2020 Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild Pauillac

Lots of violets, blackberries, bark and iodine. Oyster shell. Full-bodied. Firm and velvety tannins with a long and satisfying finish. Juicy and reserved at the end.Chewy and soft. Needs time to open. First growth. 72% cabernet sauvignon, 24% merlot and 4% cabernet franc. Drink after 2030. ~ 98 James Suckling

Elegant, sophisticated, long, clean and expansive, this is showing just great due to all its layers of perfectly ripe, red fruits, silky tannins, length and freshness. There is a real verve here, with concentration, sweetness, lift and complexity allowing the wine to age and evolve. The finish leaves you with more of those sweet, ripe, juicy berries. Today the second wine of Mouton Rothschild is superior to every vintage of Mouton produced in the 70s and in most of the 80s! The wine blends 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, 13.1% ABV. 94-96 Pts ~ 95 The Wine Cellar Insider

The 2020 Le Petit Mouton De Mouton Rothschild is another powerful, concentrated wine, especially in the vintage, and it has a pure, incredibly Cabernet Sauvignon-driven style. Lots of blackcurrants, liquid violets, graphite, and rocky mineral notes emerge on the nose, and this medium to full-bodied, tightly knit, concentrated, structured second wine is going to need a good 4-5 years of bottle age, yet should have two decades of longevity. ~ 95 Jeb Dunnuck

Very nice definition of cabernet and Pauillac, benchmark cassis, dark cherry, fine spice, tobacco, some fine coffee and mocha notes with great, freshness and length. ~ 94 Andreas Larsson - Tasted

The 2020 Le Petit Mouton benefits from the fact that the grand vin this year derives almost exclusively from the estate's core gravel terraces, meaning that many parcels that were included in, for example, the 2018 Mouton ended up in the Petit Mouton in 2020. Offering up aromas of cassis, cigar wrapper and violets, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, with a broad attack and a layered, concentrated mid-palate. ~ 93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

This second wine of Mouton Rothschild is dense, the tannins and black fruits giving intensity. It has a softer side, with sweet black fruits that are generous and rounded. Drink this wine from 2026. ~ 93 Wine Enthusiast

A serious Petit Mouton, with inky depths to the colour, and plenty of tannic hold and bite, with a lovely bitter chocolate brownie feel that steals up on you through the palate. Less sexy and exuberant than in some years perhaps, but this is extremely rewarding, with waves of grilled cocoa beans and intense black fruits. ~ 93 Decanter

Dark ruby, purple reflections, opaque core, soft brightening on the rim. Black fruit, fine tobacco nuances, a touch of leather, red cherries and cassis in the background. Juicy, black currants, a fresh acidity, fine tannins, lean, lively in style, with savoury spices on the finish, mineral, hints of mint and cassis also on the finish, some leafy notes. ~ 93 Falstaff

Simple, fruity, intense and dark with a touch of spiceness. Packed and charged at the beginning, but missing a bit on the mid-palate. The finish is fruity and cheerful, a good simple wine for early drinking. ~ 93, 92 Wine Maniacs

~ 93 The Wine Independent