The Rothschild family at Bordeaux first-growth Château Mouton-Rothschild has released the artwork for the 2022 vintage label, titled Hommage au Baron Philippe, a tribute to the late Baron Philippe de Rothschild, who took over the estate in 1922 at age 20. Baron Philippe died in 1988, but his legendary management of the estate and successful campaign to have it reclassified as a first-growth means he still looms large as a historical figure.
The 2022 vintage marks a century since he arrived at Mouton-Rothschild. In his 1981 autobiography, Vivre la Vigne, the Baron wondered whether anyone would celebrate the event. His grandchildren have clearly not forgotten.
The Man and the Ram
The original art for the label, painted by French artist Gérard Garouste, is a kind of heraldic banner for the estate, according to Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild, Philippe’s grandson and co-owner of Mouton-Rothschild. He is responsible for the estate’s artistic and cultural activity and relations with artists.
“It comprises three very powerful images: the ram, the front wall of Château Mouton-Rothschild and the portrait of Baron Philippe,” de Beaumarchais de Rothschild told Wine Spectator. “It all starts with a meeting—that of Baron Philippe with the front wall, which has always been a singular feature of Mouton-Rothschild. From that encounter sprang a symbol which expresses and transcends them both: the ram, the dual embodiment of Baron Philippe, whose astrological sign was Aries, and of Mouton-Rothschild, reflecting both its name and its vital energy.”
The selection of the artist and the creation of the art is a lengthy process; Garouste found inspiration in his conversations with de Beaumarchais de Rothschild. “I wanted to know more about his grandfather’s amazing life,” Garouste said. “He showed me lots of photos, and the man’s physical presence really spoke to me as a painter. It was clear that I had my model. I was greatly attracted by his character, not least because elegance is something I set great store by. Baron Philippe was a man of great elegance, very hard-working, and he had the look of someone very sure of himself, with a mischievous side. That is what I have tried to capture.”
An Auction for the Baron’s Love of the Sea
As is their custom, the three Rothschild siblings will auction a special lot of the vintage to raise money for a charity. This year the proceeds will go to Sauveteurs en Mer (SNSM), the non-profit French sea rescue service, at the Port-Médoc station. The proceeds from the auction will be used to buy a new seagoing vessel at the station as well as new communication equipment, which will improve the sea rescuers' effectiveness during emergencies.
Baron Philippe was a keen sailor. He sailed on the French national team at the 1928 Olympic Games and won the French Regatta Cup in 1937.
The lot includes six bottles, three magnums, a double magnum (with a label signed by the artist and the members of the family), an imperial and the only nebuchadnezzar available to date. The winning bidder and three guests will be invited to the reveal of the label for Château Mouton-Rothschild 2023, held at the estate in late 2025 and attended by the family and the artist chosen to illustrate the label for that vintage. And the bidder will have the opportunity to attend one of the events in the SailGP international sailing competition, in a VIP box with three guests of their choice.
