The 2005 Mouton Rothschild will have to take a back seat to the prodigious 2006, but administrator Philippe Dalhuin deserves considerable credit for pushing Mouton to higher quality levels over recent years. A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest mostly Merlot, the dark purple-hued 2005 exhibits a restrained but promising nose of cedar, tobacco leaf, creme de cassis, and toasty oak. Full-bodied, tannic, and extremely backward, with the vintage's tell-tale acidity, it appears to be even more closed in the bottle than it was from barrel. It does possess a long finish and multilayered mouthfeel. This is an undeniably outstanding, yet restrained, shy wine for a Mouton Rothschild. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040+ (96) RP, April 2008\n\n13.1 per cent alcohol compared with the more usual 12.3-12.8 per cent. Extremely deep crimson. Blackish tinge. Very dense and an interesting edge to it but, unusually, intensely sweet for a Pauillac first growth. Even hints of tar and game. Not as dense as some. Very raw at the moment - lots and lots fruit. The tannins are much less marked than on most - perhaps because the fruit is so ripe. Silky texture - but the overriding impression is one of sweetness. Bigger than the 2004 served immediately after but Mouton 2004 looks awfully good, if quite forward, now. Just 64 per cent of the crop went into the grand vin, so this is the smallest production of the grand vin for 25 years (not counting 1991 and 1977 which suffered such extreme weather conditions). (18.5) JR\n