Wine Advisor
Le Petit Mouton 2019
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Composed of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon and 32% Merlot, harvested from the 18th of September to the 5th of October, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2019 Le Petit Mouton charges out of the glass with gregarious scents of baked black cherries, plum preserves and blackcurrant cordial followed by hints of cumin seed, candied violets and licorice with a waft of dried Provence herbs. Medium-bodied, the palate has a real skip in its step, offering fresh, cheery black berry flavors and a grainy texture, supported by oodles of freshness, finishing long with invigorating spice and herbal sparks.
Reviewed by: William Kelley
The 2019 Le Petit Mouton is notably serious this year, offering up a rich bouquet of minty berries, cherries, licorice and toasty new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a generous core of fruit, youthfully chewy tannins and a long, sapid finish, it will reward a bit of bottle age.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2019 Le Petit-Mouton is flat-out gorgeous. The energy, tension and delineation here are all first class. There is no doubt in my mind that in a previous era, this could have been a First Growth wine. Maybe not in a truly great vintage, but certainly in anything less than that. Bright red-toned fruit, rose petal, mint and blood orange all run through the 2019, lending notable depth to play off the wine's freshness. I am every bit as excited about the Petit Mouton as I was en primeur. It is a fabulous wine in every way. Wow!
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
You know what? Mouton Rothschild will get the lion's share of attention in 2019, but I think the Petit-Mouton might be even more impressive! Racy and sexy from the outset, the 2019 is positively stellar. Bright floral accents and a core of sweet red berry fruit flesh out in a mid-weight Petit-Mouton endowed with terrific purity and pedigree. It is a gorgeous wine in every way.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2019 Le Petit Mouton has an expressive nose, a mixture of red and black fruit, gravel, cedar and tobacco, quite Saint-Julien in style. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, quite smooth in texture, modest depth and maybe just missing some grip towards the finish. Nicely balanced, this Deuxième Vin should drink well for 15-20 years. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2019 Le Petit Mouton clearly retains its bold bouquet of bravura scents of blackberry, blood orange, and touches of cassis and violet petals, the 50% new oak seamlessly integrated over 18 months. The palate is silky-smooth on the entry, deep and displaying fine grip. This is definitely one of the most seductive Le Petit Mouton releases in recent years. It tightens a little toward the graphite-tinged finish, so afford it more time in bottle than I originally predicted. Superb.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2019 Le Petit Mouton was blended earlier than usual at the end of November and sees 50% new oak. It has a bold nose that wants to make a statement: copious black fruit, raspberry, hints of gingerbread and marmalade in the background, a multi-faceted nose that I have come to expect from this Deuxième Vin in recent years. The palate is just gorgeous: seductive black fruit laced with white pepper, very fine tannins, pitch perfect balance and an exceedingly precise finish that is frankly Grand Vin worthy. Outstanding.
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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