All change at Château Lafite as daughter set to take over

The management at Château Lafite is to be completely shaken up next year with Baron Eric de Rothschild being replaced by his daughter Saskia de Rothschild and CEO Christophe Salin giving way to LVMH’s Jean-Guillaume Prats.

The incoming Jean-Guillaume Prats and Saskia de Rothschild who will replace the incumbent Baron Eric de Rothschild and Christophe Salin next spring

In a statement released by the first growth today (16 November), it was announced that by March 2018 the transitions from Eric to his daughter Saskia and Salin to Prats will be well underway.

Eric de Rothschild, now 77, will hand over the chairmanship of Domaines Baron de Rothschild to his daughter who has been co-director of the group for the last two years.

A graduate of HEC Paris and Columbia University she started her career as a journalist at the International New York Times on the paper’s Paris and West African desks.

She will be the second female head of Bordeaux’s five grand cru estates, the other being Corinne Mentzelopoulos of Château Margaux.

Meanwhile, with regards the day-to-day running of Château Lafite, Prats will take over as president and CEO.

After 14 years running Château Cos d’Estournel, he has been president and CEO of the Moët-Hennessy’s wine division since 2013.

The longstanding president Salin will move into a role as senior advisor of the group to ensure a smooth transition.

Eric de Rothschild will remain a managing partner of Lafite. He commented: Christophe Salin and I have spent more than thirty years working together on the management of Lafite and the domaines and I am extremely grateful for what he has achieved during this period. We are happy to welcome a new tandem, which will lead the group to new heights and ensure that we continue to make great wines. That’s what we do best!”