An unusually Cabernet-dominated blend that's 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc aged 18 months in 50% new French oak, the 2017 Le Petit Mouton De Mouton Rothschild boasts a deep ruby/purple color to go with classic Pauillac notes of blackcurrants, lead pencil, graphite, and green tobacco. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and surprisingly powerful, it has a soft attack yet builds beautifully on the palate, with ripe tannins and a great finish.

The 2017 Le Petit-Mouton is dense, powerful and luscious. Even with all of its richness, the Petit Mouton possesses terrific structural underpinnings that give the wine its shape and overall persistence. Red cherry jam, wild flowers and sweet spice build into the finish in this decidedly succulent Pauillac. The blend is 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. The late season rains were especially challenging for the Merlot and Cabernet Franc. As a result the total production of Le Petit-Mouton is down around 28%. "After the frost, which did not really affect us, the major challenge in 2017 was heat stress," Mouton Technical Director Philippe Dhalluin told me. "We had no rain until the end of June. Then, in September, when we needed a bit of rain again, we got more than double what would have been optimal. The September rain affected the Merlot and Cabernet Franc, while the Cabernet Sauvignon was able to take advantage of the last 15 days of the growing season, which were much more favorable. In the cellar, we opted for longer macerations at lower temperatures, as we wanted to avoid extracting the type of hard tannins that mark other vintages with very dry summers, such as 2011."

The 2017 Le Petit Mouton is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with notions of crushed redcurrants, black raspberries and cassis plus hints of rosehip tea, fragrant earth and mossy tree bark, with a waft of raspberry leaves. Medium-bodied, refreshing and elegant, it delivers wonderfully vibrant red and black fruit flavors with a harmonious, grainy texture and a perfumed finish.