This morning sees the most exciting release of the campaign so far, the truly great Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2017. In 2017 Mouton Rothschild produced a spellbinding wine, of the highest ilk. It has been awarded 97-99 points from the Wine Advocate, Lisa Perrotti-Brown saying ‘This vintage is going to be very long-lived in the cellar!‘ James Suckling awarded it 97-98 calling it ‘Sexy and exciting. So long and refined.’ Neal Martin has awarded it 94-96 points calling it ‘le petit frère” of the 2010 Mouton-Rothschild’, a wine that has 99 points from the Wine Advocate. The 2017 is therefore among one of the finest Mouton Rothschilds, within the pantheon of modern greats. It all comes down therefore to price and our projected original price was £4,500, this morning’s release price is £4,320, which offers superb value for a great Mouton Rothschild. This offers a discount of 16% to the 2016 price and a 15% discount to the current trading price of the 2015, which the 2017 is likely to equal.
As can be seen from the table below, the price of £4,320 gives the 2017 the lowest Price Over Points Ratio of any Mouton Rothchild, indicating it is a strong buy. Moreover, while it provides a healthy discount to the 2015 and 2016 trading prices, it does so with greater incentive to the 99 point Wine Advocate scoring 2010, which trades at a premium of 35% at £5,850. The 97 scoring 2009 trades at £5,650, a wine the 2017 will likely surpass but that also trades at a 30% premium. Indeed, the average trading price of Mouton Rothchild vintages from 2005-2016 is £4,671, an 8% premium to today’s 2017 release. Production is down in 2017 by 10%, which will stretch the meagre first tranche allocations further and at 90%, Mouton Rothschild 2017 has one of the highest ever proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon from the Estate.
| Mouton Rothschild | WA | JS | Release | Price | POP |
| 2017 | 97-99 | 97-98 | £4,320 | £4,320 | 240 |
| 2016 | 98-100 | 100 | £5,180 | £5,180 | 273 |
| 2015 | 98 | 99 | £4,150 | £5,100 | 283 |
| 2014 | 95 | 99 | £2,301 | £3,950 | 263 |
| 2013 | 92 | 95 | £2,401 | £3,800 | 317 |
| 2012 | 96 | 97 | £2,801 | £3,850 | 241 |
| 2011 | 92 | 94 | £3,770 | £3,900 | 325 |
| 2010 | 99 | 100 | £7,750 | £5,850 | 308 |
| 2009 | 97 | 98 | £7,800 | £5,650 | 332 |
| 2008 | 95 | 94 | £1,750 | £4,500 | 300 |
| 2007 | 92 | 94 | £2,450 | £4,500 | 375 |
| 2006 | 96 | 95 | £3,400 | £4,500 | 281 |
| 2005 | 98 | 98 | £3,500 | £5,275 | 293 |
The wine is powerful with incredible torque combined with an elegant frame, it is a Formula One race car. It is both nuanced, yet intense, delivering incredible notes of dark chocolate, tobacco, black olive, graphite and crushed coffee bean. The finish is long and unforgettable, with ultra-fine tannin and stunning balance, it is a remarkable effort. Everything points to the fact that this is a very strong buy, it reflects the spirit of En Primeur, releasing at a healthy discount to not only similar scoring vintages, but also all trading vintages, backed up by a phenomenal score. Buy Mouton Rothschild 2017 and be rewarded!
The release price of the 2017 Mouton Rothschild presents an interesting opportunity among a lot of challenging En Primeur releases. With a median score of 98 points from the Wine Advocate, a comparable price to the equal scoring 2005 and 2015 vintages can be expected once market adjustment has occurred. The 2005 and 2015 currently have an average UK market price of £5,188 per 12 bottles. This indicates the £4,320 release price of the 2017 has left around £870 on the table for those taking an early position in the vintage, although as time goes by and the vintage improves in bottle, this could easily be surpassed. This price appreciation could be elevated further should the 2017 vintage realise the upper bounds of its banded score. Looking at past 99-point vintages would indicate a possible market price of around £5,850, like the 2010 vintage, once the 2017 vintage reaches a comparable level of maturity and scarcity.
Mouton Rothschild occupies the peak of the most impressive gravel plateau to the north of Pauillac. This provides further drainage and the best view of the Gironde. The high mounds mean that the roots have to dig deep to find the water basin, struggling and concentrating their energy. The soil contains iron adding an extra minerality and richness to the wine. Under the vision of Baron Phillipe De Rothschild, who assumed ownership in 1922, Mouton Rothschild flourished and even managed to achieve First Growth status in 1973, the only Chateau to ever gain a promotion in the 1855 Classification at First Growth level.
Mouton commission a different artist every year to design their labels; artists include Francis Bacon, Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso. Mouton Rothschild has exotic and powerful aromas with pronounced minerality and red fruit tones. Mouton is often described as extravagant and in the finest of the Bordeaux vintages, it makes truly great wine.
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