Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild Pauillac 2019

The wine in an intense, crimson-hued red. The complex nose reveals black fruit, blackcurrant, chocolate and roasted coffee-bean aromas. Fresh on the palate, its red fruit and toast flavours are underpinned by crisp yet silky tannins with a touch of liquorice, leading into an attractively long finish.

The year started with a warmer- and drier-than-usual winter, with the temperature reaching a record 24.7° C on 27 February. The mild weather triggered an early start to the vine cycle, which gradually slowed with the arrival of a cooler spring and lower-than-average temperatures. As a result, flowering finally took place around the normal time. After sharply contrasting conditions in June, when a late cold spell and heavy rainfall were followed by an early heatwave, very fine weather prevailed in July. The summer was particularly sunny and hot, leaving the vines in perfect condition on the eve of the harvest. A few welcome showers in July and August greatly helped to dispel any fears of dehydration. Picking started with the white varieties on 5 September, in a quick harvest which yielded remarkable Semillon grapes in particular. All the Aile d’Argent vines had been harvested by 11 September. Picking of the red varieties at Château Mouton Rothschild took place between 18 September and 5 October. Although a few drops of rain fell during the harvest, the conditions remained generally very good, guaranteeing grapes of outstanding quality. Mirroring nature’s generosity in 2019, the wines are very rich, deeply coloured and with good alcohol content. Close-knit, satin-smooth tannins make this a very promising vintage.