Château Mouton Rothschild

"The long blonde stone facade overlooks the ocean of vines", evokes the prestigious Château Mouton Rothschild, one of the most famous wine estates in the world. Located northwest of Bordeaux, on the edge of the Médoc peninsula, the château covers 90 hectares of vines planted on an exceptional terroir. For more than a century, the Rothschild family has raised the quality of its wines to the pinnacle of winemaking excellence, making Château Mouton Rothschild a symbol of prestige and elegance.

What is the history of Château Mouton Rothschild?

It was in 1853 that Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild bought Château Brane-Mouton at auction, with the intention of serving his own wine to his prestigious guests. This wine property is located in the Médoc, in Pauillac, and was renamed Château Mouton Rothschild in honor of its new owner.

 
Château Mouton Rothschild became famous for the quality of its wines at the beginning of the 20th century and was classified as a premier cru in 1924. Under the management of Philippe de Rothschild, the estate became one of the most prestigious in the world. When Baron Philippe passed away, his daughter Baroness Philippine de Rothschild (1933-2014) inherited the Château.

 
Today, the estate continues to produce high quality wines, making Château Mouton Rothschild one of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world. It is now managed by the three children of Baroness Philippine de Rothschild: Camille Sereys de Rothschild, Philippe Sereys de Rothschild and Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild, who are committed to perpetuating the desire for excellence carried by their mother.

What are the characteristics of Château Mouton Rothschild?

Château Mouton Rothschild is located northwest of Bordeaux, on the edge of the Médoc peninsula, on a 90-hectare terroir. The Médoc vineyard, which dates back to Roman times, currently covers an area of approximately 16,500 hectares. Leaning against the northern tip of the Landes forest, it takes advantage of the mild oceanic climate while being protected from its excesses.

 
The soil is poor, even unsuitable for any cultivation, except to produce the greatest wines in the world. It is made up of "gravel", pebbles and gravel that retain the heat of the sun, with a marl-limestone subsoil. The vines are planted on slightly hilly hilltops which promote natural drainage and sunshine. The red wines produced are elegant, powerful, rich in tannins and long aging.

 
Moreover, the hilltops are often the place where the best vines are planted, giving their name to certain famous châteaux, including Mouton Rothschild. The name "Mouton" probably comes from "mothon", which meant a levee in Old French.

The visual signature of Mouton Rothschild

To celebrate the Allies‘ victory and mark his return to his lands, Baron Philippe asked artist Philippe Jullian to illustrate the Mouton Rothschild label: the V for Victory appeared on the bottles, and success was total. Since then, the vintage label has been illustrated each year with the reproduction of an original work of art, specially created for Mouton by a contemporary artist such as Picasso, Francis Bacon, Dali, Jeff Koons and even Prince Charles of England.

 

What are the best vintages of Château Mouton Rothschild?

The best vintages are: 1929, 1945, 1959, 1961, 1982, 1986, 2000, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2018, 2019
   

What is the second wine of Château Mouton Rothschild?

In 1993, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild created Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild, a Second Wine that quickly found its place on the market. The Petit Mouton is generally produced from the youngest vines and is made with the same care as the Grand Vin.