Château Mouton-Rothschild: Wines
The harvest at Château Mouton-Rothschild is naturally carried out by hand, on a parcel-by-parcel basis. This means the fermentation facilities must be matched to the vineyard, and a new chai with tailor-made vats was officially unveiled in 2013. Even so, the first vintage to be made here was in fact 2012, the new facilities having been up and running the year before. These new cellars are kitted out with hydraulic steel vertical presses, both wooden and stainless steel fermentation vats, of varying sizes. The wooden vats (pictured below) are notable for their vertical glass inserts, allowing direct inspection of a column of wine within, from the dark juice in the bottom half to the floating cap of skins and pips near the top.
Once harvested, the fruit is pressed and fermented using the above equipment, with a maceration of 15 to 25 days. The process sees temperature control, with a rather cool 28ºC to 29ºC the target. Then comes up to 22 months in oak, with only a light toast, before bottling. The selection for first and second wines is actually made quite early, perhaps during the December following the harvest, so it is the finished blend that goes into oak. This means the blending is ready in plenty of time for the tastings during the April primeurs.
As is the case with other first growth estates, the proportion of the wine produced being channelled into the grand vin has fallen in recent years, with 80-85% being typical up to and including the 2000 vintage, but the current value is much more likely to be 40%, possibly lower in very difficult vintages. Of what remains another 40% will be fashioned into the second wine, while 20% will be declassified and used throughout the Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA portfolio.
