We’re saddened to hear of the passing of Philippine de Rothschild, an extraordinary woman who broke through a male-dominated wine industry by carrying on the work of her father and helping to transform and modernise the wine industry. Château Mouton Rothschild is now one of the largest wineries in the world with vineyards on three continents.
But her legacy also lives on in the arts. “The Baroness”, as she was known to many, was also a very generous patron of the arts not just in France but throughout Europe. In 2012 she donated a large double magnum to be auctioned at the Royal Jockey Club’s Community Box Charity fetching a record breaking sum. In 2013 her legendary magnanimity extended to the KT Wong Foundation’s special dinner to celebrate the first PARSIFAL opera staged in China, by flying in a few dozen bottles of dozens of bottles of Chateau Mouton Rothschild wine – their top wine – from Hong Kong.
Another example of her dedication and love of the arts was the private dinner she held for Lang Lang in 2013 for his first performance in Bordeaux. The dinner at the beautiful chateau was crowned by the presentation of a Jeroboam (a bottle large enough to hold 6 regular bottles of wine) of 1982 Chateau Mouton Rothschild – the year Lang Lang was born, and as it turns out one of the greatest years for vintages of the century!
These actions were typical of her generosity and she supported the foundation’s work many times since its founding. May she rest in peace.
http://www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/bordeaux-baroness-philippine-de-rothschild-dies-at-80-1.1973875