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Le Petit Mouton 2012

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pauillac
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon

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Label

Tasting Notes

The 2012 Le Petit Mouton de Rothschild (79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc) shows loads of charcoal, burning embers, a nice hint of dark chocolate and blackcurrants. It is fleshy and medium-bodied, with up-front fruit and density. This second wine of Mouton has certainly gone from strength to strength under the administration of Philippe Dhalluin. Drink it over the next 15-20 years.

90
Robert Parker, RobertParker.com (218), April 2015

Tasted twice en primeur at Mouton-Rothschild. The Petit Mouton is a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. It has a very austere nose for Petit Mouton with strong dry tobacco and graphite aromas - more like Latour than Mouton! The palate is medium-bodied with juicy black fruit laced with minerals and tobacco. This has impressive volume and length for a Le Petit Mouton with a sweet finish of small dark cherries and hints of vanilla pod. It displays fine delineation throughout. It will not be a long-term wine, but it should offer much pleasure from five or six years. Tasted April 2013.

89/91
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, May 2013

A rich and round red with currant, strawberry and citrus character. Full body, creamy tannins and a fruity finish. This shows much more richness and depth in bottle than from barrel. Excellent. Drink or hold.

92
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, February 2015

Classic grilled cedar and raspberry puree, with the toasted vanilla bean that is such signature Petit Mouton. Fairly high acidities that turn into a whoosh of mouthwatering power. This is skillful and expert winemaking, and it manages a feeling of effortless pleasure with careful architecture and muscular tannins. Gorgeous 2nd wine, a standout in the line up, ready to drink with a carafe, still plump and seductive. The character of the vintage suits Petit Mouton.

93
Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com, March 2022

Dark crimson. Opulent, already open nose. Really rather soft on the palate - chercher les tannins! This seems deliberately to have been made to be drunk early. Tingly and vibrant. Mouton Lite indeed!

17-
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2013
91
Tim Atkin MW, timatkin.com, April 2013
Read more tasting notes...

The 2012 Le Petit Mouton represents 38% of the crop, which is much higher than the normal 25% that usually makes it into the second wine. Composed of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, it reveals similar black currant liqueur notes, but they are less intense and pervasive. Administrator Philippe Dhalluin has fashioned a wonderfully opulent, round, juicy Petit Mouton exhibiting plenty of chocolaty notes intermixed with a subtle hint of oak offered in a lush, easily understood style. Enjoy this charming, endearing Le Petit Mouton over the next 15+ years.

Mouton Rothschild has produced one of the vintage-s most profound wines in 2012, and possibly the -wine of the Medoc.- About 49% of the production made it into the 2012 Mouton, which is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. The harvest took place during the middle two weeks of October. This may be one of the few 2012s that comes close to equaling what was achieved in both 2009 and 2010, two far superior vintages.

90/92
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (206), April 2013
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.