Many years ago when I was just wetting my palate with my first wines Mouton Cadet was a ubiquitous wine found on every restaurant list and on every shelf of every store I went in. That was some 30 years ago. Back then it was a very inexpensive wine running about $5 a bottle in a retail store. Out of sheer inundation by volume I had to try this wine. It was blah, unremarkable, so-so and not worth pursuing. It has been that long since I last tasted this wine.
Then I read a review of this wine by (NW) (see post from 3-21-06) and he gave it a pretty good review for such an inexpensive wine. I decided the next time I saw one I would buy it and I did paying $9 for it in Boston.
It sports the name of the famous Baron Philippe Rothschild which gave me some confidence beyond (NW’s) review (not that any was needed) that the wine had to be fairly decent. It is a Bordeaux blend of grapes from various appellations made from 65% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Cabernet Franc.
It is youthful in appearance with a purple tinge and pleasant color. Bouquet is somewhat closed on opening with dark fruit in the background and a green note. (NW) was smelling all kinds of floral things which I never found and the plum eluded me as well, but...
First taste is bursting with huge black pepper flavors–so much so that it is a little weird... My first thought was, (NW) and I will have to share a bottle of this and review it together because this couldn’t have been what (NW) tasted.
With some breathing time, (half hour at least)the bouquet opens up to a rich blackberry-cherry nose; the pepper eases up quite a bit and turns pretty decent as an inexpensive old world style wine. I wouldn’t buy another one simply because there are so many good wines out there, but this one performed well against our charcoal seared strip steaks. For the price of $9 it was just okay; still think there may have been some bottle variation from this and (NW's). At any rate, raise a glass!
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