Baroness Philippine de Rothschild dies

Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, owner of Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Chateau Clerc Milon and Chateau d'Armailhac in Pauillac and of all the Baron Philip de Rothschild SA properties, died on August 22, aged 80.

Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, Bordeaux’s ‘grande dame’

Madame de Rothschild, as she preferred to be known, was the only daughter of Elizabeth Pelletier de Chambure and Baron Philip de Rothschild, whose tireless belief in Mouton led to its promotion to First Growth in 1973. His daughter had continued his legacy, becoming indelibly associated with Mouton as president and controlling shareholder of the family estates and personally overseeing their direction.

In her earlier years, before returning full-time to the family wine estates at the death of her father in 1988, she had a notable stage career with the Comédie Française under the name Philippine Pascal, and received the Legion of Honour for Arts and Letters.

She considerably expanded the family wine estates, developing the partnerships in Chile (Almaviva) and California (Opus One), and was the driving force behind the Paintings for the Label exhibition which took labels by artists such as Dali and Picasso to leading art galleries worldwide.

The mayor of Bordeaux Alain Juppé released a statement honouring the ‘grande dame’ who did so much for the cultural life of France, while Olivier Bernard of the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux said, ‘make no mistake, she was the lady of Mouton Rothschild, remarkable in her charisma, attention to detail and unflagging energy’.

She leaves behind her three children, Camille Sereys de Rothschild, Philippe Sereys de Rothschild and Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild and her husband Jean-Pierre de Beaumarchais.

A memorial service is due to be held in Pauillac on 1 September.

Written by Jane Anson