In an article posted on the specialist website Vitisphere on 16 January, Véronique Hombroekx was rated one of the top 20 movers and shakers in the French wine industry in 2018.

That recognition comes as a result of changes she has brought in, such as the elimination of all carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic (CMR) vine treatment products from the specifications for Mouton Cadet partner-winegrowers and the goal of achieving High Environmental Value (HEV) certification for the vineyards in 2020.

“It’s a great way to reward our teamwork at Baron Philippe de Rothschild – and it’s not over yet because there’s more to be done in 2019!” said Véronique Hombroekx.

You can find the full article on the Vitisphere website by clicking on the link below:

Ceux qui ont fait bouger le vignoble français en 2018

Every year since 1945, a great artist has illustrated the label of Château Mouton Rothschild. Thus, the most famous names in contemporary art are brought together in a collection to which a new work is added each year.

The owners of Mouton, Philippe Sereys de Rothschild, Camille Sereys de Rothschild and Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild, gave the commission for the 2016 vintage to the painter, sculptor, video artist and stage director William Kentridge. Born at Johannesburg in South Africa in 1955, William Kentridge is the first internationally renowned artist from the African continent to illustrate a Mouton label. Exhibiting in the world’s leading galleries and the winner of prestigious prizes, he asserts a “political art” that is nevertheless open to both humour and poetry.

In his work for Mouton, The Triumphs of Bacchus, the silhouettes he assembles in a joyful procession are inspired by Bacchic characters from the paintings of great masters from Titian to Matisse, underlining the truth that a great wine, although first and foremost a pleasure, is also inseparable from a cultural tradition which demands respect and moderation – not least Château Mouton Rothschild 2016!

2018 harvest in Baron Philippe de Rothschild‘s three Medoc estates : Château Mouton Rothschild, Château Clerc Milon and Château d’Armailhac

A new Managing Director for Baron Philippe de Rothschild’s Branded Wines

Philippe Sereys de Rothschild, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Baron Philippe de Rothschild S.A., is pleased to announce the arrival of Véronique Hombroekx as Managing Director of the Branded Wines division.

After a successful career within several international companies developing well-known retail brands, Véronique Hombroekx will bring a new take on the activities of Baron Philippe de Rothschild’s Branded Wines division: “I am delighted to be joining the team at Baron Philippe de Rothschild, a family-owned company with an exceptional history and a new, dynamic and committed generation at its helm. I aim to bring the company all the know-how and experience I have gained in consumer goods while approaching the world of wine, which is new to me, with inspiration, wonderment and humility. I am grateful to Philippe Sereys de Rothschild and his family for entrusting me with this exciting position.”

A new era

Véronique Hombroekx’s mission will focus more specifically on continuing to develop the company’s branded wines, especially Mouton Cadet, the most prestigious branded Bordeaux wine, and Escudo Rojo, its premium Chilean wine, both of which symbolise the Rothschild family’s visionary spirit.

Working closely with the company’s shareholders, Véronique Hombroekx will pursue the value-creation strategy around Baron Philippe de Rothschild branded wines. Her knowledge of the consumer market and her expertise in marketing and sales will help her bring an innovative and purposeful approach to her new position. With her team she will be particurlarly committed to driving the business together with the aim of offering customers and consumers worldwide the best wines possible.

Véronique Hombroekx succeeds Hughes Lechanoine, who left Baron Philippe de Rothschild in March 2017 after 16 years with the company, including 7 years as Managing Director for Branded Wines.

Two of the world’s leading wine companies, Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) and Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA (BPhR) today formalized the commencement of a unique distribution partnership at a formal ceremony in Shanghai. Effective January 2018, TWE is managing the sales, marketing and distribution across China of BPhR’s range of French and Chilean brands led by Mouton Cadet, the most popular Bordeaux wine brand in the world, and Escudo Rojo, a premium wine brand from Chile.

The launch ceremony was attended by Chairman of Baron Philippe de Rothschild’s Supervisory Board, Philippe Sereys de Rothschild and TWE Chief Executive Officer, Michael Clarke. A landmark moment, the event set the seal on the partners’ ambitions to work together in promoting Baron Philippe de Rothschild’s brands in China, the largest market for French and Chilean wines in the world.

“A real crossroad between East and West, China has a thousand-year history of refinement, exchange and boldness, values particularly dear to the Rothschild family. Working hand in hand with Treasury Wine Estates, our joint efforts are underpinned by shared value of excellence and commitment. Together, we underline our intention to continue to expand on a fast-growing strategic market,” said Philippe Sereys de Rothschild.

Philippe Sereys de Rothschild, Chairman of Baron Philippe de Rothschild’s Supervisory Board

“The partnership with Baron Philippe de Rothschild is a significant milestone for TWE in China as we continue to expand our country-of-origin offerings to consumers and position TWE as the premium wine supplier of choice. We look forward to leveraging our strong distribution network to drive marketing and sales for BPhR,” said Michael Clarke.

Michael Clarke, Chef Executive Officer of Treasury Wine Estate

A new era for Mouton Cadet

Mouton Cadet has been the symbol of the Rothschild family’s visionary spirit and commitment to innovation since its creation in 1930.

To bring the riches of the prestigious Bordeaux terroir and further enhance the Mouton Cadet brand, BPhR has launched the new Mouton Cadet, offering a different experience to consumers.

With the 2015 vintage, the new Mouton Cadet offers a “significant move towards a fuller, more succulent, rounder and smoother wine – a taste that can be attributed to Mouton Cadet’s new approach, designed to deliver the most accurate “expression of its terroir”. As Mouton Cadet 2015 is the first parcel selection vintage, the priority given to controlling its sources of supply enhances the quality of its offerings. At the same time, the best grapes are ensured through close collaboration with 453 partner-winegrowers and seven oenologists dedicated to Mouton Cadet.

In addition, the new Mouton Cadet has been unveiled with a new look, redesigned for the occasion.  A clear and easy to read black label has been released with key elements including a more refined Barbacchus logo and letterpress illustration of the “curls”.  The portfolio of BPhR’s wines under the Mouton Cadet and Escudo Rojo brands to be imported and distributed by TWE in Mainland China include:

• Mouton Cadet
• Mouton Cadet Réserve
• Mouton Cadet Select
• Mouton Cadet Vintage Edition
• Mouton Cadet Cannes, Ryder Cup and America’s Cup Limited Editions
• ICE Rosé signé Mouton Cadet

• Escudo Rojo
• Escudo Rojo Varietals
• Anderra

Embracing the digital era through an enhanced partnership with Alibaba Tmall

In addition to the partnership between TWE and BPhR, TWE today also announced a new e-commerce collaboration with leading online retail platform Tmall. The partnership will include listing of wine brands from the BPhR portfolio including Mouton Cadet and Escudo Rojo on the Tmall platform, while also signifying the partners’ commitment to new technologies that enhance the consumer experience in the Online-to-Offline (O2O) model as part of the Alibaba ecosystem.

About Treasury Wine Estates

Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) is one of the world’s largest wine companies, listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). The company has a rich heritage and a portfolio of some of the most highly regarded wine brands in the world, including Penfolds, Pepperjack, Wynns, Beaulieu Vineyard, Beringer, Wolf Blass, 19 Crimes, Matua, Chateau St Jean, Sterling Vineyards, Gabbiano, Lindeman’s, Rawson’s Retreat and Blossom Hill. TWE is focused on portfolio premiumization and brand-led marketing, with world-class production facilities in internationally recognized wine regions. The company sources grapes from a mix of owned, leased and third-party vineyards. Employing approximately 3,500 winemakers, viticulturalists, sales, marketing, distribution and support staff across the globe, TWE’s wine is sold in more than 100 countries around the world.

Château Clerc Milon is happy to report on the first trials in its Pauillac vineyard of TED, the first multi-purpose straddling electric robot specially designed for soil cultivation of high density vineyards.

The trials mark the culmination of an ambitious project that started with a desire to address a particular issue. Vineyard work involves a number of time-consuming and laborious tasks, such as mechanical weeding beneath the rows. Baron Philippe de Rothschild therefore decided to take part in the development of a specific solution, in keeping with its long-standing policy of taking a responsible approach to the protection of its vines and terroir through measures such as banning chemical weedkillers from all its vineyards.

In June, Baron Philippe de Rothschild concluded a partnership with Naïo Techologies in order to combine the start-up’s technological expertise with the skills of its own technical staff. “We see robotics as an effective solution for the future. As well as helping to make our vineyard work less arduous and respecting the soil, it will reduce our dependency on fossil energies and the harm caused by traditional agricultural machinery”, says Philippe Dhalluin, Managing Director of Baron Philippe de Rothschild. “It was Naïo’s development of a robot designed for vegetable farming that first caught our eye in 2015. We suggested working together on a project for a vineyard robot suited to the particular problems we face in the vines at Château Clerc Milon.”

This innovative vine-tending initiative is just one aspect of Baron Philippe de Rothschild’s broader environmental policy. The company draws on current best practice to limit the use of plant protection products at all its estates and is firmly committed to further progress. In pursuit of that goal, the technical staff uses sustainable, organic and biodynamic techniques with a strong emphasis on biocontrol solutions. As a result of this policy, the frequency of treatments on the estate has been reduced by over 30% since 2008.

Every year since 1945 a great artist has illustrated the label of Château Mouton Rothschild, bringing together the most famous names in contemporary art in a collection to which a new work is added each year.

The label for the 2015 vintage, with its slightly altered look, bears the hallmark of the new generation that has succeeded Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, who passed away in 2014: Camille Sereys de Rothschild, Philippe Sereys de Rothschild and Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild. It is signed by Philippe Sereys de Rothschild on behalf of the three family owners.

The commission for the illustration of the 2015 vintage was given to the German artist Gerhard Richter, born in 1932, a remarkable inventor of pictorial forms and techniques. With a worldwide reputation, he bases his work on the dialectical relationship between painting and photography, representation and abstraction.

His work for Mouton is the result of a process, which he calls Flux, that is both random and carefully prepared. The artist fixes moving colours in a photograph, taken at the ideal moment of their composition, just as a harmonious blend gives a great wine – a living creation – its balance and fullness.

Almaviva celebrates its 20th anniversary!

When better to reach the prime of life than in 2017, officially declared the Franco-Chilean Year of Innovation? The event was sealed on Saturday, 17 June by Philippe Sereys de Rothschild, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA, and Alfonso Larrain Santa Maria, Chairman of Viña Concha y Toro SA, during an evening that was both solemn and festive.

Les Familles Rothschild, Larrain et Guilisasti pour les 20 ans d’Almaviva

It is a happy coincidence, because innovation has been central to all that we do and to Almaviva’s success over the last two decades. It started in 1997 when the agreement was signed between Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, Chair of the Supervisory Board of Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA, and Eduardo Guilisasti Tagle, Chairman of Viña Concha y Toro SA. Through two great family-owned wine companies at the cutting-edge of progress, the Old World and the New joined hands.

“At a time when the eyes of the wine world were turned elsewhere, Chile was a still little-explored land with an exceptional climate and terroir. Our joint venture was as visionary as its two founders. I should like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to our mother, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, expressing all our gratitude to her and our determination to pursue this shared enterprise by raising Almaviva to new heights. Now secure on sound foundations, Almaviva is a living, moving estate, ready to take up the challenges of the future”, said Philippe Sereys de Rothschild.

Philippe Sereys de Rothschild et Alfonso Larrain Santa Maria

Innovation is also in the lifeblood of this particularly ambitious partnership, founded on common values and goals. Over the last 20 years, that quest for excellence has led the joint technical teams to constantly question their assumptions.

“From the outset, the Chilean and French staff have worked together to understand the needs and the challenges. The progress made in the vineyard and the winery has made us more efficient. The quality of our wines today gives the measure of those 20 years of hard work”, said Alfonso Larrain Santa Maria. “But we will not stop there. These days a vineyard is also a laboratory of ideas, it must be at the cutting-edge of innovation. But always and only with one single objective: excellence”, he concluded.

Isabel Guilisasti, Camille Sereys de Rothschild, Philippe Sereys de Rothschild, Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild et Alfonso Larrain Santa Maria

Innovation is also to be found in the creation of the notion Primer Orden, equivalent to a French Grand Cru Classé, in recognition of Almaviva’s exceptional complexity and great ageing potential. In order to deserve such a distinction, the wine must be made from vines and in a winery reserved exclusively for its production under the supervision of a dedicated technical team.

Today, Almaviva has definitively earned its place in the big league.

On its private terrace at the Cannes Film Festival, the family-company Baron Philippe de Rothschild unveiled its latest arrival, presented by Mouton Cadet: ICE ROSÉ SIGNÉ MOUTON CADET.

In a setting inspired by Hollywood party-going, to the sounds of Inès Mélia, opinion-shapers and privileged guests were invited to discover another facet of the brand with ICE ROSÉ SIGNÉ MOUTON CADET, a very fresh wine whose taste is revealed at low temperature, with its own unexpected serving ritual.

From the finest vantage point of the Cannes Film Festival, in a new-look Mouton Cadet Wine Bar, Baron Philippe de Rothschild presented a new addition to its range, breaking with traditional wine codes.

A one-of-a-kind, very fresh wine (to be served at around 5° C)

A unique blend created to reveal its taste at cold temperatures

A new way of drinking (chilled, on ice)

A gradual transition from fresh red fruit notes to smooth flavours.

Baron Philippe de Rothschild once again shows the pioneering spirit that has been a constant feature of its history. The producer of the world-famous MOUTON CADET brand, has continued to innovate by extending its concept to ICE ROSÉ SIGNÉ MOUTON CADET.

More about Baron Philippe de Rothschild and its flagship Mouton Cadet brand

A new era is beginning for Mouton Cadet, nearly 90 years after its birth in 1930 in Bordeaux. Philippe Sereys de Rothschild, his sister Camille Sereys de Rothschild and his brother Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild are motivated by the same ambition: to continue the work of their grandfather, Baron Philippe de Rothschild (1902 1988), and their mother, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild (1933 2014), and to support Mouton Cadet in its quest for excellence worldwide.

Another page has opened, with new stories to be written by Baron Philippe de Rothschild and its people, who have unveiled the surprising and innovative ICE ROSÉ SIGNÉ MOUTON CADET at the Cannes Film Festival.

Present at the greatest celebrations of this highlight of the global cinema calendar, whether at the opening and closing dinners or at other famous events, each year Mouton Cadet takes up its quarters on the terrace of the Palais des Festivals. It is a highly symbolic position from which it welcomes accredited members for a working session or a moment of relaxation, far away from the hubbub of Cannes. Open throughout the Festival, the Mouton Cadet Wine Bar welcomes its guests in a setting where Art Deco influences recalling the heritage of the French Riviera mingle with the glamorous style of America’s west coast. Its new look, designed by the artist-decorator Mathias Kiss, has won over a number of celebrities who have chosen it as the venue for events such as the Global Gift Foundation charity dinner hosted by Eva Longoria, as well as “press junkets” for films shown at the Festival.

Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA unveils the new Mouton Cadet, the outcome of many years of work which began in 2004. Having gained complete control over its sources of supply, from vineyard practices to vinification, Mouton Cadet is changing its style. Rounder, smoother and more succulent, it will be revealed in a world exclusive at the ProWein Trade Fair in Düsseldorf from 19 to 21 March 2017.

Always attentive to consumers, the technical and quality staff of Baron Philippe de Rothschild have carried out a number of tests and studies in recent years, canvassing over 2,000 professionals, journalists and wine lovers in several countries. The surveys generated conclusive results which have led to a new style for Mouton Cadet. As a result of complete control over sources of supply and close cooperation with 453 partner winegrowers, the changes became possible from the 2015 vintage.

Working closely with the technical staff, who are at their side all year round, our partner winegrowers cultivate 1,520 hectares (3,750 acres) of vines in the best terroirs, almost half of them now in the Côtes de Bordeaux.

Know-how in the heart of the vineyard

Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA’s winemakers work with our partner winegrowers throughout the entire process of making Mouton Cadet wines in order to combine technical skill with knowledge of the terroir. The key factor is human action at all stages, motivated by a passion for the vine and founded on a relationship of trust in order to get the very best out of each selected parcel. Together, they have a single aim: to produce grapes under the best possible conditions, achieving maximum concentration and optimum maturity.

The Mouton Cadet style: even more succulent!

The new Mouton Cadet style is revealed with the 2015 vintage: a round, smooth, succulent wine, even crisper and with even purer fruit.

“The sheer extent of the Bordeaux vineyard means that we can choose the best”, says Pierre Lambert, Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA’s head winemaker. “Merlot predominates in Mouton Cadet red, underpinned by the tannic structure of Cabernet Sauvignon and the elegance of Cabernet Franc. For Mouton Cadet white, Sémillon and Muscadelle are combined with a significant proportion of Sauvignon, giving more fresh fruit and boxwood aromas and flavours. And while Merlot gives Mouton Cadet rosé its fresh red fruit flavours, a judicious amount of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon adds a pleasant tannic structure. Mouton Cadet Sauvignon Blanc, fresh and elegant, made entirely with a single grape variety, is a highly aromatic dry wine, lively and crisp.”de Bordeaux est grand et cela nous permet de choisir le meilleur », insiste Pierre Lambert, Winemaker de Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA. 

A new look

Reflecting this change, Mouton Cadet wines have been given elegant, lighter and airier new packaging.

From the label proudly bearing a modernised “Barbacchus” – a logo recognised as a strong marker of the brand’s identity – to the addition of coloured curls which recall bunches of grapes, the visual identity of Mouton Cadet echoes this fresh impetus. The capsule is bordeaux red for Mouton Cadet red, gold for Mouton Cadet white, silver for Mouton Cadet rosé and green for Mouton Cadet Sauvignon Blanc.

A rich and colourful range

Although Mouton Cadet red is the founding pillar of the brand, it has now been joined by its inseparable companions Mouton Cadet white, Mouton Cadet rosé and, more recently, Mouton Cadet Sauvignon Blanc. Fruit-driven, fresh and succulent, these wines reflect current consumer preferences, being easy to drink and made to be enjoyed young.

Mouton Cadet Réserve: a range for selective outlets

Comprising seven wines from prestigious Bordeaux appellations, the range is intended exclusively for wine merchants, gourmet food stores, hotels and restaurants. In order to distinguish themselves from the classic range, the wines in the Mouton Cadet Réserve range are more powerful, with refined oak to give them even greater finesse and elegance.

As with the premium range as a whole, Mouton Cadet Réserve Bordeaux red and white, Mouton Cadet Réserve Graves red and white, Mouton Cadet Réserve Médoc, Mouton Cadet Réserve Saint-Emilion and Mouton Cadet Réserve Sauternes have dispensed with labels in favour of highly refined screen-printing directly on the bottle.

The red wines in the new Mouton Cadet and Mouton Cadet Réserve range will be available from September at outlets in the 150 countries where they are distributed. The white and rosé wines in the new Mouton Cadet and Mouton Cadet Réserve range will be available in spring 2018.