Nathaniel de Rothschild
Encyclopedia
Nathaniel de Rothschild, (London
, 2 July 1812 – 19 February 1870 in Paris
), known as "Nat," was the founder of the French
wine-making branch of the Rothschild family
.
, Nathaniel Rothschild was the fourth child of Nathan Mayer Rothschild
(1777–1836) and Hannah Cohen (1783–1850). He moved to Paris, France in 1850 to work in the banking business owned by his uncle, James Mayer Rothschild (1792–1868). In 1842, Nathaniel de Rothschild married Charlotte de Rothschild
(1825–1899), daughter of James Mayer Rothschild. They had the following children:
in the Gironde
département from a Paris banker named Thuret who had previously bought it from Baron Hector de Branne in 1830. Nat Rothschild paid 1,175,000 francs for Brane-Mouton's 65 acres (263,000 m²) of vineyards and renamed the estate, Château Mouton Rothschild
. It would become one of the world's best known winemakers.
In 1868, Nat's uncle James acquired the neighboring Château Lafite
vineyard. A prestigious first growth
(premier cru) property more than three times the size of Chateau Mouton, it created a family rivalry. In the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855
Château Mouton was ranked second, something that upset its owner a great deal. In response, he composed the motto: Premier ne puis, second ne daigne, Mouton suis. ("First I cannot be, second I do not choose to be, Mouton I am.").
in Paris from Denis, duc Decrès
. At the time it was rented to the Russian Embassy
but when the lease ran out in 1864, he renovated the building and made it his city residence. Passed down to his son Arthur de Rothschild
, he sold it in 1918 to the Cercle de l'Union interalliée
. In 1878, Nathaniel bought the Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay in Cernay-la-Ville
in the Vallée de Chevreuse
, at the time only a ruins of a Cistercian abbey
built in 1118. He and his wife undertook extensive restoration work and new construction to turn the lakeside property into a luxurious country home.
during his final years. He died in 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War
and his children and grandchildren showed little enthusiasm for the wine business. It would be 118 years later before Château Mouton, under the leadership of Nat's great-grandson Philippe de Rothschild
(1902–88), would become the only French vineyard to ever achieve reclassification to first growth.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 2 July 1812 – 19 February 1870 in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
), known as "Nat," was the founder of the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
wine-making branch of the Rothschild family
Rothschild family
The Rothschild family , known as The House of Rothschild, or more simply as the Rothschilds, is a Jewish-German family that established European banking and finance houses starting in the late 18th century...
.
Family
Born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Nathaniel Rothschild was the fourth child of Nathan Mayer Rothschild
Nathan Mayer Rothschild
Nathan Mayer, Freiherr von Rothschild , known as Nathan Mayer Rothschild, was a London financier and one of the founders of the international Rothschild family banking dynasty...
(1777–1836) and Hannah Cohen (1783–1850). He moved to Paris, France in 1850 to work in the banking business owned by his uncle, James Mayer Rothschild (1792–1868). In 1842, Nathaniel de Rothschild married Charlotte de Rothschild
Charlotte de Rothschild
Charlotte de Rothschild was a French socialite, painter, and a member of the prominent Rothschild banking family of France. She was born in Paris, the daughter of Betty von Rothschild and James Mayer de Rothschild . Charlotte de Rothschild was raised by very wealthy parents who were at the center...
(1825–1899), daughter of James Mayer Rothschild. They had the following children:
- Nathalie de Rothschild (1843-1843)
- James-Edouard de Rothschild (1844–1881)
- Mayer Albert de Rothschild (1846–1850)
- Arthur de RothschildArthur de RothschildBaron Arthur de Rothschild was part of the French branch of the prominent Rothschild family. He was the son of Nathaniel de Rothschild and Charlotte de Rothschild . He was a prominent philatelist and published a book on the subject...
(1851–1903)
Wine estates
Nat Rothschild worked with his uncle James at the de Rothschild Frères bank in Paris, but in 1853 he acquired Château Brane Mouton, a vineyard in PauillacPauillac
Pauillac is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Population:-Wine:The commune consists of only 3000 acres of vineyards in the Haut-Médoc between the villages of Saint-Julien to the south and Saint-Estèphe to the north, but is home to three of Bordeaux's five...
in the Gironde
Gironde
For the Revolutionary party, see Girondists.Gironde is a common name for the Gironde estuary, where the mouths of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers merge, and for a department in the Aquitaine region situated in southwest France.-History:...
département from a Paris banker named Thuret who had previously bought it from Baron Hector de Branne in 1830. Nat Rothschild paid 1,175,000 francs for Brane-Mouton's 65 acres (263,000 m²) of vineyards and renamed the estate, Château Mouton Rothschild
Château Mouton Rothschild
Château Mouton Rothschild is a wine estate located in the village of Pauillac in the Médoc, 50 km north-west of the city of Bordeaux, France. Its red wine of the same name is regarded as one of the world's greatest clarets. Originally known as Château Brane-Mouton it was renamed by Nathaniel...
. It would become one of the world's best known winemakers.
In 1868, Nat's uncle James acquired the neighboring Château Lafite
Château Lafite-Rothschild
Château Lafite Rothschild is a wine estate in France, owned by members of the Rothschild family since the 19th century. The name Lafite comes from the Gascon term "la hite" meaning "small hill"....
vineyard. A prestigious first growth
First Growth
First Growth status refers to a classification of wines primarily from the Bordeaux region of France.-Bordeaux reds:The need for a classification of the best Bordeaux wines arose for the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris. The result was the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, a list...
(premier cru) property more than three times the size of Chateau Mouton, it created a family rivalry. In the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855
Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855
The Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 resulted from the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris, when Emperor Napoleon III requested a classification system for France's best Bordeaux wines which were to be on display for visitors from around the world...
Château Mouton was ranked second, something that upset its owner a great deal. In response, he composed the motto: Premier ne puis, second ne daigne, Mouton suis. ("First I cannot be, second I do not choose to be, Mouton I am.").
Other holdings
In 1856, Nathaniel and his wife purchased the property at 33 Rue du Faubourg Saint-HonoréRue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
The rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré is a street in Paris, France. Although relatively narrow and nondescript , it is cited as being one of the most fashionable streets in the world, thanks to the presence of virtually every major global fashion house...
in Paris from Denis, duc Decrès
Denis Decrès
Denis Decrès, , was an officer of the French Navy and count, later duke of the First Empire.-Early career:...
. At the time it was rented to the Russian Embassy
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
but when the lease ran out in 1864, he renovated the building and made it his city residence. Passed down to his son Arthur de Rothschild
Arthur de Rothschild
Baron Arthur de Rothschild was part of the French branch of the prominent Rothschild family. He was the son of Nathaniel de Rothschild and Charlotte de Rothschild . He was a prominent philatelist and published a book on the subject...
, he sold it in 1918 to the Cercle de l'Union interalliée
Cercle de l'Union interalliée
The cercle de l'Union interalliée, also known as the Cercle interallié is a social and dining club established in 1917 at No. 33 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris, France with Ferdinand Foch, Marshal of France, as its second president...
. In 1878, Nathaniel bought the Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay in Cernay-la-Ville
Cernay-la-Ville
Cernay-la-Ville is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-References:*...
in the Vallée de Chevreuse
Vallée de Chevreuse
Vallée de Chevreuse is the name given to the valley of the Yvette River, flowing though the Yvelines and Essonne departments....
, at the time only a ruins of a Cistercian abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
built in 1118. He and his wife undertook extensive restoration work and new construction to turn the lakeside property into a luxurious country home.
Later years
Nat Rothschild went blindBlindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
during his final years. He died in 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
and his children and grandchildren showed little enthusiasm for the wine business. It would be 118 years later before Château Mouton, under the leadership of Nat's great-grandson Philippe de Rothschild
Philippe de Rothschild
Baron Philippe de Rothschild was a member of the Rothschild banking dynasty who became a Grand Prix race-car driver, a screenwriter and playwright, a theatrical producer, a film producer, a poet, and one of the most successful wine growers in the world.-Early life:Born in Paris, Georges Philippe...
(1902–88), would become the only French vineyard to ever achieve reclassification to first growth.
See also
- French wineFrench wineFrench wine is produced in several regions throughout France, in quantities between 50 and 60 million hectolitres per year, or 7–8 billion bottles. France has the world's second-largest total vineyard area, behind Spain, and is in the position of being the world's largest wine producer...
- Rothschild banking family of EnglandRothschild banking family of EnglandThe Rothschild banking family of England was founded in 1798 by Nathan Mayer von Rothschild who first settled in Manchester but then moved to London. Nathan was sent there from his home in Frankfurt by his father, Mayer Amschel Rothschild...
- Rothschild banking family of FranceRothschild banking family of FranceThe Rothschild banking family of France was founded in 1812 in Paris by James Mayer Rothschild . James was sent there from his home in Frankfurt, Germany by his father, Mayer Amschel Rothschild...
- List of wine personalities