This is surprisingly full-bodied and round, reflecting the warmth and sunny exposure of the vineyard around the chateau. Tangy and vivid with currants, fresh flowers and plenty of energy and length. Delicate yet ripe. 77% cabernet sauvignon, 19.5% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 0.5% petit verdot. Needs two or three years to come together completely. Drink after 2027.

April 2024

Toasted notes on the nose; cinnamon, clove with dark rich black fruits, then roses come through, some sweet blackcurrants and red cherries. Sleek and direct, a nice balance and weight in the mouth - halfway lean and focussed halfway textured and creamy, so the flavours give bite, acidity gives tang and tannins give the weight but this remains straight and streamlined. Quite a complete, understated wine, feels more serious than many other second wines, thick and rich, but not heavy. Concentrated, still with high acidity, but feels complex and polished. No rawness here, no shiny brightens either, this is serious.

Tobacco leaf, cigar box, cedar, red with black currants, and savory herbs in the perfume set the wine up. The medium-bodied palate delivers its currants with a healthy dose of tobacco, cigar box, spearmint, and chalk. There is freshness, along with a refreshing, minty-edged endnote. The wine blends 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19.5% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and a dollop of Petit Verdot to spice things up. 13% ABV. Drink from 2026-2042.

June 2024

The second wine of this great château, the 2021 Le Petit Mouton De Mouton Rothschild offers up a mini-Mouton-like nose of pure cassis, graphite, and spicy oak and hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, a deep, layered mid-palate, plenty of fruit and richness, and almost velvety tannins. Based on 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, aged in 50% new barrels, this textured, focused, impressively concentrated 2021 will benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age (which is rare for a second wine) and cruise for 10-15+ years in cold cellars. Drink 2027-2045.

April 2024

Beautifully fragrant strawberries and red cherries, just so perfumed and appealing, really a very lovely nose drawing you in. An excellent Petit Mouton in 2021; serious intensity here but also such a liveliness as well as creaminess. It has weight and layers while having fruit intensity and a core of aromatics. There's a softness and delicacy in terms of the tannins and frame - beguiling - but a real base of concentrated blue, red and black fruits - strawberries, red cherries and blackcurrants. You get the stony tones and the clove on the finish but this feels round, expansive and approachable. It's uber glamorous, still with freshness and lift. A gorgeous wine with lots going on! 0.5% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.73pH. 14% press wine. Drinking Window: 2025-2039.
Georgina Hindle, April 2022

A more classical Petit Mouton than in recent vintages but it delivers Pauillac typicity coupled with grilled blackberry and rapsberry fruits, and the velvety tannins typical of this wine. Has a more serious side than in many vintages, but it doesn't lose that happy swagger and gourmet black chocolate and liqourice character. Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy director, yields relatively normal, after no mildew. One of the few don't miss 2nd wines of the year, and one that will be ready to drink within 4 to 6 years. 50% new oak.

The 2021 Le Petit-Mouton is a bit slender and reserved in this vintage, but very fine nonetheless. All the elements are nicely balanced. Dried herbs, orange peel, mint, pine, cinnamon and new leather open with a bit of coaxing. I would give this a few years to soften. The Cabernet Sauvignon imprint is quite strong today. Drinking Window: 2028-2036.

December 2023.

The 2021 Le Petit Mouton wafts from the glass with rich aromas of dark berries, cherries and cassis mingled with licorice, mint and dark chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, rich and layered, it's dense and velvety, with sweet tannins and a long, expansive finish. As readers may remember, since Mouton-Rothschild itself this year derives exclusively from the two plateaus that always make up the core of the blend, the Petit Mouton benefits from the inclusion of parcels that often make it into the grand vin.

As I found out of barrel, the 2021 Le Petit Mouton has a pronounced graphite/pencil box-scented bouquet that makes it very classic in style. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins for a Deuxième Vin and fine salinity—a Le Petit Mouton with grip and backbone. There’s maybe just a little hardness to contend with toward the finish? Give this two or three years in bottle. Drinking Window: 2025-2040.

November 2023

Dark-fruit and chocolate notes. Medium-bodied with supple fruit and plush tannins on entry. Reasonably generous palate, the acidity cutting through on the finish giving bite and freshness. Low key but looking to give pleasure. Drink 2027-2038.
James Lawther MW, May 2022