Baron Philippe de Rothschild

Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA is one of the most prestigious family businesses in the international wine industry. The company made a name for itself with the export of Bordeaux AOC wines such as the famous Mouton Cadet. In addition to its headquarters in the small town of Pauillac near Bordeaux and several wineries in western and southern France, the company is also active in Chile and the United States. Founded in 1933, the company is now run by Baroness Philippine de Rothschild and produces top-quality wines.

Success story of the Rothschild family

The Rothschilds can already look back on a long, eventful history: as early as around 1500, this name is mentioned in documents. In the 19th century, the Jewish family became well known and influential through its banking business. The founder of the dynasty is considered to be Mayer Amschel Rothschild. The Frankfurt-born banker had several sons who became respected businessmen. But the family was not only successful in banking; since the 19th and 20th centuries, the name has also been associated with activities in the wine industry. With the purchase of Château Brane Mouton in 1853 by a family member and its renaming to Mouton-Rothschild, a new tradition began: in 1922, at the age of 20, Baron Philippe took over the château and winery from his father Henri. In the 1930s, the joint-stock company Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA was founded, which was managed by Philippe for many decades.

Initiating change

Due to several changes initiated by him, the company gained international fame and expanded. Factors in this were Philippe de Rothschild’s innovative marketing strategies and his commitment to quality, such as the new bottling method: with the “château bottling” (mise en bouteille au château) in 1924, he took a revolutionary step and initiated a transformation: whereas wines had previously been delivered in barrels, Rothschild now sent wines already bottled to wholesalers.
Another innovation initiated by Baron Philippe was the use of artist labels introduced in the post-war period, which became part of the market strategy. From 1945 onwards, Château Mouton-Rothschild received a label that was always designed by a contemporary artist; among them famous painters such as Miró, Dalí, Chagall, Picasso and Warhol. This marketing idea increased the demand for the wine and made it a sought-after luxury good.

Baron Philippe de Rothschild together with other wineries

In 1979, Rothschild began a joint project with the wine entrepreneur Robert Mondavi from Napa Valley in California. The collaboration gave rise to the joint venture Opus One and the red wine of the same name.
Opus One specialized in Franco-American premium wines. Since the late 1970s, the Baron’s daughter Philippine has been increasingly involved in the family business and, for example, helped make Mouton internationally famous through a traveling exhibition. At the end of the 1980s, after her father’s death, she became the majority shareholder of the joint-stock company and inherited a considerable fortune as well as wineries (Château Mouton Rothschild, Château d'Armailhac and Château Clerc Milon). Philippine continued the tradition of artist labels, expanded the product range, modernized the company and successfully marketed the offerings at home and abroad. In 1997, a collaboration began with the Chilean wine producer Concha y Toro, which continues to this day. The Franco-Chilean wine Almaviva is produced.

The company's wineries today include:

• Château Mouton Rothschild – myth and tourist magnet in southwest France
• Château d'Armailhac – another Rothschild winery in the Bordeaux area
• Château Clerc Milon – planted with grape varieties typical of the region, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc
• Domaine de Baron 'Arques – winery in the Mediterranean region of Languedoc-Roussillon
• Opus One – Bordeaux-style wines from California
• Baron Philippe de Rothschild Maipo Chile – Franco-Chilean project with the branded wines Escudo Rojo and Almaviva

Rothschild is also at home in many countries

In its projects in Chile and the USA, Rothschild SA relies in each case on local partners who know the market. From the company’s headquarters in Pauillac near Bordeaux, the European business as well as contacts to Africa and the Middle East are managed. The joint-stock company is also the world’s leading exporter of Bordeaux AOC wines. A decisive factor here is the wide network of agents and partners. 80% of the goods are shipped abroad. The most important customers come from the USA, France, Great Britain, Germany, Canada and Belgium.