History of Château Mouton Rothschild

Hello! When we talk about the history of Château Mouton Rothschild, it's truly a magnificent comeback story. In the fiercely competitive left bank of Bordeaux, it stubbornly rewrote centuries-old rules with an unyielding spirit.

Let's break down this story in plain language.

The Beginning: The Rothschild Family Arrives

In the mid-19th century, Europe's wealthiest Rothschild family, as we commonly know them, developed a strong interest in Bordeaux's top wine estates.

In 1853, Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild of the family purchased an estate called "Château Brane-Mouton" and officially renamed it "Château Mouton Rothschild." "Mouton" means "small hill" in Old French, having nothing to do with "sheep," although a sheep often appears on the wine label.

(A classic photo of Château Mouton Rothschild)

The Historical "Injustice": The 1855 Classification

Just two years after the Baron acquired the estate, in 1855, the World's Fair was to be held in Paris. Emperor Napoleon III of France wanted to showcase the excellence of French wine to the world, so he ordered a classification of the Médoc estates in Bordeaux.

This classification later became the famous "1855 Classification of Bordeaux Wines." The best estates were divided into five ranks, with the highest being "First Growth" (Premier Cru Classé).

At that time, Lafite, Latour, Margaux, and Haut-Brion were classified as First Growths. And Mouton? Although its wine quality and price were already comparable to First Growths, for various reasons (some say because the estate was then owned by the British, leading to some French "exclusivity"; others cite issues with transaction price data), Mouton was ranked as the top "Second Growth."

The Rothschild family held onto this grievance for over a century.

A Legendary Figure Appears: Baron Philippe's Struggle

The turning point in the story came from Baron Nathaniel's great-grandson, Baron Philippe de Rothschild. This formidable character took over the estate in 1922, at the young age of 20. He was a man of great vision and artistic taste.

He accomplished several groundbreaking feats:

1. Pioneered "Estate Bottling": At the time, estates would sell their wine in large wooden barrels to négociants (wine merchants), who would then bottle and label it themselves. This practice led to many irregularities, making it impossible to guarantee the wine's quality. In 1924, Baron Philippe decisively declared: "My wine must be bottled at my château!" (Mis en Bouteille au Château). This was a revolutionary innovation at the time, directly ensuring the quality and authenticity of every bottle of Mouton, and significantly enhancing the estate's reputation.

2. Art Labels: Starting in 1945, to celebrate the victory of World War II, Baron Philippe decided to invite a world-renowned artist each year to design a unique label for that year's Mouton vintage. Picasso, Chagall, Andy Warhol, Miró, Kandinsky... these household names have all designed labels for Mouton. This transformed Mouton from merely a bottle of wine into a coveted art collectible, greatly increasing its value.

   For example, the 1973 label featured Picasso's 'Bacchanale', and the 2000 'Millennium Sheep' is an absolute classic.

   (An image compiling years of art labels)

The Ultimate Comeback: Promotion to First Growth

Baron Philippe's greatest obsession in life was to elevate Mouton from a Second Growth to a First Growth. He leveraged all his connections and resources, fighting for this goal for a full 50 years!

He had a very famous motto to express his indignation:

"Premier ne puis, second ne daigne, Mouton suis." (First I cannot be, second I do not deign to be, Mouton I am.)

Finally, in 1973, Jacques Chirac, the French Minister of Agriculture (who later became President of France), signed the document that officially promoted Château Mouton Rothschild to First Growth status by special dispensation. This was the only revision to the 1855 classification system in over a century, an unprecedented and unparalleled event.

Baron Philippe was overjoyed and immediately changed his motto to:

"Premier je suis, second je fus, Mouton ne change." (First I am, second I was, Mouton does not change.)

This statement was filled with the pride and confidence of a victor.

Legacy Continues

After Baron Philippe passed away in 1988, his daughter, Baronne Philippine de Rothschild, took up the torch, continuing to uphold and advance Mouton's traditions of art and quality until her passing in 2014. Today, the estate is jointly managed by her children.

Therefore, the history of Château Mouton Rothschild is not just a history of winemaking, but a legendary tale of family honor, artistic innovation, and relentless struggle. The next time you see a bottle of Mouton, you can reflect on this remarkable "defying destiny" story behind it.