Source: 229, The Wine Advocate; Issue Date: 28th Feb 2017 (RP-91)

Tasted blind as a vintage comparison at the Valandraud vertical, the 2002 Mouton-Rothschild is a wine that burned brightly in its youth, though recent encounters suggest that maybe it is beginning to flag as it enters what you might call middle age. Here, it has a conservative bouquet with blackberry, cedar, warm bricks and melted tar aromas – an unfussy, uncomplicated, quite serious Pauillac bouquet. The palate is well balanced with crisp acidity. It feels lively on the entry with fine tannin, a Mouton that is nimble on its feet with a gentle grip towards the finish, which offers a satisfying aftertaste of spice and clove. It does not mirror some of the outstanding bottles I consumed within the first decade of its life, and peering into this First Growth, it is difficult to see whether it will repay those who cellar it longer. Tasted December 2016.
Drink Date 2017 – 2027

Source: jamessuckling.com. Issue Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2015 (JS-91)

This shows cigar box, cedar, cassis, blackberries and some earth on the nose. It’s full-bodied with dense fruit, soft tannins and a long and intense finish. Not bad for 2002. Enjoyable now but with lots of bottle age to come.