2019 Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild

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.

Tasted blind. Youthful crimson. Warm, rich, complex nose. Really intense fruit masking lots of tannin and a bit of acidity on the end. Classic 2019. Long. (JR)

The 2019 Le Petit Mouton De Mouton Rothschild is one heck of a second wine and has a rare level of depth and density. A blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon and 32% Merlot, it reveals a dense ruby/purple hue to go with textbook Pauillac notes of cedar pencil, smoke tobacco, spice box, blackcurrants, and graphite. Deep, rich, medium to full-bodied, and beautifully balanced, it's probably better than many vintages of the Grand Vin. I absolutely love its purity of fruit, balance, and structure. It needs a healthy decant if drinking any time soon and will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age, but it will have over two decades of longevity. Just don't tell yourself it's a second wine and you'll think you're drinking the Grand Vin.