REIGN OF TERROIR

SIMON TAM drops in at what may just be the most famous viticultural name of all: Château Mouton Rothschild

A TERROIR WITH a stellar reputation, Mouton – now forever known as Mouton de Rothschild – comprises 84 hectares on the edge of the village of Pauillac. At its heart are the original 55-60 hectares of vines, which have a remarkable average age of 48 years. This maturity explains the incredible quality of the Cabernet Sauvignon berries that make up 77 percent of the chateau’s planted area, complemented by 12 percent Cabernet Franc, 9 percent Merlot and 2 percent Petit Verdot. Today, four hectares of the property are also planted with varieties used in a white Bordeaux called Aile d’Argent.

Like many of the most impressive vineyards of France’s Médoc, Mouton is steeped in aristocratic history and family lineage. The vineyard owes its reputation to the original owner, Baron Hector de Branne, who owned several impressive properties in wine regions in France. He sold Mouton in 1830 to a Monsieur Thuret, who soon found that his purchase suffered from a new grape-destroying disease: mildew. However, this did turn out well for Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild (an Englishman, no less), who bought Mouton for a song in 1853.

It was Nathaniel who devoted himself to viticulture and began once again to produce top-quality wines, with the 1855 vintage classified as the best of the second growths. Nathaniel’s son James took over in 1870, building the Petit Mouton chateau – not actually very small – where the Rothschild family now lives. James’ widow eventually left the property to her grandson, Philippe, who turned out to be one of the most inventive and dedicated growers in the Médoc.

By 1924 he was bottling the entire crop at the chateau, and had created a modern label with the famous Art Deco Carzou drawing. In 1945 he began asking famous artists to design a label, including Cocteau, Braque, Dali and Chagall. He made wonderfully complete wines between 1945 and 1961 in a readily identifiable style: opulent, ripe, complex and, in fact, very modern. As a result, in 1973 Mouton was promoted to a first growth vineyard on par with Lafite, Latour and Margaux. Although the ’70s across France were marked by uneven vintages, by the time the ’80s had arrived a distinctly spectacular style had emerged, marked by oak influences.

In 1988, Philippe’s daughter Philippine succeeded her father and, with youthful determination, inspired improvements in the winemaking by bringing in non-family experts. Patrick Leon took over as technical director, and since 2004 the vineyard has owed its prestige to Philippe Dalhuin, who introduced a remarkable second vin, Petit-Mouton (named after the not-so-small chateau, rather than it being a “petit” vin). He also changed the character of the barrels for a purer and more immediately elegant wine. The results are absolutely stunning, as year after year of tastings continue to prove.