Château Mouton Rothschild has stood in Pauillac since Nathaniel de Rothschild bought the estate in 1853. Baron Philippe de Rothschild took charge in 1922, aged twenty, and changed Bordeaux twice over: he imposed château bottling in 1924, and spent fifty years campaigning for the estate’s reclassification.

He won in 1973 — the only change ever made to the 1855 classification, promoting Mouton from second to first growth. The motto changed with it: Premier je suis, second je fus, Mouton ne change.

Since 1945, every vintage has carried a label commissioned from a different artist — Picasso, Bacon, Warhol, Freud, Koons. Part of why Mouton is collected as much as it is drunk.

2009 is one of the two great Bordeaux vintages of the modern era — a warm, dry, near-flawless season that gave wines of exceptional ripeness without loss of freshness. Mouton 2009 was awarded a perfect score by several of the major critics on release, and has done nothing since but confirm it. The label is by Anish Kapoor.

Cassis and graphite over cedar, violet and sweet tobacco; opulent and seamless on the palate, the tannins pure velvet, with a finish that seems not to end. Approachable already for its sheer generosity, but built for decades.

Supplied in original wooden case, six bottles.