Château Mouton Rothschild 2020

The elegance and aromatic finesse of an exceptional Pauillac Premier Cru Classé

The estate

It was in 1853 that Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild acquired Château Brane-Mouton at auction. Located in the heart of the Médoc, in the appellation of Pauillac, the estate was renamed Château Mouton Rothschild. In 1924, Baron Philippe de Rothschild took over the reins of the property. A visionary, he decided to initiate bottling directly at the estate and also designed a label for the wine. In 1973 Château Mouton Rothschild became a First Classified Growth. An icon of the Pauillac appellation, Château Mouton Rothschild has produced magnificent Bordeaux wines, known by wine lovers around the world.

The vineyard

Located north-west of Bordeaux, in the Médoc, the Château Mouton Rothschild vineyard stretches across 90 hectares. The vines are planted in stony, gravelly soils that capture the heat and restore it during the night, thus helping the grapes ripen. These poor, well-drained soils are lain over clay-gravelly subsoils, lending these great Pauillac wines a certain power, elegance and a tannic structure.

The label

Created by British artist of Scottish origin Peter Doig, the label of Château Mouton Rothschild 2020 resembles a personal reverie on the nocturnal birth of a great wine, whose enchanting air of a guitar would awaken to life. A dreamlike landscape, this work celebrates both the culture of the grape and the workers of the vineyards and fields, as previously represented by illustrious artists such as Millet, Van Gogh, or Bacon.

The vintage

A very mild winter and early spring advanced an early budding of the vines. The snowfall at the end of March did not impact the vineyards. Marked by temperatures above seasonal norms, the spring was also punctuated by abundant precipitation, especially at the beginning of May. From mid-May, hot and dry conditions significantly accelerated the vegetative cycle, with flowering taking place 12 days ahead of its usual date. While the month of June was characterised by great weather contrasts, the month of July was marked by heat waves and severe drought. The few rainy days in August activated veraison and resulted in a uniform development of the berries. Historically early, the 2020 harvest yielded fully ripe grapes in perfect health. Despite lower yields than in recent vintages, the quality was exceptional, producing fresh, balanced and dense wines with powerful tannins and a beautiful finesse.

Blend

Cabernet Sauvignon (84%)
Merlot (13%)
Cabernet Franc (2%)
Petit Verdot (1%).

Characteristics and tasting tips for Château Mouton Rothschild 2020

Tasting

Colour
The wine has a dark and intense cherry-red colour, adorned with garnet highlights.

Nose
Elegant and beautifully complex, the nose reveals aromas of perfectly ripe black fruits. During the tasting, the nose combines fragrances of blackcurrant and anise with notes of graphite and blond tobacco.

Palate
Suave and fleshy, the attack reveals fine and precise tannins which mingle harmoniously with menthol, mineral and smoky scents. The finish expresses, with great elegance and exceptional persistence, Cabernet Sauvignon, the château's flagship grape variety.