2012 was a year of contrasts. The winter was cold and very dry. The average temperature in February was the lowest for fifty years. April brought cool weather and abundant rainfall, while the weather in May and June was in-between. The flowering and veraison dates for Château Mouton Rothschild Cabernet Sauvignon were the same to the day as the average dates for all the vintages since 1962. Exceptionally dry conditions prevailed from 20 July to 20 September, concentrating sugar and tannins in the grapes. The month of August was the fifth driest in the last fifty years. By the end of September, the aggregate amount of rainfall was 26% lower than the average since 1962 (435 mm compared with 589 mm). Picking at Château Mouton Rothschild began on 1 October and ended on 15 October. 2012 will be a landmark year, since after almost three years of work the new vat room welcomed its first harvest. Rich, deeply coloured, well-structured and very full-bodied, the 2012 vintage promises to be a great success.