Wine Advisor
Le Petit Mouton 2009
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2009 vintage is administrator Philippe Dalhuin's finest effort to date. I don't think I have ever enjoyed a Le Petit Mouton (which represents 27% of their total production) more than his 2009, which is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. Dense ruby/purple, with plenty of ripeness, it displays the famous Mouton creme de cassis intermixed with spring flowers, licorice and some background forest floor notes. This beauty can be drunk now or cellared for 15 or more years.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
A blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc with around 8% vin de presse. This has a very deep purple/garnet core. The nose is quite rich, well defined, opulent for a Le Petit Mouton (obviously not so Petit this year!) Blackberry, a touch of plum, Mirabelle with just a hint of damon. Good lift. The palate is much more tannic than I expect, a feisty Le Petit Mouton, firm tannins, rigid structure with a touch of savoury fruit towards the spice-tinged finish. Moderate length. Perhaps it needs to calm down a bit...a bit tough on the finish. Tasted March 2010.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The second wine, the 2009 Le Petit Mouton, is the finest second wine they have ever made. Aromas of black currants, flowers, mocha, and earth jump from the glass of this fleshy, heady, full-bodied wine. The final blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, and the alcohol level is slightly higher than the Mouton’s. It should drink well for 15+ years. (Tasted once.)
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2009 Le Petit Mouton is deep garnet colored and saunters out of the glass with bold black cherries, warm cassis and plum preserves notions plus hints of menthol, sassafras, black pepper and tobacco. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely coated with generous black fruits, framed by plush tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing long.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
A blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc raised in 60% new oak. The Le Petit Mouton 2009 has a very classic nose with black fruits, sous-bois, cedar and a touch of black pepper. Perhaps it is a little subdued this morning? The palate is very well balanced, elegant, a little edgy and drier that others I have tasted, but it has that elusive element of “personality” on the finish that makes me warm to it. I think the Cabernet Franc is very expressive here. Tasted November 2011.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. The Le Petit Mouton has improved in bottle since I tasted it last year. The 2009 has a lovely, defined, exuberant bouquet with luscious pure black fruit that is pure and utterly refined: blackberry, dark plum and graphite mingling with sous-bois. The palate is medium-bodied with a sweet, quite fleshy opening. There is a roundness and sensuality to this wine, with a touch of VA lending its a Tuscan allure towards the generous, almost exotic finish. Tasted January 2013.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2009 Le Petit Mouton has a classic smoke and cigar box scented bouquet with more undergrowth scents than I was expecting given the vintage. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, impressive balance, enticing cedar-infused black fruit with pencil lead and sage towards the composed and quite persistent finish. This is evolving into an excellent Le Petit Mouton. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits' Ten Years On tasting.
About the Producer
The history of Château Mouton Rothschild dates back to the mid-19th century when Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild purchased the estate in Pauillac, a commune in the Médoc region of Bordeaux, France. The estate's vineyards were already well-established at the time, but Rothschild invested heavily in modernizing and expanding the winery, including building new cellars and importing new grape varieties. Le Petit Mouton, which translates to "The Little Sheep" in English, is a second wine produced by Château Mouton Rothschild. Second wines are made from grapes that come from younger vines or from less prestigious vineyard parcels than the grand vin, the top wine produced by the winery. Le Petit Mouton was first introduced in 1993 as a way to showcase the quality of the estate's younger vines and to create a more accessible wine that could be enjoyed earlier than the grand vin, which typically requires several years of aging. Since its introduction, Le Petit Mouton has become a highly regarded wine in its own right, known for its rich flavors, elegant structure, and approachability. The wine is made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot grapes, and is aged in French oak barrels for around 16 months before bottling. The label features a whimsical illustration of a little sheep, a nod to the wine's name and to the estate's long history of using animal motifs on its labels.
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