"97+ Points - Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate
The last time I tasted the 1996 Mouton Rothschild (maybe a couple of years ago?), I recall it was a bit broody and closed. This showing was anything but! Deep garnet in color, it sashays out of the glass with lavishly dressed, gregarious crème de cassis, baked blackberries and plum pudding scents plus touches of menthol, fenugreek, star anise and sandalwood with fleeting glimpses at dried rose petals and oolong tea. The full-bodied palate is richly fruited, opulent and oh-so seductive, with bags of youthful black fruit and lovely finely grained tannins, finishing with fantastic freshness and length. This was tasted from jeroboam in September 2019."
Château Mouton Rothschild, a Premier Cru Classé since 1973, now belongs to Camille Sereys de Rothschild, Philippe Sereys de Rothschild and Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild, the three children of Baroness Philippine de Rothschild and grandchildren of the legendary Baron Philippe.
The estate comprises 83 hectares of vines in Pauillac, planted with Cabernet Sauvignon (81%), Merlot (15%), Cabernet Franc (3%) and Petit Verdot (1%), and boasts an exceptional terroir, both for the quality of its soil and its exposure to sunlight.
In 1853, Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild, from the English branch of the family, acquired Château Brane-Mouton, which he renamed Château Mouton Rothschild. In 1922, his great-grandson, Baron Philippe (1902-1988), took the future of the estate into his own hands. The 65 years of his reign bear the stamp of his strong personality, his spirit of enterprise and his openness to new ideas. In 1924, he was the first to introduce château bottling. 1945, the Victory year that concluded the Second World War, heralded the start of an exciting collection of artworks created each year by famous painters for the Mouton label.
In 1988, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild (1933-2014) succeeded her father at the head of the estate, becoming in her turn the guarantor of the quality of this illustrious wine. In 1993, Mouton began to produce a second wine for the first time: le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild. In 2014 Philippe Sereys de Rothschild succeeded his mother as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Baron Philippe de Rothschild S.A. He had been Vice Chairman since 2006. Following in his mother’s and grandfather’s footsteps and in close collaboration with his sister and his brother, he is determined to continue to enhance the quality and reputation of this family-owned First Growth
