Château Mouton Rothschild 2011
Review of the Estate
Château Mouton Rothschild is a wine estate located in the village of Pauillac in the Mèdoc, 50 km (30 mi) north-west of the city of Bordeaux, France. Its red wine of the same name is regarded as one of the world's greatest clarets. Originally known as Château Brane-Mouton it was renamed by Nathaniel de Rothschild in 1853 to Château Mouton Rothschild. It was the first estate to begin complete château bottling of the harvest.
The branch of the Rothschild family owning Chateau Mouton Rothschild are members of the Primum Familiae Vini.
The Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 was based entirely on recent market prices for a vineyard's wines, with one exception: Château Mouton Rothschild. Despite the market prices for their vineyard's wines equalling that of Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Mouton Rothschild was excluded from First Great Growth status, an act that Baron Philippe de Rothschild referred to as "the monstrous injustice". It is widely believed that the exception was made because the vineyard had recently been purchased by an Englishman and was no longer in French ownership.
In 1973, Chateau Mouton Rothschild was elevated to "first growth" status after decades of intense lobbying by its powerful and influential owner, the only change in the original 1855 classification (excepting the 1856 addition of Château Cantemerle). This prompted a change of motto: previously, the motto of the wine was Premier ne puis, second ne daigne, Mouton suis. ("First, I cannot be. Second, I do not deign to be. Mouton I am."), and it was changed to Premier je suis, Second je fus, Mouton ne change. ("First, I am. Second, I used to be. Mouton does not change.")
Vineyard
Surface area: 185 acres
Grape Varieties: 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot
Average age of vines: 44 years
Density of plantation: 8,500 vines per hectare
Average yields: 40-50 hectoliters per hectare
Average cases produced: 20,000 per year
Plateau of maturity: 10-50 years
Mouton Rothschild 2011 Reviews / Tasting Notes
Neal Martin - The Wine Advocate
Point Score: 92
Tasted at the Mouton-Rothschild vertical in London, the 2011 Mouton-Rothschild is probably the "weakest" of the releases between 2008 and 2012, although that would be unfairly disparaging what is a perfectly respectable, if rather unexciting Mouton. Here, it has those graphite and cedar aromas present and correct, the former a little more accentuated and with a light sea-spray note emerging with time. The palate is well balanced with cedar and a slight peat-like note infusing the black fruit, rigid in its youth but nicely delineated. As I discerned out of barrel, what it lacks is that peacock's tail on the finish, bolting out of the exit door before you have really got to know each other. Tasted April 2016.
Wine Spectator
Point Score: 93-96
Delivers a pure beam of cassis, raspberry and cherry, with lightly toasted spice notes and a firm plum skin edge holding sway on the finish. Stretched out somewhat already, this seems nicely tuned and has good buried minerality. Tasted non-blind. Score range: 93-96
James Suckling
Point Score: 94
This is now a little tight but shows firmness and raciness with pretty austerity. Full and tight with silky tannins and a long, fresh finish. Firm acidity is holding it back. Needs two or three years to open. Better in 2018.