Sommelier diary #98

2020 Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild
Le Petit Mouton is the second wine of Château Mouton Rothschild, often offering an accessible and forward-looking expression of Pauillac’s classic Cabernet-driven style without the gravitas (and price) of its grand vin. The 2020 vintage was generous and warm across Bordeaux, yielding wines with brightness of fruit, ripe tannins and an easy sense of balance — and in Petit Mouton this comes through as a juicy, structured and inviting Bordeaux blend.
On the nose there’s ripe blackcurrant, blackberry and plum, intertwined with notes of cedar, graphite and hints of tobacco leaf. A touch of dried herb and dark spice adds complexity without distracting from the primary fruit. The palate is medium- to full-bodied but poised, with generous dark fruit framed by polished, silky tannins and fresh acidity that gives drive and lift. Mineral undertones and subtle cedar thread through to a long, confident finish that marries fruit, earth and spice.
This is second-wine Pauillac that manages to feel both approachable in its youth and structured enough to reward short-term cellaring.
Corked Points: 93/100