Baron Philippe de Rothschild Chateau d'Armailhac, 2009, Pauillac

Critic Score: 16.5/20 Jancis Robinson

When to drink: 2015 to 2036

Château d'Armailhac is a wine estate in the Pauillac appellation of the Médoc. As Mouton d'Armailhac, it was ranked as a fifth growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. Improvements in quality in recent decades mean that it is now regarded as one of Pauillac's best-value wines.

The vineyard is located to the south of the village of Le Pouyalet, immediately next to Mouton Rothschild and nearby Pontet-Canet. It covers 172 acres (70 hectares) and is planted with 52 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 36 percent Merlot, 10 percent Cabernet Franc and 2 percent Petit Verdot. Grapes are fermented in 23 gravity-fed stainless steel vats, sized according to different parcels in the vineyard. The wine is aged for 18 months in oak; one-third new, one-third in one year old and one-third in two-year-old barrels.

The estate was founded in 1750 as Mouton d'Armailhac. It was bought by Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Mouton Rothschild in 1934. Its extensive outbuildings hold the vineyard equipment for both properties. Since 1956 it has undergone an unusually high number of name changes, reflecting its links to its more prestigious neighbor, first becoming Mouton-Baron Philippe, then Mouton Baronne, and Mouton-Baronne-Philippe. Finally in 1989, the decision was made that the quality of the wine deserved its own fully distinct identity, and so it began its life under the current name.