Château Mouton Rothschild 1973 MAGNUM 1500ml

Report: Château Mouton Rothschild 1973 (Magnum 1,5L) - Iconic bottle with Picasso label

1st Winery & Status:
Château Mouton Rothschild, Premier Grand Cru Classéfrom Pauillac (Médoc, Bordeaux), is one of the world's most famous and influential wineries. Known for opulent, powerful, often exotic Cabernet Sauvignon dominated wines and its unique artist-labelled tradition since 1945.

2. the 1973 vintage in Bordeaux:

• Challenging: a difficult, cool and wet year, characterised by late frosts in spring and unsettled summer weather. The grapes often did not reach optimum ripeness.

• Bordeaux in upheaval: The early 1970s were characterised by technological changes and the search for solutions to difficult weather conditions. Wine quality varied greatly between châteaux and vineyards.

• Historical significance: The year of the "oil shock" that shook the global economy. The vintage itself is generally considered mediocre to weak for the Médoc, with a few exceptions.

3. the speciality: The label & the magnum bottle

• Picasso label: The most legendary label in Mouton history! Baron Philippe de Rothschild won the "Bacchanale" design by Pablo Picasso, created shortly before his death in 1973, for this vintage. The artistic significance often outshines the sensory evaluation of the wine.

• Magnum format (1.5 litre):

  • Advantage:Magnums age much more slowly and harmoniously than standard bottles (0.75 litre). The lower amount of oxygen per volume of wine and thicker glass provide better protection. A 1973 in a magnum has a much higher chance of still being alive and enjoyable.

  • Collector's value: Magnums with the Picasso label are particularly sought-after collector's items.

4. sensory description (as of today - with significant limitations):
Note: The quality varies extremely depending on provenance and storage! Many bottles are overripe or faulty. The description applies to a perfectly stored magnum.

• Colour: Medium to pale brick red/brown with mahogany tones. Clarity is an indicator of quality.

• Nose (critical!):

  • Intact bottle: amazingly complex tertiary aromasdominate: Cedar, tobacco leaf, damp earth, leather, truffle, slightly dried plum or fig. Slight notes of graphite/minerality and a hint of cool cassis fruit can (rarely) still shine through. The typical Mouton exoticism (sandalwood, spice) has mostly faded.

  • Dangers: Musty, vinegar tang (VA), off-tones (Brett), complete lack of aroma = signs of poor condition.

• Palate:

  • Intact bottle: light to medium body, the former tannin structure is almost completely dissolved. The flavour reflects the nose: earthy-woody elegance, tobacco, a slight residual fruit sweetness. The acidity is decisive - if it is still fresh, it gives the wine a frame and longevity. Surprisingly supple and easy to drink when intact. Reverberation rather short to medium.

  • Dangers: Flatness, pronounced bitterness, dominant acidity (without balance), oxidation (sherry-like).

• Maturity: Beyond the actual drinking plateau. A wine for those interested in history and collectors. Intact magnums can still be fascinating, but are fragile treasures.

5. ratings & reputation:

• Robert Parker:Gave the wine only low points when young (originally around the 70s), characterising it as light, precocious and disappointing for Mouton. Later tastings mostly confirmed the weak vintage.

• Michael Broadbent: Mentioned a few drinkable bottles with "charm", but emphasised the great variability and the general vintage problem.

• General consensus: The 1973 Mouton is not a great wine in sensory terms, even by Mouton standards. Its true significance lies in the cult surrounding the Picasso label and as a testimony to a difficult vintage.

6 Price & availability:

• Driven by the label: the price is determined almost exclusively by the Picasso label and the magnum format, not by the sensory quality.

• Magnum price: Typically in the four-digit euro range at auctions or in specialist shops (as of 2023/24).

• Availability:Very rare, especially in magnums. Appears at renowned wine auctions (Sotheby's, Christie's, Acker) or from top collections.

• Risk: The purchase is a high financial risk. The probability of finding a bottle with a convincing flavour is low. Provenance is everything!

7 Conclusion & recommendation:
The Château Mouton Rothschild 1973 (Magnum) is first and foremost an iconic collector's item and a piece of wine art history.

• For collectors:One of the most sought-after bottles ever due to the unique Picasso label and the rarity of the magnum format. A "must-have" for Mouton or Weinart completists.

• For enjoyment: Only suitable for absolute connoisseursof old, fragile Bordeaux. Even an intact bottle does not offer the power, depth or complexity of great Mouton vintages. Expectations must be very low. An experience of nostalgia and tertiary flavours, not of richness.

• As an investment: highly speculative. Driven by rarity and artistic value, not by intrinsic wine quality.

• The magnum: It is the only sensible way to experience this vintage today. It offers the best chance of an intact experience.

Vital for survival:

• Provenance is absolutely critical! Only bottles that have been stored in a cool (10-13°C), dark and quiet place without any gaps since bottling can be considered. Any gap in storage or temperature fluctuation will ruin the wine.

• Tasting only with experts:Only open such a bottle with experienced connoisseurs who can appreciate and realistically assess the flavour of very old wines. Decanting is risky (oxygen!), careful pouring from the bottle is often better.

• Risk of forgery:Extremely high with this iconic bottle! Only buy from absolute top dealers or auction houses with expertise and certification.

Would you like to find out more about other legendary Mouton vintages (e.g. 1945, 1982, 1986), the artist labels or the evaluation of provenance for antique wines?