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First of the Second Wines
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Tip of the week
"Years ago I used to drink a lot of Mouton Cadet claret. Is it still about and is it still good wine?"
Mouton Cadet has a rather charming history, and was the brainchild of the late Baron Phillippe de Rothschild, the owner of the prestigious Premier Grand Cru Classe Bordeaux, Chateau Mouton Rothschild, from Pauillac.
The Baron was famous for his outspoken attitude, and most famous for managing to get his Chateau's wine elevated from 2nd Cru to the 1st Cru in 1973. This was the first and last time that there has ever been a change in the General Classification of 1855 Bordeaux Cru Classes. |
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Mouton Cadet as the name suggests was a minor wine, literally a 'cadet' (the term cadet in France is used to indicate the youngest child of the family) which may have been made to use both the wine made from grapes too young to be included in the 'first' or Grand Vin, and some of the Grand Vin itself that was declassified in order to maintain the superb quality level of the Premier Cru. |
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So Mouton Cadet was possibly the very first example of a second wine which nowadays all the main Cru Classe's have.
Unfortunately the present-day Mouton Cadet is merely a basic Bordeaux generic wine, although well made and still owned by the Rothschild family, its prestige has been reduced and is one of a whole stable of wines made by the Rothschild organisation. |
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