Tasted ex-château and single blind in Southwold. A shockingly good score for a Second Wine but hey, this is blind tasting. The Le Petit Mouton 2008 has superb fruit intensity on the nose with blackberry, briary and a touch of cold tea. Well integrated oak, a little plusher than its peers, fresh with some expressive Merlot developing with time. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent fresh black fruit, crisp acidity and a nice crescendo of blackberry and cassis towards the structured finish. Great persistency and exuberance. Will it age as gracefully as the Grand Vin? Who knows, but it certainly proved its mettle blind. Tasted January 2012.

(90-92)
En primeur barrel sample. A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Merlot, this, again, is more introverted on the nose, or ‘tightly coiled’ being a more apt description. Blackberry, woodland, damp moss and a touch of burning embers. The palate is medium-bodied, very fine tannins, real weight coming through in the mouth. Blackberry, cedar, a slight coca-element from the new oak. Very harmonious with greater persistency than the ’07. Lovely. Tasted April 2009.

After the 2009 and 2010, the 2008 Mouton Rothschild comes across as a touch slender. Lavender, smoke, grilled herbs and licorice add the closing shades of nuance in this delightful, mid-weight Mouton. In 2008, the blend is 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Merlot harvested between October 2 and 15. Two thousand eight is remembered as a highly variable year. Overcast skies finally opened in mid-September, which allowed the growing season to conclude on a high note.

I don’t remember a second wine of Mouton being so outstanding. This is really plummy and juicy on the nose with flowers and lots of everything. Full and velvety with a lovely texture. Long and very pretty. Plenty of chocolate and lightly toasted oak. Bright and exciting.

Produced from 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot, this sexy, seductive Le Petit Mouton is round, generous, elegant and pure with lots of blue and black fruits and no hard edges. Drink this seamless, impressive 2008 second wine over the next 10-15 years.

Good deep ruby-red. Exotic aromas of roasted plum, currant and graphite suggest real depth. Fat and soft on the palate but with lovely freshness and good precision to its flavors of black cherry, cassis, and milk chocolate. This smooth wine really dusts the entire palate with flavor, finishing with big but smooth tannins and notes of coffee and licorice.

Strongly perfumed nose with lead, aniseed and cassis aromas. Impressive oak integration with clove and toasted spices that never dominate. Fine, filigree tannins. Good for drinking now. (RH)