Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild 2018

Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild is one of the best-value Second Wines on the market. It allows oenophiles to experience the sensuous winemaking style of the famed First Growth, Château Mouton Rothschild, without years of aging, which is usually required of a grand vin.

Mouton, along with Lafite and Latour, was once part of the domain of the Marquis Nicholas-Alexandre de Ségur, who was known as "the prince of vines" at the French court during his time. In 1853, Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild acquired Mouton. Two years later, Château Mouton was ranked as a Second Growth during the original Official 1855 Classification. 

In 1922, Baron Philippe de Rothschild took over the estate management at the age of 20. The Baron was a Grand Prix racecar driver, a screenwriter, a playwright, a theatrical producer, a poet, and one of the most successful winegrowers in Bordeaux.  He also happened to be an enormous personality and would later refer to Château Mouton Rothschild's Second Growth Classification as a “monstrous injustice.” It was the Baron's lifelong crusade to prove that Mouton Rothschild deserved the First Growth designation. As a form of protest, he added the statement to the wine label: Premier ne puis, second ne daigne, Mouton suis (“First I cannot be.  Second I do not deign to be.  Mouton, I am.”).

After decades of relentless lobbying (for the Official 1855 Classification not only required peer acknowledgment but also demanded a French government agency's sign-off), Château Mouton Rothschild earned its proper designation as a Premier Cru Classé – or a First Growth - in 1973.

The grounds of Mouton Rothschild consist of 90 hectares of vines sandwiched by the Gironde estuary and the Atlantic Ocean.  Plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and even some white varietals such as Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Muscadelle can be found here.  The 42-year-old vines are planted close to the Gironde, which irrigates them and moderates the surrounding temperature.  The vineyards are heavily graveled and gently sloped, filled with vines that produce flamboyant yet powerful wines.

The case of Château Mouton Rothschild is a unique one. These wines are estate-grown, picked by hand, produced at the chateau, and known for their exotically opulent style.  The Baron was also one of the early property owners to insist on estate bottling, a practice that has become the standard since the 1920s.  Many members of the Rothschild family delegate their free time to creative pursuits like writing, directing, and acting when not managing the vineyards.  This creativity that flows abundantly within the family veins lends an understanding that winemaking is an art form, and since 1945, each bottle of Mouton Rothschild has a special label created by a famous artist under the commission of the chateau.  The labels themselves are worthy of a collector, featuring - but not limited to – the works of Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso, and Andy Warhol.   When purchasing a bottle of Mouton Rothschild, one purchases a work of art.

The spirit of Mouton Rothschild is one of relentless determination and creativity.  No wonder their best wines possess a brawny decadence that borders upon ostentatiousness.  For the Rothschilds, being “second best” is not an option.  It is no wonder the phrase on each bottle now is: Premier je suis, Second je fus, Mouton ne change ("I am first. I used to be second.  Mouton does not change.").

"The 2018 Le Petit Mouton is an atypical vintage insofar as it contains a higher percentage of Merlot this year. It presents a very pure, almost Right Bank bouquet of wild strawberry, raspberry and crushed stone aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with a fresh, lively entry, firm grip and good volume. A subtle finishing note of cracked black pepper note lingers in the mouth. Excellent." - Neal Martin, vinous.com, (November, 2019), Ratings: 91-93, Drink: 2023-2040

"The 2018 Le Petit Mouton is a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. It represents about 26% of the total crop and has 14% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, it struts its way out of the glass with showy, flamboyant scents of Morello cherries, blackcurrant pastilles, preserved plums and black raspberries, plus suggestions of potpourri and Chinese five spice. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers fantastic freshness with velvety tannins and loads of spicy sparks emanating from the red and black berry preserves layers, finishing with a minty kick." - Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate (3/31/2021), Ratings: 93, Drink: 2022-2037

 "A brilliant effort that matches most estates' Grand Vins, the 2018 Le Petit Mouton De Mouton Rothschild (56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc) reveals a deep purple hue as well as a ripe yet fresh bouquet of crème de cassis, candied violets, graphite, lead pencil shavings, and background oak, with a touch of rocky, crushed stone-like minerality showing with time in the glass. Beautifully concentrated and full-bodied, with a solid spine of acidity and ripe polished tannins, give bottles 5-7 years, and it's going to evolve for 20-30 years or more. This is a serious, elegant yet powerful second wine." - Jeb Dunnuck, Rating: 94+, Drink: 2026-2056