Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild 2019 - Red Dry Wine - Pauillac AC

Produced from an exceptional terroir, Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild is the second wine of Château Mouton Rothschild.

Made with grapes from selected younger vines in the illustrious First Growth vineyard, it is harvested, vinified and bottled with the same scrupulous attention to detail. Harvested in small, open baskets, fermented in the Mouton oak vats, matured in oak barrels in the traditional way, all the conditions are met for the wine to express the elegance and richness of a great Pauillac.

In order to link the second wine more closely with its famous elder, illustrated by great artists since 1945, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild has chosen a label for Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild inspired by a drawing by the famous poster artist Jean Carlu.

A variation on the theme of the vine, the powerfully coloured drawing combines sensual shape with the clean geometries of the Art Deco style. It was made in 1927, following the artist’s design in the same period for the label for Château Mouton Rothschild 1924.

The first vintage, 1993, was called Le Second Vin de Mouton Rothschild, but it has borne its definitive name (which has a family connotation, Petit Mouton being the name of Baroness Philippine’s residence in the heart of the estate) since the following year, 1994.

Tasting notes

The wine in an intense, crimson-hued red.

The complex nose reveals black fruit, blackcurrant, chocolate and roasted coffee-bean aromas.

Fresh on the palate, its red fruit and toast flavours are underpinned by crisp yet silky tannins with a touch of liquorice, leading into an attractively long finish.

Harvest : From 18 September to 5 October

Climatic conditions

The year started with a warmer- and drier-than-usual winter, with the temperature reaching a record 24.7° C on 27 February. The mild weather triggered an early start to the vine cycle, which gradually slowed with the arrival of a cooler spring and lower-than-average temperatures. As a result, flowering finally took place around the normal time.

After sharply contrasting conditions in June, when a late cold spell and heavy rainfall were followed by an early heatwave, very fine weather prevailed in July. The summer was particularly sunny and hot, leaving the vines in perfect condition on the eve of the harvest. A few welcome showers in July and August greatly helped to dispel any fears of dehydration.

Picking started with the white varieties on 5 September, in a quick harvest which yielded remarkable Semillon grapes in particular. All the Aile d’Argent vines had been harvested by 11 September.

Picking of the red varieties at Château Mouton Rothschild took place between 18 September and 5 October. Although a few drops of rain fell during the harvest, the conditions remained generally very good, guaranteeing grapes of outstanding quality.

Mirroring nature’s generosity in 2019, the wines are very rich, deeply coloured and with good alcohol content. Close-knit, satin-smooth tannins make this a very promising vintage.Vintage : 2019

Alcohol : 13.5%

Region : Bordeaux

Appellation : Pauillac AC

Varietal mix : 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot