Le Petit Mouton de Mouton-Rothschild 2005

Weather conditions for the 2005 vintage were unusual, since the year was 0.3°C colder than the average for the last forty years, mainly due to cooler-than-normal nights.

The period from April to September was particularly dry, with only 313 mm of rainfall being recorded between the start of the year and the harvest, compared with an average of 602 mm. However, these exceptional conditions did not affect the usual pace of the vegetation cycle. Flowering occurred for all three varieties around 5 June and veraison took place a few days earlier than the average, between 1 and 8 August. The grapes were harvested between 21 September and 6 October in conditions that may be described as ideal. Although the atypically dry weather meant that yields were relatively low, the wines show rich, powerful and stylish tannins. Overall, the profile of the 2005 vintage is rather reminiscent of 1976, 1982 and 1995.

Notes and Reviews

Château Tasting

A dark red with a cherry tint, the wine has an ample, expressive nose that opens on attractive toast enhanced by red berry fruit, black cherry, and a touch of spice. Full, round and substantial on the attack, it displays an elegant, rich, and well-integrated structure of silky tannins, developing a generous, complete, and nicely balanced palate on liquorice, cherry-stone and pepper notes. The powerful, richly flavoured, and highly expressive finish of a top Pauillac in an excellent year underlines its family resemblance with the senior wine.

Stephen Tanzer – International Wine Cellar (90)

Ruby-red. Pungent aromas of currant, lead pencil, minerals, and flowers. Juicy, floral and precise, with a penetrating flavour of blackcurrant. In a leaner style but with lovely sweetness of fruit and some incipient complexity suggesting that this will be drinkable within four or five years. Very good for this second wine.

Product Details