Château Mouton Rothschild 1er Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2006

Robert Parker identified the 2006 Mouton Rothschild as a major sleeper of its vintage, and the years since have confirmed that judgement. Composed predominantly of Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine carries abundant aromatics of crème de cassis, licorice, truffles, forest floor, and cedarwood that are still in many ways primary: there is a sense that this wine has barely begun to show what it will become. The palate is full-bodied, powerful, and tannic, with multiple dimensions of concentration and length. It is built like a skyscraper, as Parker noted, with multiple layers that will only begin to reveal themselves fully after 2030. A wine of extraordinary long-term potential.