| Chateau Mouton-Rothschild 1945 A Churchill of a Wine - Inimitable, Incomparable |
"Mouton 45" is a legend in the wine world - there is nothing quite like it. Its renown is likely due to both its extraordinary nose - famously
redolent of eucalyptus - and the symbolism of its date and label, the 'V' representing the hard-won triumph of good over the forces of
darkness. To commemorate the Allied victory, Baron Philippe had the idea of embellishing the Mouton-Rothschild 1945 label with an artwork:
on this occasion, a symbolic design intended to celebrate the return of peace. He commissioned this work froma young unknown artist,
Philippe Julian. M. Julian submitted several drafts for the label, and the final one is based on the 'V for Victory' made famous by Winston
Churchill throughout the war. This marked the beginning of a series of specially designed labels for each vintage. For each year a different
artist was commissioned, and the payment was always in wine.
Michael Broadbent, the renowned British expert, writes in his book "Vintage Wine":
The first thing to notice is its extraordinary colour. I have on more than one occasion recognized the wine by this alone. And its bouquet is
equally distinctive, in fact one of the most astonishing smells ever to emerge from grapes grown out of doors. The power and spiciness surges
out of the glass like a sudden eruption of Mount Etna: cinnamon, eucalyptus, ginger. Impossible to describe but inimitable, incomparable,
and, because of this and its appearance, several times 'guessed' blind. There is simply no other wine like it. Its taste is a component of smell,
its fragrance is reflected on the palate. Still lovely, still vivacious. Seemingly tireless - indeed another half-century anticipated.
The French wine writer Michael Dovaz says:
The robe of this legendary wine has remained dark and opaque, though there is an imperceptible browning at the edge of the disk. The
bouquet is typical of 'flamboyant Mouton' - baroque, spicy, luxuriant, almost uncontrolled. After this the body appears to be disciplined, but it is
there, unfailingly.
The editor of European Fine Wine Magazine, Pekka Nuikki writes:
Deep dark and thick colour. Sound and wide-open, huge, incredibly sweet nose of black currant, coffee and eucalyptus. All the pieces came
together in a perfect balance creating an extraordinary, highly concentrated, luxurious and prosperous wine with a powerful, everlasting
aftertaste.
The doyenne of British wine journalists, Jancis Robinson, describes it as follows:
Very, very dark in colour. Extraordinary concentration in this famous wine. The aromas are just slightly porty in their ripeness and
concentration but then the wine (still) has so much vitality that it rises above it all to be wonderfully vital. Truly a miraculous wine that I had the
pleasure of encountering at the great celebration of the 50th anniversary of the end of the second world war at the British embassy in Paris. So
rich and wonderfully persistent. What a treat!
And the hyper-influential US critic Robert Parker says:
A consistent 100-point wine (only because my point scale stops at that number), the 1945 Mouton-Rothschild is truly one of the immortal
wines of the century. This wine is easily identifiable because of its remarkably exotic, over-ripe, sweet nose of black fruits, coffee, tobacco,
mocha, and Asian spices. It is an extraordinarily dense, opulent, and rich wine, with layers of creamy fruit, behaveing more like a 1947
Pomerol than a structured, powerful, and tannic 1945. The wine finishes with a 60+ second display of ripe fruit, extract, and sweet tannin. This
remarkably youthful wine (only light amber at the edge) is mindboggling! Will it last another 50 years?
redolent of eucalyptus - and the symbolism of its date and label, the 'V' representing the hard-won triumph of good over the forces of
darkness. To commemorate the Allied victory, Baron Philippe had the idea of embellishing the Mouton-Rothschild 1945 label with an artwork:
on this occasion, a symbolic design intended to celebrate the return of peace. He commissioned this work froma young unknown artist,
Philippe Julian. M. Julian submitted several drafts for the label, and the final one is based on the 'V for Victory' made famous by Winston
Churchill throughout the war. This marked the beginning of a series of specially designed labels for each vintage. For each year a different
artist was commissioned, and the payment was always in wine.
Michael Broadbent, the renowned British expert, writes in his book "Vintage Wine":
The first thing to notice is its extraordinary colour. I have on more than one occasion recognized the wine by this alone. And its bouquet is
equally distinctive, in fact one of the most astonishing smells ever to emerge from grapes grown out of doors. The power and spiciness surges
out of the glass like a sudden eruption of Mount Etna: cinnamon, eucalyptus, ginger. Impossible to describe but inimitable, incomparable,
and, because of this and its appearance, several times 'guessed' blind. There is simply no other wine like it. Its taste is a component of smell,
its fragrance is reflected on the palate. Still lovely, still vivacious. Seemingly tireless - indeed another half-century anticipated.
The French wine writer Michael Dovaz says:
The robe of this legendary wine has remained dark and opaque, though there is an imperceptible browning at the edge of the disk. The
bouquet is typical of 'flamboyant Mouton' - baroque, spicy, luxuriant, almost uncontrolled. After this the body appears to be disciplined, but it is
there, unfailingly.
The editor of European Fine Wine Magazine, Pekka Nuikki writes:
Deep dark and thick colour. Sound and wide-open, huge, incredibly sweet nose of black currant, coffee and eucalyptus. All the pieces came
together in a perfect balance creating an extraordinary, highly concentrated, luxurious and prosperous wine with a powerful, everlasting
aftertaste.
The doyenne of British wine journalists, Jancis Robinson, describes it as follows:
Very, very dark in colour. Extraordinary concentration in this famous wine. The aromas are just slightly porty in their ripeness and
concentration but then the wine (still) has so much vitality that it rises above it all to be wonderfully vital. Truly a miraculous wine that I had the
pleasure of encountering at the great celebration of the 50th anniversary of the end of the second world war at the British embassy in Paris. So
rich and wonderfully persistent. What a treat!
And the hyper-influential US critic Robert Parker says:
A consistent 100-point wine (only because my point scale stops at that number), the 1945 Mouton-Rothschild is truly one of the immortal
wines of the century. This wine is easily identifiable because of its remarkably exotic, over-ripe, sweet nose of black fruits, coffee, tobacco,
mocha, and Asian spices. It is an extraordinarily dense, opulent, and rich wine, with layers of creamy fruit, behaveing more like a 1947
Pomerol than a structured, powerful, and tannic 1945. The wine finishes with a 60+ second display of ripe fruit, extract, and sweet tannin. This
remarkably youthful wine (only light amber at the edge) is mindboggling! Will it last another 50 years?
We are always buyers for great wines from great vintages, exceptional vintage spirits (especially 19th century cognac), fine old Madeira, Tokaji
Essencia, and other rarities. If you have something to sell, please send us photos and a clear description. We will, by arrangement, travel
anywhere in the UK or Europe to view important collections or cellars.
If you have something to sell, please click here to contact us by email.
Essencia, and other rarities. If you have something to sell, please send us photos and a clear description. We will, by arrangement, travel
anywhere in the UK or Europe to view important collections or cellars.
If you have something to sell, please click here to contact us by email.
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| In the last few years, we have sold some of the finest bottles of Mouton Rothschild 1945 in existence. Email us to register your interest for future bottles. |
The fact that this was the first post-war harvest ought to have been enough to immortalize the vintage, but the freak weather conditions made
it even more memorable. In the first few days of May, there was a sudden, heavy, and very late frost, which blackened four-fifths of the
vineyard. The Merlot vines, which flowered earlier than the Cabernets, were the worst affected. Subsequent hot, dry weather soon restored the
situation, but the eventual harvest was extremely small. The yield per hectare was the lowest it had been in 60 years (around 10h per ha). Not
only were there few grapes to a bunch, but the berries were extremely small. The juice was greatly concentrated and the ratio between skin
area and volume was extremely favourable for maximum extraction. So ripe were the grapes, that the musts sometimes attained 15% alcohol.
it even more memorable. In the first few days of May, there was a sudden, heavy, and very late frost, which blackened four-fifths of the
vineyard. The Merlot vines, which flowered earlier than the Cabernets, were the worst affected. Subsequent hot, dry weather soon restored the
situation, but the eventual harvest was extremely small. The yield per hectare was the lowest it had been in 60 years (around 10h per ha). Not
only were there few grapes to a bunch, but the berries were extremely small. The juice was greatly concentrated and the ratio between skin
area and volume was extremely favourable for maximum extraction. So ripe were the grapes, that the musts sometimes attained 15% alcohol.
| To receive our acclaimed monthly email newsletter, please click here. A small form will pop up, allowing you to enter your name and email address. You can unsubscribe at any time. |
| In the last few years, we have sold some of the finest bottles of Mouton Rothschild 1945 in existence. Email us to register your interest for future bottles. |
| See our companion page on Chateau Cheval Blanc 1947. See also our links and contact pages. |
Three fine magnums of
Mouton-Rothschild 1945
"Reserve du Chateau", sold
by Finest and Rarest.
Mouton-Rothschild 1945
"Reserve du Chateau", sold
by Finest and Rarest.
