Pauillac · first growth (1er grand cru classé) in 1973
Château Mouton Rothschild: available vintages, prices and pairings
The grand vin of Mouton Rothschild, old vintages included, vintage by vintage, with the format, the indicative price and what to expect from it today: ready to drink, or to keep. Tick what interests you, and the quote goes out with your selection.
Vintages on the price list
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The château
Ranked a second growth in 1855, Mouton Rothschild became a first growth in 1973: the only promotion in the history of the classification. Baron Philippe de Rothschild, who ran it from 1922, was also the first to bottle the entire harvest at the château, in 1924. His family still owns it.
Since 1945, every vintage has had its label designed by an artist: Picasso for 1973, the year of the promotion, Andy Warhol for 1975, and dozens of others. The wine is made mostly from cabernet sauvignon, with merlot and a little cabernet franc; it needs fifteen years and lasts fifty in the great years. Second wine: Le Petit Mouton. Neighbours owned by the same family: Château d’Armailhac and Clerc Milon. The appellation's other châteaux are on the Pauillac wines page.
The vineyard is planted on lean gravel, pebbles and gravel mixed with partly clayey sands, several metres deep and resting on a marl-limestone base. The name is said to come from “mothon”, a mound of earth in Old French. The 1982 was born of a mild winter and a flowering almost twelve days early; it is 85% cabernet sauvignon. The 1995 went through a drought in June and July, with 37 °C recorded in June. The 2006, a hot and dry year, was harvested from 20 September to 5 October, at 87% cabernet sauvignon and 13% merlot.
What to serve it with
- A vintage more than twenty-five years old: a simple dish that leaves room for the wine, woodcock, roast partridge (which wine with game), or just an old comté.
- A vintage fifteen to twenty-five years old: roast Pauillac lamb, the appellation's own dish (which wine with lamb), fillet of beef (which wine with beef).
- With cheese: well-aged hard cheeses (which wine with cheese). No blue.
Which vintage for which occasion
A bottle given more than served: for a birthday or a wedding anniversary, the label for the year carries an artist's work, which makes it a gift apart (birth-year vintage, wedding anniversary). For a collector, the original wooden case keeps the bottle's value.
Has Mouton Rothschild always been a first growth?
No. It was ranked a second growth in 1855 and promoted to first in 1973, after half a century of efforts by Baron Philippe de Rothschild. It is the only change to a château's rank in the 1855 classification.
What is the label for a given vintage?
Every vintage since 1945 has its own, entrusted to a different artist. For a specific year, ask on the quote: we will tell you who signed it and whether the bottle is available.
When should you drink a Mouton Rothschild?
Allow fifteen years before opening it and fifty years of good form, a little more in a great year, a little less in a weak year or in half-bottles. The table applies this rule to each line; it isn't a tasting note, and a badly stored bottle ages faster.
Are the prices shown the prices on the quote?
They are the indicative prices from the price list, incl. VAT, per bottle of the format, excluding delivery. The quote confirms the price, the availability of each vintage and shipping; the delivery scale gives the lead times. For a vintage missing from the table, the quote request is still open.