A legendary wine, probably one of the best ever. Balance, power, silk. If you and your friends were to splurge on just one wine in your life, this would be a fine choice.

This remains the stunner, a battleship of a wine, brimming with cassis, blackberry and fig fruit that has melded together now, with the backdrop of alder, bay leaf and menthol starting to emerge a bit more. The long finish is loaded with grip, pulling the fruit and other components together. And then there's that flash of iron at the very end. Awesome wine.—Non-blind Mouton-Rothschild vertical

Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Mouton Rothschild is a little closed to begin, slowly unfurling to reveal notes of baked black cherries, crème de cassis, blackberry compote and bouquet garni with suggestions of sweaty leather, pencil lead, cedar chest and black truffles plus a hint of crushed rocks. Full-bodied, the palate is solidly constructed of super firm, ripe, grainy tannins and lively acidity, framing the densely packed black fruit, finishing on a persistent mineral note.