Chateau Mouton Rothschild

In 1853 Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild purchased an existing chateau, Brane-Mouton in the Paulliac appellation of Bordeaux's left bank and named his property Mouton Rothschild. Excluded from the top tier in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification, de Rothschild's great-grandson, Baron Philippe won a long fight to upgrade the status of his chateau in 1973, thus naming Chateau Mouton Rothschild one of five First Growths. After Philippe's death in 1988, his daughter Baroness Philippine inherited the estate. Sadly, the Baroness passed away in August 2014 but her family legacy is intact as her descendants continue to operate the estate.

The vineyard soils consist predominantly of inhospitable gravel, allowing Cabernet Sauvignon to shine to its purest expression. With 203 acres under vine, 77% are planted to Cabernet, while the remainder is home to Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Often referred to as exotic in style, Mouton Rothschild's grand vin broke the record for the world's most expensive wine in 2006 when a twelve-bottle lot of the 1945 vintage was sold Christie's auction for $290,000.