3 December 1999 We drove through marvelous countryside to Chateau Mouton Rothschild, an hour outside of Bordeaux. Passing many vineyards along the way, none looked as impeccably maintained as did Chateau Mouton Rothschild.

Phillip Rothschild moved to the vineyard in the early 1920s and began bottling on the site, where he loved the chateaux, investing in the grounds and wine making facility. He bought other wine estates bordering his property expanding his empire, while also collecting art in the course of things. In 1924, he asked a prominent artist of the day to design a label for his wine, but this avant-garde approach was so ridiculed he ceased this until 1945 when he asked an artist to make a label celebrating war victory. Since then, a different artist has designed the label each year making the bottles nothing less than works of art. Some of the artists: Warhol, Picasso, Tanguy and Bacon. Philip Rothschild died in 1988 leaving the huge, respected estate and vineyard to his daughter Philippine, who lives in Paris. Chateau Mouton Rothschild has a joint venture with California’s Mondavi making Opus One, and recently the Chateau invested in a Chilean winery. Long live Chateau Mouton Rothschild!