Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild 2019

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.

Aromatic intensity on the nose, a dark fruit profile - blackcurrant, plum and black cherry. So smooth, structured with good poise on the palate. It's quite a lean, direct style, tightly knitted with black chocolate, mocha and liquorice edges as well a roasted spice element on the finish - intensity is on the aromatics rather than the fruit at this point which is quite dark. Lots of fine but quite grippy tannins provide a round and constructed frame.

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.