The 2012 Château Mouton Rothschild (mostly Cabernet Sauvignon) is a rich, deep, and full-bodied wine. It showcases intense aromas of blackberries, blackcurrants, graphite, and minerals, with a touch of seaweed and cold slate. On the palate, it’s finely polished with a silky texture, balance, and great focus, making it both vivacious and persistent. Rated 97 by James Suckling, it’s expected to improve after 2020. The wine’s maturity is anticipated around 2027, with real depth and individuality. The label was designed by artist Miquel Barcelo.

Jamessuckling.com | JS 97
Published: Nov 1, 2015

What a nose of blackberries, blackcurrants, minerals and graphite. Full-bodied, extremely fine and polished. Sexy and ethereal. Harmony. A little salty. Fabulous 2012. Pure silk. Better after 2020, but so wonderful now. 

The Wine Advocate | RP 96
Published: Jan 31, 2017
Drink: 2025-2050

Tasted at the Mouton-Rothschild vertical in London, the 2012 Mouton-Rothschild clearly has the upper hand over the 2011, if not quite at the level of the 2009, 2010 and what I envisage will be the 2015. There is obviously greater fruit intensity here, as if the contrast has been dialed up a couple of notches. It is quite showy on the nose, preening in its infancy with pure black cherries, graphite and hints of cold slate-like scents, later that hint of seaweed I observed when tasted blind a few months earlier. The palate is beautifully balanced with great vim and vigor. This is a Mouton that will not be put down - vivacious, vivid and delineated with wonderful focus and crucially, impressive persistence on the finish. Do not underestimate this Mouton-Rothschild, because I can see an upswing as it matures in bottle. Tasted April 2016. 

Decanter | D 96
Published: Mar 3, 2022
Drink: 2027-2045

Real depth and individuality with lovely core to the fruit and length on the palate. A pure and beautiful expression of Cabernet Sauvignon from a top-class vineyard.

Jancisrobinson.com | JR 18
Published: Mar 18, 2022
Drink: 2022-2042

Very heavy bottle! Intense, glamorous nose with real density and pizzazz. Sweet end. Neat and convincing first-growth quality. 

Chateau-mouton-rothschild.com

Climatic conditions
2012 was a year of contrasts. The winter was cold and very dry. The average temperature in February was the lowest for fifty years.
April brought cool weather and abundant rainfall, while the weather in May and June was in-between. The flowering and veraison dates for Chateau Mouton Rothschild Cabernet Sauvignon were the same to the day as the average dates for all the vintages since 1962.
Exceptionally dry conditions prevailed from 20 July to 20 September, concentrating sugar and tannins in the grapes. The month of August was the fifth driest in the last fifty years. By the end of September, the aggregate amount of rainfall was 26% lower than the average since 1962 (435 mm compared with 589 mm).
Picking at Chateau Mouton Rothschild began on 1 October and ended on 15 October. 2012 will be a landmark year, since after almost three years of work the new vat room welcomed its first harvest.
Rich, deeply coloured, well-structured and very full-bodied, the 2012 vintage promises to be a great success.

Illustration of the label: Miquel Barcelo (1957-)