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Jeb Dunnuck
Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Vinous
2017 Chateau Mouton Rothschild – First Growth Power with Sculpted Grace
The 2017 Chateau Mouton Rothschild demonstrates this First Growth’s ability to craft elegant wines even in a challenging vintage. A pillar of First Growth Bordeaux, Mouton’s distinctive Pauillac character is framed by disciplined tannins and a long, savory finish. The label features artwork by German artist Annette Messager, continuing the château’s decades-long tradition of pairing art with wine.
Tasting Notes
This vintage presents deep aromas of cassis, graphite, and cigar leaf, with secondary notes of cedar, spice, and damp earth. The palate is more restrained than warmer years but impeccably detailed—showing firm structure, fine-grained tannins, and a core of dark fruit and mineral tension. The 2017 Mouton is less flamboyant than some vintages but no less ageworthy, offering clarity and precision that reward patience.
Winemaking & Vineyard Details
Grown in Pauillac’s deep gravel over limestone soils, the blend typically includes Cabernet Sauvignon as the dominant variety, with Merlot and small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Aged in 100% new French oak barrels, the wine undergoes meticulous selection and élevage. The estate’s emphasis on vineyard precision and low yields ensures only the finest expression reaches the Grand Vin.
Investment & Collectibility
While the 2017 vintage posed weather challenges across Bordeaux, Mouton’s parcel management and careful harvest timing led to a successful result—one that collectors recognize for its finesse and age potential. The vintage has quietly gained interest as a connoisseur’s choice, rather than a trophy wine. Perfect for your collection if you seek balanced expressions of Bordeaux royalty.
Vintage Insights
The 2017 growing season was marked by spring frost, reducing yields across the region. However, a warm summer followed by a dry, moderate September allowed healthy fruit development for those estates, like Mouton, that managed the earlier setbacks. The result is a wine of definition and classic structure—less opulent than 2015 or 2016 but highly composed and cellar-worthy.








