This 2018 Château Mouton Rothschild Bordeaux Was Just Named the World’s Best Wine of 2021

Rachel Cormack
·3 min read

The votes are in, and the World’s Best Wine of 2021 is. . .this Château Mouton Rothschild 2018.

The Bordeaux’s impressive new accolade comes courtesy of the Tastingbook’s Best Wine of the World Competition. For the past three months, the wine information platform has been compiling votes to work out which of the world’s vino reigns supreme across 10 different categories.

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More than 190,000 wine professionals and enthusiasts from 115 countries weighed in, casting some 3 million votes against 204,675 different wines. After this voting period, the top 100 in each category went on to be judged in two blind tastings carried out by Masters of Wine, Tastingbook professionals and other connoisseurs.

The Rothschild drop received the highest scores in the finals and took home the title of Best Wine and Best Red. Composed of 86 percent Cab Sauv, 12 percent Merlot, 2 percent Cab Franc and a splash of Petit Verdot, the 2018 vintage is said to be medium- to full-bodied with a palate that delivers waves of spiced black and blue fruits. To top it off, it looks good, too. The label was designed by prolific Chinese artist and writer Xu Bing.

“Mouton 2018 conveys all the unique personality of its site, along with the depth and richness of the vintage,” Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy, director of Baron Philippe de Rothschild, said in a statement. “We are delighted and proud that it shined and was recognized at such a level during the blind tasting finals.”

The best Rosé was awarded to the Ixsir Grande Réserve Rosé 2018 of Lebanon, while the best Champagne went to France’s Rare Champagne 2008. Australia’s Penfolds estate claimed Best White for its Yattarna Bin 144 Chardonnay 2018 and was also named the World’s Best Winery.

Closer to home, the US cleaned up in two categories thanks to the ever-fruitful Napa Valley. The Best Cabernet Sauvignon was awarded to Bond St Eden 2015 while Promontory, opened in 2017, was crowned the World’s Best New Winery. Promontory’s own Cory Empting was also named the World’s Best Winemaker.

If all this has made you a little thirsty and you’d like to try the world’s best wine, a bottle of 2018 Chateau Mouton Rothschild will set you back $600 a pop. Alternatively, big spenders can get a case for $4,026 or double-magnum for $2,700 via Millesima.

Check out the full list of winners below:

Best Wine/Red Wine of the World: Château Mouton Rothschild 2018 (Bordeaux, France)

Best White Wine of the World: Penfolds Yattarna Bin 144 Chardonnay 2018 (Australia)

Best Champagne of the World: Rare Champagne 2008 (Champagne, France)

Best Sparkling Wine of the World: Fontanafredda Contessa Rosa Alta Langa Rosé 2014 (Piedmont, Italy)

Best Rosé Wine of the World: Ixsir Grande Réserve Rosé 2018 (Mount Bekaa, Lebanon)

Best Sweet Wine of the World: Robert Weil Kiedrich Gräfenberg Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese 2018 (Rheingau, Germany)

Best Port Wine of the World: Niepoort Vintage Port 2017 (Douro, Portugal)

Best Cabernet Sauvignon Wine of the World: Bond St Eden 2015 (Napa Valley, USA)

Best Merlot Wine of the World: Masseto 2015 (Tuscany, Italy)

Best Pinot Noir Wine of the World: Armand Rousseau Chambertin 2014 (Burgundy, France)

Best Champagne House of the World: Champagne Piper-Heidsieck (France)

Best New Winery of the World: Promontory (Napa Valley, USA)

Best Winemaker of the World: Cory Empting (Harlan Estate/ Bond /Promontory)

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