1967 Baron Philippe de Rothschild St Emilion

Baron Philippe de Rothschild Mouton Cadet is the brand name of popular Bordeaux which is blend of grapes from several Bordeaux appellations. It was created in the early 1930s by Baron Philippe de Rothschild, who was the youngest son (hence the name “cadet,” referring to a younger son) of the aristocratic family that owned Chateau Mouton Rothschild. Following several poor vintages in the late 1920s, Philippe de Rothschild started Mouton Cadet as a second label, though over the decades it improved in quality and became one of the best selling wines in the world. The reserve blend was created in 1996. The Mouton Cadet Reserve brand now includes a Medoc, a Saint-Emilion, Graves Rouge and Blanc and a Sauternes. Mouton Cadet is distributed by Constellation Brands.

Saint-Émilion is on the east side of the Dordogne River. At 13,400 acres it is one of Bordeaux’s largest appellations, and perhaps its most picturesque. It is also home to what has been called “the garagiste” movement of upstart, tradition-defying winemakers who produce artisanal wines in styles that are unconventional for the appellation. The village of Saint-Émilion dates from the middle ages and it sits on low hills, surrounded by ancient walls. Like its neighbor Pomerol, Saint-Émilion was not included in the famous Bordeaux classification system of 1855. But a century later a ranking system was put in place, and unlike the classification system for the Medoc, the Saint-Émilion system is reviewed every ten years, meaning that estates can be upgraded or downgraded. There are three rankings: Grand Cru Classé, Premier Grand Cru Classé B and Premier Grand Cru Classé A, with the final ranking being the best. Such legendary Saint-Émilion estates as Châteaux Ausone and Cheval-Blanc are Premier Grand Cru Classé A, along with Châteaux Pavie and Angélus, both added to the classification in 2012. Wines in this appellation are primarily Merlot, mixed with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.