Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild 2020

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 2020 Le Petit-Mouton is fabulous. Dark red plum, blood orange, pomegranate, mint and cinnamon all build as this flamboyant, striking Petit Mouton shows off its considerable charms. Even with the high percentage of Cabernet, the 2020 is supple and quite soft for a young wine. Bright acids perk up the mid-palate, leading to the brilliant, sculpted finish. This has come together beautifully with élevage." - Antonio Galloni, Vinous, (02/24/2023), Ratings: 95

"The 2020 Le Petit Mouton has a seductive bouquet with a mixture of red and black fruit, cedar and pencil lead, seeming to gain precision in the glass—very classic in style. The palate is medium-bodied with a sweet core of cassis and blackberry fruit, very composed and very pure. A cashmere-textured finish fans out gloriously. This is a seriously fine Pauillac for long-term cellaring (written before its identity was revealed). Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.." - Neal Martin, Vinous, (02/28/2025), Ratings: 94

"The 2020 Le Petit Mouton De Mouton Rothschild showed beautifully and is certainly up with the top second wines out there. In fact, it’s better than the Grand Vins of many châteaux. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with smaller amounts of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, aged 18 months in 50% new French oak, it offers a rich, powerful, concentrated, and medium to full-bodied style as well as ample darker currant and cassis fruits, some tobacco and spicy oak, a great mid-palate, and outstanding length on the finish. It’s approachable today yet will benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and evolve for at least two decades." - Jeb Dunnuck, (03/30/2023), Ratings: 94

"A serious Petit Mouton, with inky depths to the colour, and plenty of tannic hold and bite, with a lovely bitter chocolate brownie feel that steals up on you through the palate. less sexy and exuberant than in some years perhaps, but this is extremely rewarding, with waves of grilled cocoa beans and intense black fruits." - Jane Anson, Decanter, Best Bordeaux 2020 Second Wines, (04/30/2021)  Ratings: 93