Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1996

Château Mouton Rothschild is located in the Pauillac appellation of Bordeaux and is renowned not only for its exceptional wines but also for its rich history and artistic legacy. This estate is now firmly established as one of the five First Growth estates despite it not being classified as such in the original classification for Bordeaux. Château Mouton Rothschild's roots can be traced back to the early 18th century when it was known as Château Brane-Mouton. The estate underwent a significant transformation in 1853 when it was acquired by Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild of the prominent Rothschild family, who renamed it Château Mouton Rothschild. In 1922 Baron Philippe de Rothschild took over the estate and introduced major innovations. He pioneered the practice of château bottling in 1924, which was rare at the time as the majority of producers were still selling in barrel to private bottlers, bringing more control and consistency to wine quality. Mouton Rothschild was famously elevated to First Growth status in 1973 after years of effort by Baron Philippe. This was a landmark change to the 1855 Bordeaux Classification, making Mouton Rothschild the only estate to have achieved such an upgrade. Baron Philippe also began the tradition of commissioning renowned artists to design the labels for each vintage starting in 1945, establishing a legacy of art and wine. Artists like Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and Andy Warhol have created original artwork for the label making each release a masterpiece both in the bottle and on the label. Mouton Rothschild is known for its ability to produce wines that age exceptionally well. Several vintages of Mouton Rothschild are legendary. The 1945 vintage - celebrated with a special "V" label for victory at the end of World War II - is considered one of the greatest wines ever produced. More recent vintages like 1982, 2000, 2009, 2010 and 2018 are special collectables for the cellar.