Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve: One whiff tells you that this is another flawlessly crafted Mouton, with infinitely suave aromas, thanks to seamless oak integration. In terms of body, texture, and length, this might well be the ultimate expression of Pauillac in 2008 but made in a spirit quite unlike the Latour. 19

Michael Schuster: Black red; a beautifully dense nose of spicy, soft, sweet cassis and subtle new oak cedar; perfectly balanced Pauillac, rich and generous, with a fresh, almost imperceptible acidity and superfine tannin; deep, rich, sweetly ripe blackcurrant and delicately mineral flavor, tight yet fleshy, very long and complex, with great, scented, spicy length. Wonderfully juicy, elegant, complete Pauillac. Another effortlessly balanced result under the direction of Philippe Dalhuin. Great beauty and class, gorgeously textured, exciting Mouton. A candidate for wine of the vintage? 2020–45+. 18.5/19.5