Château Mouton-Rothschild 2001 [magnum]

Druvor

86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot.

Tasting note

'The wine has an evolved, garnet red colour with brilliant highlights. The nose displays complex fruit, rich in ripe berry fruit aromas like bilberry and blackcurrant, with some pleasant notes of smoke and leather and a slightly animal cast. From a well-structured attack supported by well-rounded tannins, satisfyingly dense flavours emerge on the palate, full of fruit. The finish, long and elegant with plenty of substance, reveals excellent potential.'

Årgången 2001

Climatic conditions

The first quarter of 2001 was warmer and wetter than average, causing budbreak six to eight days earlier than the average for the last thirty years.

May and June were very hot and dry, with a record temperature for May of 35°C and a succession of fine days with temperatures in excess of 30°C in June, reaching 36.2°C on 25 June. These conditions slowed the early pace of the vegetation cycle and mid-flowering took place on 6 and 7 June, in line with the average in recent years.

The first half of July was slightly cooler and more humid, followed by pleasant weather in August with only isolated storms. Mid-veraison was observed between 12 and 16 August, very slightly later than the average for the Merlot.

Fine but rather cool weather in September held back the maturing process a little so that the harvest date was four or five days later than the average.

Very fine, hot, sunny weather and low rainfall in early October, just before picking, enabled a very healthy crop to mature under excellent conditions.