Château Mouton Rothschild, 1er Cru Classé, Pauillac,

Viticulture at the Mouton estate dates back to the early 18th century when Joseph de Brane purchased the estate from the Segur family. The wines’ reputation grew, but following the sale to a Parisian banker, Isaac Thuret, the estate’s fortunes took a turn for the worse. The estate gradually fell into a state of disrepair. Although Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild purchased the estate in 1853, it was too late to turn the estate around in time for the 1855 classification. Originally entered as a 2nd growth, years of investment by the Rothschild family saw the property elevated to 1st growth status in 1973.

There are 75 hectares rising to an altitude of 40 metres just to the north of Pauillac. Plantings are dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon (80%), with 10% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot and just 2% Petit Verdot. The estate also produces a white wine, Aile d’Argent from their plantings of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle. Herve Berland, responsible for much of the estate’s progress over the past decade has recently moved to Chateau Montrose, but Philippe Dhalluin remains in charge of the cellar and will no doubt continue to push the qualitative bar ever higher.