Château Mouton Rothschild
Pauillac (Premier Grand Cru Classé)
Pauillac
2000
Vintage
Varietal
Bordeaux Blend
ABV
Where it is, June 2026
At Peak: in the heart of its drinking window (2006-2036).
In 2026 this is a mid-peak, mature wine. It opened around 2004 and entered a broad peak window of 2006 to 2036, with hard decline not arriving until roughly 2048. After more than two decades the tannins are resolving and the once formidable structure has softened into harmony, yet there is no rush. With a decade-plus of plateau still ahead, this bottle is drinking beautifully today while continuing to reward patient cellaring, a classic First Growth built for the very long haul that is finally hitting its stride.
Related vintages
The ‘00 Pauillac (Premier Grand Cru Classé).
The 2000 Mouton Rothschild is a defining wine of the legendary 2000 Bordeaux vintage, a dense Cabernet-dominant Pauillac First Growth now resolving into its long plateau.
Drinking window
Tasting note
This is a dense, layered, Cabernet-dominant Pauillac drawn from deep gravel soils, and its scale shows. The structure reads tannin 8, acid 6, body 8, a powerful frame that has spent two decades knitting together. The nose cascades through pure cassis, black cherry, violets, cedar, tobacco, espresso, and graphite, growing in grandeur rather than fading. On the palate it is voluminous and perfectly proportioned, the firm tannins now resolving into something silken while the moderate acid keeps the fruit lifted and precise. Built for fifty-year cellaring, the wine carries its weight effortlessly, full-bodied without heaviness, the kind of complete, structured claret that defines a great Pauillac First Growth in its prime.
The 2000 vintage
The 2000 was the celebrated millennium vintage in Bordeaux, and Pauillac was among its strongest appellations. After a humid spring and cool July, conditions turned hot and dry from early August until mid-September, ripening grapes in superb shape for the first time since 1990. The result was a richly tannic, classic, finely delineated vintage that proved slow to open but is now hitting its stride, with Mouton Rothschild singled out as a particular success.
About Château Mouton Rothschild
Château Mouton Rothschild is the Pauillac estate elevated to First Growth status in 1973, the only change ever made to the 1855 classification. Its vines spread across three gravel hills whose deep, free-draining soils favor Cabernet Sauvignon, giving the wine its powerful, exotic style. Since 1945 every vintage has worn a label commissioned from a different artist, from Picasso and Warhol to Dali.
From the cellar: pair with
Roasted rack of lamb with rosemary and garlic
The firm tannin 8 frame needs the protein and fat of lamb to soften its grip, while the herb crust echoes the wine's cedar and tobacco notes against its full body 8.
Dry-aged ribeye with a peppercorn crust
A boldly marbled steak matches the body 8 weight pound for pound, and the rich fat tames the tannin 8 structure while the moderate acid 6 cuts through and refreshes each bite.
Aged hard cheeses such as Comte or aged Gouda
Nutty, crystalline aged cheeses meet the body 8 density without overpowering it, and their saltiness plays off the acid 6 lift while softening the still-present tannin 8 grip.
Service & cellaring
- Serving Temp
- 60-64F (16-18C)
- Decanting
- Decant 1 to 2 hours before serving. At 26 years old the sediment is significant, so stand the bottle upright for a day and pour gently off the deposit. The resolving tannins and deep, layered aromatics open and integrate with air, so a longer decant rewards a wine of this structure rather than blowing off fragile fruit.
- Cellar Storage
- 55F (13C), 60-70% humidity, bottle on its side.
The drinking window on this bottle is calculated with the Cellared Ageability Index (CAI) v1.0, a 10-factor model. Try the free drinking window calculator on any wine, or read when to drink wine for the practical signals.
More from Pauillac
Frequently Asked
When should I drink the 2000 Mouton Rothschild?
Drink it now through roughly 2036. In 2026 it sits mid-peak and fully mature, having opened around 2004 and reached a long plateau that runs to 2036 before hard decline near 2048. There is no urgency, but it is glorious today.
Should I decant this wine?
Yes. Stand the bottle upright for a day to settle 26 years of sediment, then decant gently 1 to 2 hours ahead. The air integrates the resolving tannins and lets the layered cassis, cedar, and graphite aromatics unfurl to full grandeur.
What food pairs best with it?
Reach for rich red meat. Roasted rack of lamb, a dry-aged ribeye, or aged hard cheeses all give the tannin 8 structure and body 8 weight something to grip, while the acid 6 keeps every bite fresh and balanced.
Can I keep cellaring it, or should I open it now?
Both work. The wine is built for fifty-year aging and holds a decade-plus of plateau ahead, so you can hold it safely. Stored at 55F on its side, it will keep evolving, but it is already drinking beautifully if you want to open one.
What should I open next in a similar style?
Explore more from the same region with our [Bordeaux cellar guide](/wines/region/bordeaux), browse comparable [Bordeaux Blend wines](/wines/varietal/bordeaux-blend), or stay with the estate and try the [2001 Château Mouton Rothschild Pauillac](/wines/chateau-mouton-rothschild/pauillac-premier-grand-cru-classe/2001).