| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pauillac |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
Gun metal, blackcurrants, stones and blueberries. Sweet tobacco, too. Full-bodied, firm and powerful. Very minerally. 93% cabernet. Needs three to four years to soften. Layered and beautiful. Second wine of Mouton.
Tasted blind. Dark crimson. Light but rather intriguing and dramatic nose. Minty. Slightly raw tannins with some greenness. Far from the ripest 2014 Pauillac!
Drink 2024-2039
Very pure, with a gorgeous core of cassis and plum fruit infused with a bright anise note, all draped over a solid but rounded structure. Iron-edged grip pulls everything into tight focus, ending with a mouthwatering echo. Best from 2020 through 2030.
The 2014 Le Petit Mouton has quite a sophisticated bouquet with black fruit, black truffle, pencil box and a light marine influence. The palate is medium-bodied with a graphite-driven entry, the acidity very well judged, gently building towards an elegant, supple finish that seems to caress the mouth. These days, Le Petit Mouton is equal to many Grand Vin in Pauillac—a remarkable melioration over the last decade. Drink 2020-2040
The Le Petit Mouton 2014 is a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot, a very high percentage of the former, partly due to the higher quality of Merlot that predicated “promotion” into the Grand Vin. It has an intense pencil shaving nose that does not hold back. If you don’t like Cabernet Sauvignon, don’t come near. The palate is medium-bodied with firm, grainy tannin on the entry. There is part of me wishing that there was some fleshy Merlot to alleviate some of the austerity coming through on the salty finish, though that dominance of Cabernet lends it a rather “old school” feel that I appreciate. Drink this not so small deuxième vin with a Cohiba! (N.B. Unlike the Grand Vin, in the second week the wine was showing a little more succulence on the finish and my scores takes account of this.)
This is so typical of cabernet. Wow. Full body, round and velvety tannins and lots of earthy, spicy and berry character. Juicy and long. Gorgeous. 93% cabernet sauvignon and the rest is merlot. Not really a second wine of Mouton. Excellent.
Light crimson. Pretty classy nose. Good intensity of fruit. Very polished and soigné. Really very pretty though without great intensity. Lovely lift and charm. Another very good first-growth second wine (see Pavillon Rouge!). A little underripeness and slight dryness on the finish.
Drink 2023-2032
