Le Petit Mouton

Le Petit Mouton

The famous second wine of Chateau Mouton Rothschild was created in 1993 by Baroness Philippine de Rothschild following her succession to her father, the pioneering Baron Philippe de Rothschild, as estate-owner in 1988 after having already worked with him for some time. Initially called Le Segon Vin de Mouton Rothschild, the 1994 vintage saw it named after the Baroness’ estate residence, a place called Petit Mouton.  Furthermore, in a nod to the famous 1924 label of its esteemed sibling, Mouton Rothschild, by Jean Carlu, a poster artist, the label for Petit Mouton is inspired by another of his drawings.

Each chateau has its own tradition and commercial policy in the production of its second wine, be it the declassification of grapes from the Grand Vin, a distinct plot or from younger vines that will one day make up the Grand Vin.  Petit Mouton has opted for the latter, being produced from the youngest vines of the estate but, the same terroir and meticulous production methods.

 

Vineyards and production

Mouton has 80ha./207 acres of vineyard atop the “Mouton plateau” 27m above sea-level and planted to 83 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, 14 per cent Merlot (much increased in the late 1990s), 3 per cent Cabernet Franc.  The estate produces about 56,000 cases per year, including Le Petit Mouton and Aile d’Argent, a dry white under AC Bordeaux produced since 1991.

Viticultural and wine-making practices are exceptionally tightly managed at Mouton whose distinct parcels are managed by the same winegrowers each year under the supervision of a vine manager.  Grapes are hand-picked with separate vinification for each variety done in wooden vats, one of the few Medoc chateau to still do so.

 

Style

The flamboyant style of Mouton is evident in Petit Mouton, with hallmark Asian spice and opulence.

 

Top-rated vintages

Vintage	RP	JR	market price £	£ / Parker points
2010	90-93	16
2009	90-92	16	1,500	16.30
2008	89	15.5	1,500	16.85
2007	84-87	17	1,500	17.24
2006	90	17	1,500	16.66
2005	88	18.5	1,640	18.63
2000	88	18	2,000	22.72

As per June 2010

 

Market

The market for second wines has existed, among the top chateaux at any rate, for at least 250 years with the basic decision-making on their evolution and position within the market remaining unchanged; which plots, vine-age, percentage in relation to the Grand Vin etc.  Following virtual abandonment during the terrible years of the 20^th century, when it was hard enough to sell the Grand Vin, the market has changed considerably from 1982 on.

Second wines have grown exponentially with 60% of the top 200 chateaux now producing one.  With viticultural practices better than ever before, the First Growths in particular, have begun in earnest with the repositioning of their second wine as a noble wine in its own right, applying as exacting a standard to its cultivation and production as with their first wine.

Until very recently the prevailing wisdom was that second wines had no investment value.  However, like the opening of the US market in the 1950s which saw the first growths shoot up 50% in value, the expansion of the market to include a new and more global rich would seem to herald a new era for the second wines.  Few are better positioned to take advantage of this than Le Petit Mouton.

 

Liv-ex Power 100 ranking

2010	total score	2009	move
55	306	new	new

The Liv-ex Power 100 is a list of the top performers over the previous year and their position starting the current year.  The indice traces the movement of chateau and other wines using a sophisticated weighting system based on average prices, production, notional availability and Parker Points.

 

Release price evolution

vintage	ex negociant €/btl	london release price £/cs
2010
2009	60	750
2008	38.40	450
2007	45.60	435
2006		420
2005	45.60	430

 

Petit Mouton at a glance

Commune: Pauillac

Soils: very deep gravel on a limestone base with perfect drainage facilitated by undulation of the ground towards the Gironde.

Climate: maritime, moderated by the Gironde estuary and Atlantic Ocean, pine forests provide insulation from strong winds off the ocean and help to lessen summer temperatures.

District: Medoc

Classification: 1er Cru Classe

Owner: Baroness Philippine de Rothschild

Winemaker: Hervé Berland

Vineyard: 84Ha./207 acres of vines planted to 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc.

Vinification and ageing: oak vats then aged in mostly new oak for 12-16 months

Production: 30,000 cases