bitter chocolate this is a rich and rather opulent wine that still retains a delightful freshness and has a long, positively dry finish.

This will always be a great contrast to the dark power of the 2010, sporting lush layers of fig, boysenberry and blackberry confiture, carried by velvety tannins, flowing through a long, anise-, tobacco- and cocoa-fueled finish. Not shy on grip, but much rounder and plusher in feel. Hard to resist now, but there's absolutely no rush.

The purest Cabernet Sauvignon fruit, with dark chocolate and intense dark berry flavors. The tannins are so enveloped by the fruit and yet they promise great aging. At this stage, wood shows through the fruit, but the texture is so rich and opulent that it should easily become integrated.