Château Mouton Rothschild

Château Mouton Rothschild - A Bordeaux masterpiece

Château Mouton Rothschild is one of the most legendary wine estates in the world and is one of the five Premier Cru Classé Châteaux from Pauillac, which was initially only classified as a second-classified estate (Deuxième Cru) in the famous Bordeaux Classification of 1855. This only changed in 1973 when, after decades of endeavour by Baron Philippe de Rothschild, it was officially elevated to Premier Cru - a unique distinction in the history of the Médoc. Today, Mouton Rothschild stands for opulent, powerful wines with an unmistakable character and a fascinating combination of viticulture and art.

The history of the estate: from the beginnings to the Rothschild era

The origins of Château Mouton Rothschild date back to the Middle Ages. The name "Mouton" is probably derived from the old French word "motte" (hill), which refers to the slightly elevated location of the vineyard. In the 18th century, the estate belonged to the de Brane family until it was acquired by Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild, a member of the famous banking family, in 1853. However, it was only under the leadership of Baron Philippe de Rothschild (from 1922) that Mouton achieved worldwide fame.

Baron Philippe was a dazzling personality - visionary, artistically gifted and a pioneer of wine marketing. He was the first to introduce château bottling in order to control quality right down to the bottle and initiated the label design, which is still famous today and for which renowned artists such as Picasso, Dalí and Warhol are recruited every year. His tireless efforts to have Mouton recognised as a Premier Cru culminated in its historic success in 1973 - a late but well-deserved tribute.

The terroir: the basis for exceptional wines

The estate extends over 90 hectares of vineyards in Pauillac, not far from Château Lafite Rothschild and Château Latour. The soils consist of deep gravel terraces that store heat and provide excellent drainage - ideal for the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon grape, which makes up the majority of the grape varieties at around 80%. It is complemented by Merlot (approx. 15 %), Cabernet Franc (4 %) and Petit Verdot (1 %).

The microclimate of the Médoc, with mild temperatures and cooling Atlantic winds, ensures a long, even ripening period. The old vines (average age: 50 years) are deeply rooted and develop concentrated flavours that give the wines their unmistakable intensity.

Winemaking: artisanal perfection

At Mouton Rothschild, every step of the winemaking process is carried out with the utmost care. The grapes are harvested by hand and only the best grapes are used for the Grand Vin. After gentle fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the wine matures for 18-22 months in new French oak barrels, which give it its complex structure and fine roasted flavours.

The famous Grand Vin du Château Mouton Rothschild is known for its powerful elegance: aromas of blackcurrant, cedar wood, liquorice and fine spices are combined with silky tannins and a long ageing potential. The second wine, "Le Petit Mouton", was introduced in 1993 and offers a more accessible but still typical Mouton style.

Art and wine: the iconic labels

One of Mouton Rothschild's trademarks are the annually changing artist labels, which Baron Philippe initiated in 1945. Each vintage is designed by a famous artist - including masters such as Chagall (1970), Miró (1969) and even Prince Charles (2004). This tradition makes each bottle a collector's item and emphasises the link between wine and culture.

Mouton Rothschild in a global context

Mouton is one of the most sought-after and expensive wines in the world. In Asia in particular, where Rothschild wines are considered status symbols, the château experienced an enormous boom in the 2000s. However, despite its commercial success, production remains limited in order to guarantee the highest quality.

Château Mouton Rothschild is more than just a wine - it is a legend. Its unique history, exceptional terroir and the combination of art and viticulture make it an unrivalled cultural asset. Anyone who tastes a great vintage such as 1982, 1986 or 2000 will experience the magic of one of the world's greatest wines.

Mouton Rothschild vintage 1945: A portrait

Below are some tasting notes on wines from Chateau Mouton Rothschild:

Château Mouton Rothschild 1945

Perhaps the wine of the Mouton Rothschild vintage. Frequently tasted and awarded top marks. 1999 in a sample 2 perfect, numbered 1tel, opulent power part, mint, eucalyptus with at the beginning massive coffee, crazy density, this is Mouton 45 in perfection, still tannin for 20+ years 100/100. Most recently in February 2004 in the big Mouton tasting at the Stromburg: the#20053 again brought this intense fine mint, very complex and long on the palate, spicy-concentrated, huge, immortal Mouton with an endless finish 100/100. In this context, I can only warn against so-called RC bottles, which instead of a number bear the abbreviation RC for Reserve du Chateau. These magnums have been the favourite target of counterfeiters for some years now. In the summer of 2005, I had to endure another such work of art in a sample that came from a supposedly reputable source. The bottle looked good from the outside. The label from the laser printer was damn well done. The cork was clearly too young and the contents, as a later test revealed, younger than 1963. Personally, I would only accept an RC bottle if I was allowed to collect it from the chateau itself. A spectacular 2007 Mouton Baron. Brilliant colour with few signs of age, so fresh, so minty, so powerful on the palate with wonderful fruit and eternal length on the palate. I immediately thought of the 1945 Mouton Rothschild, which this wine reminded me so much of, although I've already drunk a few 45s Moutons that were worse than this dream wine in front of us. This was an unexpected 97/100 at a very fair price. The second bottle, six months later, again had a sensational colour, but this time the Mouton Baron did not sing. It didn't have a cork fault, but it did have a distinct cellar odour, smelling of cobwebs and old barrels. It only blossomed briefly and gave an idea of what this wine could be capable of in exceptional bottles, but the cellar tones quickly regained the upper hand - 88/100 (source: wineterminator.com Dr Becker).

Château Mouton Rothschild 1959

Mouton Rothschild proved to be different. 1994 at Willi Krähling's Mouton tasting a very nice magnum with mint and eucalyptus, which reminded strongly of the legendary 74 Heitz Martha's Vineyard - 98/100. 1998 from the 1tel very dense, young colour, nose slightly exotic with eucalyptus and mint - 95/100. 1999 in a Best Bottle dense colour, pencil, mint, develops slowly in the glass (still much future), great length at the palate, but also here the aha-experience did not come across - 96/100. Two different bottles 2000 in a big Mouton-tasting, in the better of the two bottles strong acidity and tannins, giant part with surely longer future than 61 - 97/100 (source: wineterminator.com Dr. Becker).

Château Mouton Rothschild 1961

Before you buy a 61 Mouton Rothschild, find out how many owners you will be. If they can't tell you or if you would be more than number 3 - hands off! Mouton can be great, but not if it has already stood on various mantelpieces and in display cabinets or even shop windows. My first 61 Mouton in 1994 in Willi Krähling's big Mouton tasting must have been such a bottle. The magnum was simply flat. Better then in 1999 at another Mouton tasting, mint, eucalyptus, very nice Mouton, but lacking the great density - 95/100. Really good in 2000 in a Best Bottle, blindly recognised as a great Mouton, intense mint, some eucalyptus but also truffles, fully ripe, classic, wonderful Mouton - 97/100. And the most beautiful bottle 2001 in a tasting, saddle leather, mint, wonderful, classic Mouton, which is however further than the Latour drunk in comparison, dreamlike - 99/100. And nightmarish 2003 in a large Mouton tasting, an American bottle, clear brown tones, very far and far beyond a possible peak, broken. Most recently in 2007 in the Coburg, everything was just right again, saddle leather, mint, some eucalyptus but also truffles, a complex, great Mouton with an endless finish - 99/100 (source: wineterminator.com Dr Becker).

Château Mouton Rothschild 1982

Robert Parker: Opaque purple-coloured showing absolutely no signs of lightening, Mouton's 1982 is a backward wine. Still tasting like a 4-5 year old Bordeaux, it will evolve for another half century. At the Philadelphia tasting, it was impossibly impenetrable and closed, although phenomenally dense and muscular. However, on two other recent occasions, I decanted the wine in the morning and consumed it that evening and again the following evening. It is immune to oxidation! Moreover, it has a level of concentration that represents the essence of the Mouton terroir as well as the high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon it contains. Cassis, cedar, spice box, minerals, and vanillin are all present, but this opaque black/purple Pauillac has yet to reveal secondary nuances given its youthfulness. It exhibits huge tannin, unreal levels of glycerin and concentration, and spectacular sweetness and opulence. Nevertheless, it demands another decade of cellaring, and should age effortlessly for another seven or eight decades. I have always felt the 1982 Mouton was perfect, yet this immortal effort might be capable of lasting for 100 years! Readers who want to drink it are advised to decant it for at least 12-24 hours prior to consumption. I suggest double decanting, i.e., pouring it into a clean decanter, washing out the bottle, and then repouring it back into the bottle, inserting the cork, leaving the air space to serve as breathing space until the wine is consumed 12-24 hours later. The improvement is striking. The fact that it resists oxidation is a testament to just how youthful it remains, and how long it will last. Dring: 2010-2075. 100/100 points Wine Spectator (30/06/2001) : 98 Glorious aromas. Dark ruby red colour. Wonderful perfumes of flowers, berry and lilac. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long and pretty finish. Balanced. Class in a glass. Just as I remember.

Château Mouton Rothschild 1986

The wine of the vintage and one of the great wines of the last century is Mouton Rothschild. For me, this was not only by far the best wine in the 1989 arrival tastings, I also drank it a good 50(!) times in its relatively short drinking window. For ¤ 25, the Mövenpick Caveau gave me half a bottle of a wine that I had never drunk before, black as Egypt's nights, very concentrated fruit, high minerality, so precisely structured with an incredible length. Back then, we tasted all the great wines we could get our hands on against Mouton. But it was always on top. Like all the great '86s, it was clearly closed, and only very hesitantly did it begin to open up again. And, of course, I kept going back to this wine, mostly at tastings, because I keep my own top bottles for a while longer. 2000 Light at the end of the tunnel! With its massive tannins, it still didn't let much out, but the crazy power on the palate and the long finish showed that things were about to pick up again. 2001 deep black, acidity and tannins without end, infinite potential, wait 20 years, then certainly worth 100/100. 2002 - the good Bernd wanted to know - decanted 24 hours before! Crazy colour, dense concentrate, but the wine resists being drunk. 2003 dense colour, complex, closed, but already with 100-point length on the palate. 2004 in the big Mouton tasting at the Stromburg, a totally closed magnum (source: Wineterminator.com Dr Becker).

Château Mouton Rothschild 1990

Mouton-Rothschild 1990. In 1991, I preferred the 1989, which of course had made a fast start and was already a year older. However, around two years after bottling, the 1990 had developed an almost explosively rich, spicy nose; very "sweet", full and packed with all kinds of good things. I skipped the next two tastings (two bad bottles on the own set tasting). At the 1998 Hollywood Wine Society Mouton presentation, a fully developed bouquet, beautiful in texture and length. Another leap in time to Penning-Rowsell's "ten-year tasting" two years later: alongside the other first classifications, a still deep colour; a bouquet that pushed energetically out of the glass to open up imperiously, but very pronounced spice from new oak - appealing, but oak is like garlic in food: it should be present, but not intrusive. "Sweet", rich, lively, somewhat lean, with rough tannins and sharp acidity. An impressive wine that still needs time to mature. Last tasted in June 2000 ***(**) 2005 to 2020 (source: wineterminator.com Dr Becker).

Wine as a work of art. Mouton Rothschild combines artistic avant-garde with vinous depth like no other wine. His wines are both collector's items and a pleasure to drink.