Chateau Mouton Rothschild Premier Cru Classe, Pauillac 2020

Château Mouton Rothschild sits on the gravel slopes of Pauillac, next to Château Lafite Rothschild, with around 84 hectares of vines planted mainly to Cabernet Sauvignon. In 1924 Baron Philippe de Rothschild made Mouton the first Bordeaux estate to bottle its entire crop at the château, and in 1973 it was promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé, the only change ever made to the 1855 classification. Since 1945 every vintage carries a label by a different artist; the 2020 label is by the Scottish-born painter Peter Doig.

2020 brought a mild winter and a warm early spring, with budbreak about ten days early and flowering twelve days early. June and July were marked by heatwaves and drought, and rain in August helped the berries ripen evenly. The red grapes were picked between 7 and 24 September, one of the earliest harvests on record, and yields were modest. The wine is a deep garnet-tinged cherry red. The nose shows ripe black fruit and blackcurrant, with aniseed, flint and a hint of cigar box. The palate is smooth yet full-bodied, with precise tannins and minty, smoky notes, leading to a long finish of minerals and black berries. Best from the early 2030s and built to age for many decades; if opening young, decant for several hours. Pairs well with rack of lamb, rib of beef, venison and aged hard cheeses.

84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. Matured in new French oak barrels. James Suckling 100/100, Decanter 100/100, Vinous 99/100, Jane Anson 99/100.