Last tasted three or four years ago, the 2004 Mouton-Rothschild is a satisfactory wine, even if in my opinion it pales again subsequent success in so-called "challenging" vintages such as 2006 or 2008. It came across tight and broody on the nose, a hint of seaweed tincturing the black fruit, later on a whiff of smoke. It does not feel as refined as either the 2004 Lafite-Rothschild or the 2004 Latour. The palate is medium-bodied and shows more class than the aromatics: cohesive and with just the right amount of grip, a little chewy perhaps but with a pleasant saline sensation towards the "correct" finish. It ticks all the boxes but does not go that extra mile. Tasted September 2016.