Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1989

Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1989 is a Premier Cru Classé Pauillac red wine at 12.5% ABV, available in the standard 750ml bottle. This celebrated vintage earned 98 points from James Suckling, 97 from Decanter, and 96 from Wine Spectator — placing it among the most critically acclaimed releases from the estate in the late 1980s.

Quick Facts: ABV: 12.5%  |  Origin: Pauillac, Bordeaux, France  |  Vintage: 1989  |  Estate: Chateau Mouton Rothschild  |  Blend: 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot

Production & Heritage

Chateau Mouton Rothschild holds the rare distinction of being elevated to Premier Cru Classé status in 1973, the only revision ever made to the 1855 Classification of Bordeaux. The 1989 vintage was shaped by the hottest summer since 1949, which pushed the harvest to begin on August 28 — the earliest start date since 1893. These extraordinary conditions produced deeply concentrated fruit with exceptional ripeness, yielding a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Merlot, aged in traditional Bordeaux fashion using oak barrels.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with an intense combination of cassis, tobacco leaf, and cedary oak. With time in the glass, layers of dried berries, lead pencil, and toasty vanilla emerge alongside a complex eucalyptus undertone.

Taste: On entry, rich blackcurrant and ripe plum flavors coat the palate with medium-to-full body. The mid-palate shifts toward cedar, vanilla bean, and layered spice, with lifted acidity carrying the fruit forward. Plentiful fine tannins provide grip without astringency, and the overall texture is remarkably soft and rounded for a Pauillac of this age.

Finish: The finish is long and persistent, with intense fruit and fine oak lingering well. Cedar, dark chocolate, and subtle leather notes carry through, supported by balanced alcohol and gently fading tannin structure.

How to Drink Mouton Rothschild 1989

A wine of this maturity and pedigree deserves to be served neat in a large-bowled Bordeaux glass at around 17–18°C, with at least an hour of decanting to allow its tertiary aromatics to fully unfold. At over three decades of age, this vintage is best appreciated on its own or alongside food — cocktail use would be inappropriate for a wine of this stature.

Best For

• Marking a milestone birthday or anniversary from 1989
• Gifting a serious Bordeaux collector or wine enthusiast
• Anchoring a vertical tasting of Mouton Rothschild vintages
• Pairing with an elevated dinner featuring roasted red meat or aged cheese

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Mouton Rothschild 1989 taste like? The dominant profile centers on rich blackcurrant and cedar, supported by tobacco, vanilla, dried berries, and layered spice. With over three decades of bottle age, tertiary notes of forest floor, leather, and mushroom have developed alongside the still-present ripe fruit core.

How does Mouton Rothschild 1989 compare to Chateau Haut-Brion 1989? Haut-Brion 1989 is widely regarded as one of the greatest Bordeaux wines ever produced, earning a perfect 100 points from Robert Parker and comparisons to legendary vintages like 1945 Mouton and 1961 Latour. Mouton Rothschild 1989, while scoring 93 points from Parker, earned its highest acclaim from Suckling (98 points) and Decanter (97 points), delivering a more classically structured Pauillac profile with prominent cassis and cedar rather than Haut-Brion's Graves-driven complexity.

Is Mouton Rothschild 1989 still good to drink now? Yes — multiple professional tasting notes confirm the wine retains rich fruit, fine tannins, and a long finish, while also showing attractive tertiary development including mushroom, leather, and forest floor characteristics that indicate mature but well-preserved condition.

Where is Mouton Rothschild 1989 made? Chateau Mouton Rothschild is located in Pauillac, within the Haut-Médoc on the Left Bank of Bordeaux, France. It is one of only five estates classified as Premier Cru in the Bordeaux classification system.

What foods pair well with Mouton Rothschild 1989? Roasted rack of lamb complements the wine's cassis and cedar notes beautifully. Aged Comté or Gruyère cheese mirrors its nutty, developed character. Pan-seared duck breast works with the wine's spice and soft tannins. Beef tenderloin with a truffle jus echoes the earthy tertiary aromas. Dark chocolate desserts with restrained sweetness match the wine's subtle cocoa finish.

What sizes does Mouton Rothschild 1989 come in? The standard format is 750ml, though Mouton Rothschild vintages have historically been released in various large formats including magnums (1.5L), double magnums (3L), and other sizes depending on availability.

Is Mouton Rothschild 1989 worth the price? As a Premier Cru Classé Pauillac from a highly regarded vintage with strong critical scores — including 98 points from Suckling and 97 from Decanter — this wine positions firmly in the ultra-premium collectible tier. Its value reflects both the estate's First Growth status and the diminishing supply of well-stored bottles from the 1989 vintage.

Why Mouton Rothschild 1989?

The 1989 vintage at Mouton Rothschild was born from genuinely exceptional circumstances: the hottest Bordeaux summer in four decades and the earliest harvest in nearly a century. That combination of extreme heat and early picking produced a wine with unusual depth and concentration that has rewarded patient cellaring. With 98 points from James Suckling, 97 from Decanter, and 96 from Wine Spectator, this remains one of the most broadly acclaimed Mouton Rothschild vintages across major publications. For collectors and Bordeaux devotees, the 1989 represents a wine that has entered its mature drinking window with complexity intact — a First Growth at a stage where history and terroir converge in the glass.