2017 Mouton Rothschild Red Bordeaux Blend

2017 Mouton Rothschild

96+ RP

From the critics:

98 JS

97 WS

96 JD

96 DEC

95 WE

Featured Review

The 2017 Mouton Rothschild is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it slowly unfurls to reveal notes of warm black plums, baked black cherries, kirsch and freshly crushed blackcurrants with hints of candied violets, cinnamon toast, Ceylon tea and pencil shavings. Medium-bodied, the palate is charged with amazing energy, featuring dynamic black and red fruits and loads of baking spice and mineral sparks, framed by ripe, fine-grained tannins and finishing long and fragrant. Given the intensity of fruit and structure, while this is a relatively elegant Mouton that will be approachable early on, I don’t see it as being short lived. It should give pleasure for a good 40+ years. Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Robert Parker | 96+ RP

Extremely perfumed Mouton with currants and crushed berries. Hints of roses and other flowers. Tight and extremely refined with ultra-fine tannins and cool yet rich currant character. The center palate offers sweet cherries and hints of oak. Lightly sweet and sour. Fresh, balsamic note. It firms up at the end. Solid. A blend of 90% cabernet sauvignon, 9% merlot and 1% petit verdot. Try after 2025.

James Suckling | 98 JS

A brick house Cabernet, featuring a thick sheath of warm ganache and smoldering tobacco over a core of well-steeped black currant, black fig and blackberry compote flavors. Cuts a wide and deep trench as it moves along, with loamy, tannic grip for ballast. Retains a well-buried inner purity that should blossom as this mellows in the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2040.

Wine Spectator | 97 WS

The top 2017 Chateau Mouton Rothschild checks in as 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot that spent 18 months in new barrels. This rock star of a wine offers stunning notes of chocolately blackcurrants, toasted spice, and espresso roast, as well as loads of classic Pauillac lead pencil shavings and graphite nuances. It’s another wine that starts out slowly yet builds incrementally on the palate with full-bodied richness, ripe, polished tannin, no hard edges, and a stunning sense of purity and elegance. Give bottles upwards of a decade and it will evolve for 30 years or more.

Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JD

Graphite, black chocolate, pencil lead, blackberry and liquorice. This is serious, not holding back on its confident sense of power and depth. 100% new oak coming through as toasted grilled almond aromatics, this has no issue with settling in for the long term and will deliver over the next two to three decades. Easy to love. Drinking Window 2027 - 2050.

Decanter | 96 DEC

The hint of new wood still shows in the aroma of this wine. But on the palate, it has the richness and exuberance that comes with this great estate. Tannins show structure and intensity, bringing out the bold black fruits. Packed with freshness as well as structure, the wine will age well.

Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

The 2017 Mouton Rothschild is a powerful, brooding wine that very much reflects the high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. Not in the mood to show much, the 2017 is also very much closed in on itself. Time in the glass brings out hints of black cherry jam, wild flowers and spice, but that’s about it. Readers will have to be patient with the 2017, but I am not sure Mouton will ever be an elegant wine in this vintage. Time will tell.

Antonio Galloni | 93+ AG

Type of Wine	Bordeaux Red : Picture in your mind a combination of cedar, lead pencil, blackcurrant, plum and mineral aromatics, and texture that caresses your palate like a playful lover. The experience is thrilling from the first whiff to the final seconds of a tannic, generous finish - that is what you'll get from a Bordeaux Red
Varietal	Red Bordeaux Blend : The inhabitants of the Bordeaux region of France have been cultivating wine-grapes for thousands of years. Ancient Roman ruins litter the vineyards from Saint Emilion to Graves where the art of blending Bordeaux varietals has been practiced and perfected over a very long history. Bordeaux’s climate, terroir and soils, though varied, provide the optimal growing conditions for the red grape varietals planted in the region. Rarely listed on the labels as “blend,” the red wines of Bordeaux are perhaps the most artfully designed and celebrated in the world. The calculated art of blending the native Bordeaux varietals is impressively accomplished in the most famous winegrowing region in the world. The phrase Bordeaux Blend which seems to have been coined by British wine merchants in the 19th Century relates as much to wines made from the blend as to the grape variety combination itself. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and occasionally Carmenere are the lead characters in the creation of Red Bordeaux Blends. Each plays a part in their own fashion and implemented in various combinations and percentages in each appellation within Bordeaux. Red Bordeaux Blends are majorly composed of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, roughly making up 90% of all Bordeaux Blends. Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec (occasionally Carmenere) are also important components and vital to the production of the region’s red wines. For simplicity, the winegrowing region of Bordeaux can be divided into three main appellations producing Red Bordeaux Blends; the Left Bank (Medoc), Right Bank and Pessac-Leognan (Graves). The Left Bank has a terroir comprised of a wide variety of gravel, stones, sand, limestone and clay soils on a natural terrain of gentle slopes. This sets the stage perfectly for the production of Cabernet Sauvignon, which is the dominant grape of the Left Bank. For example, Chateau Lafite (Paulliac) is composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Right Bank is dominated by clay and limestone with sand and gravel, but the clay in the Right Bank is distinctly its own and adds to the health, growth and vitality of the vines of the varietals grown here. Right Bank wines are typically 80% Merlot-based, which are often denser, richer and mature earlier than those of the Left Bank (with exceptions – Petrus for example). Merlot is a vital component to Pomerol winegrowing and making. Cabernet Franc also plays a major role in the Right Bank, most notably, in Saint Emilion, where the infamous vineyards of Chateau Ausone and Chateau Cheval Blanc are planted to 55% and 52% Cabernet Franc, respectively. Chateaux that produce wines with a majority of Cabernet Franc are considered “old school” producers, but have perfected the use of Cabernet Franc, which was originally used as a blending grape. Pessac-Leognan (Graves) enjoys a temperate climate, natural hygrometry influenced by the ocean, and has a terroir composed of gravelly soil over a clay subsoil on sloping, hilly terrain. Natural drainage due to the hilly terrain as well as the gravelly soil structure are perfectly attuned to the Cabernet Sauvignon grape vine, which prospers under these conditions. Pessac reaps the benefits of having the terroir of both the Left and Right Bank as it contains gravel and clay. The clay sub-soil allows the growth and success of Merlot, as well as Cabernet Franc. It is home to the only First Growth not in the Medoc. The 50-hectare vineyard of Haut Brion is planted to 45.4% Merlot, 43.9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.7% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The percentage of Petit Verdot and Malbec may be lesser in quantity, but not in quality. They are vital to the region’s creation of Red Bordeaux Blends. The combination of Bordeaux varietals is legendary in the region, around the world and has influenced winegrowers worldwide to plant and vinify wines which resemble those of Red Bordeaux Blends.
Country	France : Wine is the lifeblood that courses through the country of France, pulsing with vigorous pride and determination. Viticulture is not just a hobby or an occupation in France; it is a passion, a cherished tradition that has been passed down through generations of wine stained hands. Winemaking is a beloved art that has been ingrained in the culture, an aptitude instilled in sons by fathers and the hallmark for which France’s reputation was built, allowing it to be renowned as, arguably, the most important wine producing country in the world. For centuries, France has been producing wines of superior quality and in much greater quantity than any other country in the world. It boasts some of the most impressive wine regions, coveted vineyards and prestigious wines on earth. The regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, Sauternes and Champagne have become the benchmark, for which others aspire to become. Legendary producers such as Chateaux Margaux, Domaine De La Romanee Conti, Chapoutier, d’Yquem and Dom Perignon are idolized world-wide. France has stamped its name on nearly every style of wine, from the nectar-like sweet Sauternes to hedonistic Chateauneuf Du Papes classic Bordeaux and Burgundy, to its sparkling dominance in Champagne. Many of the most infamous grape varietals in the world, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay originated in France and are not only beloved, but utilized in the creation of some of the greatest wines on earth. French wine production commands the attention of the wine market year after year. With over 860,000 hectares under vine, and numbers close to 50 million hectoliters of wine produced annually, France dominates the market and sets the standard for not only product quality, but also quantity. France’s many contributions to the world of wine have been absolutely indispensable. The country is the originator of the term “Premier Cru,” coined the term Terroir (a French term so complex there is no literal translation) and has laid the blueprint for a structured appellation system, which others have implemented in their own countries. French vineyard techniques and winemaking practices are mimicked world-wide. California vintners have been replicating Rhone style wines for decades, South America has adopted the French varietal of Malbec and countries around the world are imitating Burgundian styled Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. With vast diversity in terroir, France is home to some of the most hospitable winegrowing locations on earth. The combination of topography, geology, climate, rainfall and even the amount of sunlight combined with the long historical tradition of winegrowing and making, has allowed the vintners of France to not only hone their skills, but learn from nature to create a product that like the world in which it resides… is very much alive.
Subregion	Pauillac

Producer	Chateau Mouton Rothschild : As with all legendary chateaux, Mouton Rothschild has created an impressive empire over the course of its illustrious history. Moreover, Mouton has created a special niche for itself and has been producing unique and truly artistic masterpieces since its inception. What began as an audacious acquisition involving massive restructuring, extensive replanting and the construction of a new chateau, developed into one of the most coveted, First Growth properties in Bordeaux, while producing some of the finest, most prestigious wines in the world. The might of Mouton began in 1853 when the estate, previously known as Chateau Brane Mouton (which dates back to 1720), was purchased by Nathaniel de Rothschild. Due to neglect and ill managed vineyard maintenance, the property sold for less than it was paid for 23 years earlier. This transaction would turn out to be an incredible investment as Mouton would evolve into one of the most successful and coveted properties in Bordeaux. Following the custom of the day, Baron Nathaniel renamed the property using his name along with a portion of the original name; this was the official birth of Chateau Mouton Rothschild. By the time of Baron Nathaniel’s death, the Left Bank property had risen to global fame, had been granted Second Growth status in the Official 1855 Classification of the Medoc and was producing world-class wines. The history of Mouton and all of Bordeaux would inevitably change in 1922 when a young Philippe de Rothschild gained control of the estate. Despite the property’s rise to prominence, the young Baron insisted that the estate could produce better wine. He believed, with certainty, that Mouton was as good as any First Growth from the Medoc. It can be argued that the modern age of Chateau Mouton Rothschild, along with the modernization of the entire Bordeaux wine region began simultaneously. Baron Philippe completely changed how Bordeaux wine was produced and sold. At the young age of 20, the Baron implemented methods and techniques that were seen as radical at the time, but are still applied by all the top producers of Bordeaux wine today. The Baron was also the first Bordeaux owner to insist on bottling all his wine at their estate, which at the time was considered an unusual idea. This savvy concept, however, would allow total control over the wine sold from Mouton. Prior to that point, the more common practice was to sell the wine in barrel to negociants, making bottling at the property a revolutionary concept. To enhance the start of bottling at the chateau, in customer’s minds, Baron Philippe hired the Cubist artist Jean Carlu to create a special label for the 1924 Mouton label. This was a precursor to the now-famous artist-designed labels, which began in earnest in 1945. Artists such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Miro, Chagall, Braque, and Balthus, have all contributed to this tradition. Although the estate had achieved much, ameliorated exponentially and was highly regarded, in the eyes of Baron Philippe, Mouton was always a First Growth vineyard. His sheer determination would eventually grant him the highest reward as the estate was elevated to First Growth status in 1973, becoming the only person to succeed in changing the 1855 Classification. After Mouton had officially become a “Premier Cru Classe,” the accomplishment initiated a response by the Baron, “First I am, Second I was, I Mouton do not change.” For this momentous occasion, the front label for the 1973 label boasted his now, famous saying. When Baron Philippe de Rothschild passed away in 1988, his many accomplishments were evident in the quality and standing of the wines produced and sold on the world market. His daughter, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild succeeded her father’s reign at Mouton and immediately began implementing changes. The first of which, was the introduction of a white wine named, Aile d’Argent (meaning Silver Angel); renewing an ancestral tradition in the Medoc and causing quite a stir around the region. Under the direction of the Baroness, Mouton underwent a multi-year, complete renovation of the winery. Construction was completed in 2013 and ready for the new vintage. A cutting edge, state of the art, gravity fed, vinification cellar was constructed along with higher quality vineyard management. One of the unique creations was the invention of windows on the large, oak, fermentation vats, which allowed the wine maker to peer into the vat from top to bottom. Another savvy business tactic was the hiring of Philippe Dhalluin, previous director of Branaire Ducru (St. Julien) in an effort to increase the quality at the estate. Since the arrival of Philippe Dhaulluin, yields have lowered and the number of cases produced of the Grand Vin has continued to decrease. This decrease in quantity has only increased the quality of wines. The Baroness passed away at 80 years of age in 2014 and is survived by her three children. The estate remains in family hands to this day. Chateau Mouton Rothschild spans 90 hectares of vines to the northwest of Bordeaux, on the edge of the Medoc Peninsula. The estate is situated, as its name indicates, in medio aqua, “amid the waters,” which are the waters of the Gironde estuary to the east and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its proximity to the river helps to irrigate the soil in depth and moderate differences in temperature. The estate benefits from the mildness of the ocean climate while also being protected by the large forests bordering the property to the west. The property rests on the Plateau de Mouton (Mouton meaning hill or hillock) which rises to 27 meters above sea level, offering important, natural drainage. The peak elevations at Mouton are among the highest in all of Pauillac. Mouton’s prime location grants the vineyards exceptional terroir, consisting of deep gravel, rocks, stones and sand over limestone soils. Beneath the topsoil, clay, marl and more limestone with sand and iron are present. This incredible concentration of gravel in the soil, which goes down 5 meters below the surface, gives Mouton its unique character, and sense of place. The wine is a true reflection of its environment. The vineyards of Mouton are planted to 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The average age of vines is 50 years old with some vines dating back to 1890 (over 130 years old) making them some of the oldest active vines in all of Bordeaux. Today, annual production at Mouton is around 20,000 cases, which has significantly decreased from previous years, largely due to Philippe Dhaulluin’s efforts to increase the quality of the Grand Vin. Mouton is the most flamboyant style of wine of all the First Growths, with Asian spices, opulent textures and an exotic character. It has great staying power and the ability to age and evolve for decades. The wine offers incredible depth and concentration as well as balance, length and purity, making it not only one of the finest Bordeaux wines but one of the finest in the world. The wines are usually better with 15 years of age and has a peak maturity between 18 and 60 years after the vintage. The knowledge and skills of the men and women who make Mouton have followed each other from generation to generation, passing on ancestral know-how and skills enhanced by the advantages of cutting edge technology. The reason that the name Mouton is globally recognized and considered one of the finest wines in the world is, undoubtedly, due to the resolve of the Rothschild family and their persistent efforts at increasing quality and reputation. Chateau Mouton Rothschild wines are different from one vintage to another, but always the same…quite deserving of its motto, “I Mouton do not change.”

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