Château Mouton Cadet 1982, Bordeaux, France

Introduction: The legendary vintage of an everyday wine

The name Château Mouton Cadet stands like no other for an accessible, mass-produced Bordeaux from the house of Philippe de Rothschild. As a simple, large-volume "Appellation Bordeaux Contrôlée" cuvée, it has become synonymous worldwide with a reliable, smooth red wine from Bordeaux. The speciality of this particular bottle, however, lies in its 1982 vintage - one of the most celebrated and expensive vintages of the 20th century for the great top wines of the region. The combination of a simple brand and a legendary vintage makes this bottle a fascinating curiosity and time capsule. It raises the question: how did a great vintage hold up in a simple wine intended for immediate consumption?

Sensory prognosis (with acceptable storage)

After more than 40 years, this wine is far beyond its intended drinking maturity. Its development is extremely dependent on ageing. At its best, it offers a surprising, mature profile; under normal circumstances, it is probably in decline.

Colour

• Expected: A pale to medium brick red colourwith a distinct orange to brown rim. The original purple or ruby red colour has completely faded. Clarity instead of intensity.

Nose

The bouquet is dominatedby tertiary aromas, with only ghostly traces of fruit.

• Dominant: Notes of damp leaves, dried herbs, cedar box, tobacco and a slightly earthy or leathery component.

• Residual fruit: If still present, a faint hint of dried plum, preserved cherry or redcurrant jelly.

• Developmental notes: With less than ideal cellaring, tired, flat or even slightly vinegary notes (ethyl acetate) or a distinct potato-sack tone(merckaptan) may come to the fore.

• The characteristic fruit of the 1982 is not to be expected here.

Palate

• Texture: Light to medium-bodied, with a structure that frays at the edges. The tannins are completely dissolved, resulting in a soft but possibly thin texture.

• Acidity: Can range from exhausted and flatto still reasonably lively. Lively acidity would be a stroke of luck and the sign of excellent ageing.

• Flavour: Mirroring the nose: Spicy, woody, earthy and leathery notes dominate. The fruit is minimal to non-existent.

• Finish: Short to medium length, with a dry, woody or slightly bitter aftertaste. The legendary, long finish of the 1982 Grands Crus is not to be found here.

Historical & oenological classification

• Vintage 1982 in Bordeaux: An epoch-defining vintage of the century. A warm, sunny summer produced wines of exceptional ripeness, opulent fruit and velvety tannins with moderate acidity. The great wines (Lafite, Mouton-Rothschild, Pétrus) are immortal and expensive. For a simple Bordeaux Supérieur such as Mouton Cadet, the year meant above all more accessible, fruit-emphasised grapes.

• Château Mouton Cadet: Founded in 1930 by Baron Philippe de Rothschild as an accessible alternative to his Grand Cru Château Mouton Rothschild. It is a branded wineand not a classified château. The grapes come from a large catchment area in Bordeaux, the style is soft, fruit-orientated and drinkable early, intended for the mass market.

• The contradiction: this bottle combines two extremes: the mass flavour of an everyday wine with the elite prestige of a top vintage. It is a sociological and wine-historical curiosity.

Condition assessment & risk analysis

Critical condition criteria

1. Storage:Long-term storage was never intended for a wine like this, and any storage beyond 5-10 years was an experiment. Even with good storage, the decline in primary flavours is inevitable.

2. Fill level: A low fill level (below "low shoulder") is very likely and indicates significant oxidation.

3. Cork: A common, simple cork for a bulk wine - a high risk of leakage or cork flavour.

Risk on opening

• Very high. The probability of finding a tired, over-aged, flat or faulty wine is over 90%. The chance of a pleasantly mature, surprisingly complex experience is minimal.

• The financial value of the bottle is low, butthe historical and curiosity value is interesting for collectors.

Recommendations & conclusion

Recommendation for the owner/handling

1. Manage expectations: Start with a tired wine. Any recognisable structure or fruit is a bonus.

2. Handling: When opened:

   • Store upright for sediment formation.

   • Decant carefully to separate sediment.

   • Drink immediately. Do not leave to stand.

   • Serving temperature: 16-17°C.

3. Alternatively:Keep unopened as a historical collector's item. The bottle with its original label from a legendary vintage is more interesting as a conversation piece and curiosity than its probably disappointing contents.

Final conclusion

The Château Mouton Cadet 1982 is a fascinating wine document. It highlights the gulf between the eternal splendour of the great growths of a century-old vintage and the limited shelf life of mass-produced wines, even if they are made from excellent raw material. This bottle is less a means of enjoyment than a testament to the transience of simple wines and the immeasurable importance of ageing and structure. Opening it is a lottery with very little chance of winning, but a high cognitive value. Unopened, it remains an amusing and instructive relic from a time when even the humblest Bordeaux could benefit from the splendour of a great vintage.