Wine Advisor
Le Petit Mouton 2011
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The dark ruby-hued 2011 Le Petit Mouton reveals foresty, floral, and berry fruit notes, medium body, and a one-dimensional, but pleasant style. Consume it over the next 10-15 years.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The Le Petit Mouton 2011 is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot and includes some plots once destined for the Grand Vin. Tasted two weeks apart, the first sample in March 2012 has an opulent bouquet for the vintage with luscious cassis and raspberry aromas, struck through with creamy new oak (perhaps from the 60% new oak.) The second in April appears less extrovert but demonstrates better refinement. The palate has a sharp entry; indeed it is quite an angular primeur sample although there is patently a lot of fruit concentration. It has a fine graphite and bay leaf finish with a pointed citric edge. This is a tensile Le Petit Mouton, not exhibiting weight or power but more precision and Pauillac austerity. There is nothing wrong with that. Tasted April 2012.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2011 Le Petit Mouton (70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot) exhibits attractive, fresh black currant fruit intermixed with notions of forest floor, licorice and wood smoke. It is a lovely, round, fresh wine to drink in its first decade of life. Mouton Rothschild harvested between September 12-26, producing a final blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. One of the vintage’s great wines, it is a candidate for wine of the vintage. According to administrator Philippe Dalhuin, only 54% of the production went into the grand vin.
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
Medium ruby. Bright aromas of raspberry, minerals and violet. Chewy and energetic in the mouth, with strawberry and medicinal herb flavors complicated by a bright floral element. Showing no signs of closing down, this offers plenty of early appeal to its juicy fruit. Probably the best second wine of the Left Bank first growths in 2011.
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
(70% cabernet sauvignon and 30% merlot): Ruby-red. Perfumed red cherry, cassis, spices and tobacco on the nose. Rich, ripe and lively, with crisp red fruit and herbal flavors on the smooth palate. Finishes long and clean, with a trace of forest floor. Very nice if uncomplicated Petit Mouton.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2011 Le Petit Mouton has quite a rich bouquet with touches of mint and camphor, maybe missing a little cohesion and freshness compared to its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with a silky smooth opening, very plush and seductive although it disguises the fact that there is not much depth here. Easygoing for a Pauillac, drink this now and over the next four to five years. Tasted blind at the annual 10-Year-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.
1994(1)1996(2)2003(1)2005(4)2006(2)2007(9)2008(3)2009(6)2010(9)
Package Size
1 x 1.5L12 x 75cl3 x 75cl
