Château Mouton-Rothschild

Lieu-dit Le Pouyalet

33250 Pauillac

Tél. : +33 (0)5 56 73 21 29

info@moutonrothschild.com

www.chateau-mouton-rothschild.com

Château Mouton Rothschild, First Classified Growth of 1855

Learn all about the Premier Cru Classé en 1855, Château Mouton-Rothschild based in the Pauillac appellation.

The Pauillac cru classé that never looked like the others

Located in Pauillac, in the heart of the Médoc, Mouton-Rothschild is one of the five premier crus classés of the 1855 Imperial Classification.  From Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild to the children of Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, not forgetting the famous Baron Philippe de Rothschild, her father (who invented bottling at the château as early as 1924), the estate's 90 hectares of vines have continued to enhance the reputation of great Bordeaux wines with their unrivalled scope and artistic labels (since 1945). 

"Second I was, First I remain".

The story begins in 1853, with Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild (the French branch of the Rothschild family). Wishing to serve his own wine to his prestigious guests, he decided to buy a property at auction: Château Brane-Mouton. The property soon bore his name. It wasn't until the early '20s, with the arrival in 1922 of his great-grandson, the famous Baron Philippe de Rothschild, that the 1855 Cru Classé, which was only second at the time (a situation considered unfair by the man himself), was able to acquire its letters of nobility, undergo a considerable boom and become the talk of the town. Baron Philippe de Rothschild will make an unrivalled contribution to the world of wine. As early as 1924, Baron Philippe de Rothschild made it compulsory for all cuvées to be bottled at the château. A novel and innovative practice where, until the 1960s, the Bordeaux wine merchants - who carry the wines and stocks - bottled the wines themselves under their own names, after maturing the wines in their own cellars in Les Chartrons. Wines used to be delivered in barrels to wine merchants. But for this to happen, the chateau must be able to take the stock home itself. Baron Philippe asked architect Charles Siclis to design the spectacular "Grand Chai" for Mouton Rothschild. Now that the estate has its own winery, the cru is autonomous and can control everything from harvesting to bottling.


In the aftermath of the Second World War, and to celebrate victory, the Baron asked artist Philippe Julian to illustrate the bottles of the victory vintage with his famous "V" of victory. It was truly an idea of genius that would establish Mouton in a long tradition of bottle artistry and contribute to the wines' reputation. It's unique in the world of wine, and probably the first (intelligent and aesthetic) marketing coup in the history of Bordeaux wines. The Baron had initiated this artistic connection with his wines as early as 1924, by calling on the artist Jean Carlu, but this idea was temporarily put on hold. It's a fascinating collection that grows each year with a new work specially designed for Mouton, making up the famous "Art and the Label" exhibition. These original works illustrating the labels were revealed to the general public in 1981 on the initiative of his daughter, Philippine de Rothschild. Since then, they have been exhibited in over 40 museums worldwide. Even today, Mouton Rothschild labels are the emblem and strong symbol of this exceptional Classified Growth. Mouton Rothschild is close to artists. To illustrate each vintage with an original work by a great contemporary artist, the Baron called on Dalí, César, Miró, Chagall, Warhol and Soulages. His daughter, Philippine, did the same with Bacon, Balthus, Tàpies, Koons, Doig... and his three children.

But Mouton Rothschild is still making waves. In 1973, under the French government of Georges Pompidou and Pierre Messmer as first Minister, Baron Philippe fought long and hard to have the 1855 classification of Médoc wines changed from Second Cru Classé to First Cru Classé in 1855. A unique case that has never been repeated since. It's a testament to Baron Philippe's fighting spirit and charisma.

In 1988, Baron Philippe passed away, leaving the Bordeaux community bereft of a great figure who had never ceased to preach the good word of great Bordeaux wines in France and abroad. His daughter, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, then a resident of the Comédie Française, took over the reins, tirelessly continuing her father's work and perpetuating his legacy. It was under his direction in 1991 that "Aile d'Argent" was created, a magnificent white in the pure Médoc tradition of the 60s (when vines planted with white grape varieties were legion in the Médoc). Dominated by Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, complemented by Sauvignon Gris and Muscadelle, this wine has gained in complexity and elegance over the years. In 1993, she launched a second wine, "Le Petit Mouton" (from younger vines), in response to the need to produce and select the very best for the first wine.
Philippine de Rothschild, like her father, was also a visionary. Following in the footsteps of Baron Philippe de Rothschild, who boldly launched a joint venture in the late '70s with American Robert Mondavi, creating the celebrated Napa Valley cru Opus One, Philippine de Rothschild launched a Franco-Chilean wine in 1997, born of a joint venture with the president of Concha y Toro, Don Alfonso Larrain. Almaviva wine estate et wine were born.

In 2012, Philippine de Rothschild inaugurated a splendid vat room and continues to make Mouton Rothschild wines and name shine around the world. Sadly, the Baroness passed away in August 2014 after a long illness, leaving her heirs an enlarged and modernized Mouton Rothschild. It was his three children, Camille Sereys de Rothschild, Philippe Sereys de Rothschild and Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild, co-owners, who took up the challenge of instilling Mouton Rothschild with an unflagging dynamism and a legendary modernity, while preserving the spirit of excellence instilled by their grandfather, Baron Philippe, and their mother, Philippine.

The Mouton-Rothschild terroir and its precious gravels 

Pauillac and Médoc are among the most famous appellations. There's no doubt that the Mouton Rothschild terroir is one of the finest in the Médoc. With 91 hectares in the Pauillac appellation (82 hectares planted with red grapes and 9 hectares devoted to dry white), the soil is made up of gravel, pebbles and gravel, allowing the grapes (mostly Cabernet Sauvignon) to retain the heat brought in by the sun, while releasing it at night to perfect ripeness. The soil is mixed with partly clayey sands, and the vines are never in pain, thanks to the presence of clay and the age of the vines with their deep roots. The average age of the vines is 50 years. These soils give the wines power, elegance and a well-chiselled tannic structure. Another important factor is the perfect drainage capacity of the soil. It's worth noting that the Médoc's soil is usually considered unsuitable for any kind of cultivation, since it's made up of poor soil, but this handicap is not a handicap when it comes to producing the world's greatest wines. This is the paradox of the vine: the more it suffers (up to a certain limit), the more it will produce concentrated grapes perfect for making great wines Mouton Rothschild is planted with 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot, as well as 40% Semillon, 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 9% Sauvignon Gris and 1% Muscadelle. Terroir provides red wines with elegance, power, tannic richness and some of the greatest ageing potential (depending on the vintage). And we are talking about Pauillac, an appellation and land of excellence that boasts three Premiers Crus Classés (Lafite-Rothschild, Latour and Mouton Rothschild). It's no coincidence that they are classified as "Premiers Crus Classés du Médoc".

Racy, distinctive Pauillac wines

Mouton Rothschild has always been more modern than its neighbors in many respects, seeking in its wines flamboyance, concentration and richness without ever lacking elegance, brilliance and breed. Château Mouton Rothschild is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, which provides the wine's unique tannic structure. Its wine is therefore powerful, with an almost opaque purple color. Its aromatic palette ranges from crème de cassis to graphite and spices. The bouquet is sensual, rich and broad, evolving with the years in bottle, with tertiary expressions of smoke, cedar, tobacco... A wine for laying down par excellence, it is sought after the world over for its strong personality and singular characters, not to mention its "collector" appeal thanks to its unique artistic labels. Buying Mouton Rothschild isn't just about tasting wine; it's also about appropriating and tasting art.

Mouton-Rothschild 2015, Premier Cru Classé en 1855

Mouton-Rothschild 2015 is a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. It is aged entirely in new oak barrels, given the quality of the vintage and its ability to digest wood well. The proportion of Merlot is quite high (for once). The nose is very intense, with aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry and incense, followed by slate-like minerality. On the palate, the tannins are silky, creamy and slender, with well-balanced acidity. The finish is very long and perfectly taut. The wine is very dynamic and fresh. A wine for laying down par excellence, it will evolve for around 60 years. Not unlike the grandiose 2010.

Petit Mouton 2008

Mouton Rothschild's second wine is made from a selection of the youngest vines, but benefits from the same meticulous care as the grand vin. Representing 24% of production in this classic vintage, this wine is composed of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Merlot. Petit Mouton is elegant and fine, with notes of black cherry and minerality. Silky on the palate, with a subtly present, fresh structure, Petit Mouton leaves a sensation of great drinkability, which can be enjoyed over several decades by waiting for it to reach its tenth year before drinking it.

The great vintages of Mouton-Rothschild :

1928-1929-1945-1947-1949-1953-1955-1959-1961-1970-1975-1981-1982-1985-1988-1989-1990-1995-1998-2000-2003-2005-2009-2010-2015-2016-2018-2019-2020-2022-2023