Établissements Jean-Pierre Moueix
Encyclopedia
Établissements Jean-Pierre Moueix, or JP Moueix, is a Bordeaux
négociant
house founded by
Jean-Pierre Moueix in 1937, situated on the Quai du Priourat in Libourne
, in the Bordeaux wine
region of France. While dealing in wholesale distribution of numerous Right Bank wines, the company also acts as a bulk grape merchant, operates exclusive distribution for select châteaux, and manages its own portfolio of Pomerol
and Saint-Émilion
estates. The company has 120 employees.
Since Jean-Pierre Moueix began investing in properties of the region in the early 1950s, the company grew to become highly influential in the French wine market, and was instrumental in the rise of the reputation of the Pomerol region. The early purchase of the Saint-Émilion estate Château Magdelaine
in 1952 was followed by the acquisitions of Pomerol châteaux Trotanoy
, Lagrange and La Fleur-Pétrus
in 1953, while the gradual acquisition of Pétrus
was begun in 1961, followed by the assuming the farming of Château Latour à Pomerol
in 1962. In 1930 his father, Jean Moueix, had already bought the Saint-Émilion property, Château Fonroque
. Later additions to the Moueix portfolio include the Napa valley
property Dominus Estate
, the Pomerol châteaux Hosanna
and Providence, and complete ownership of the Saint-Émilion estate Château Belair
.
Jean-Pierre Moueix retired in 1978 and died in 2003. In 1991 his son Christian Moueix
became president of JP Moueix, while the grandson Edouard Moueix is Director of Sales since 2003.
in April, 2008, originally purchased by Jean-Pierre Moueix in 1977. In an auction at Sotheby's New York
the work was purchased for US$
86.3 million by the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich
, recording the highest price paid for a postwar work of art.
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
négociant
Négociant
A négociant is the French term for a wine merchant who assembles the produce of smaller growers and winemakers and sells the result under its own name....
house founded by
Jean-Pierre Moueix in 1937, situated on the Quai du Priourat in Libourne
Libourne
Libourne is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.It is the wine-making capital of northern Gironde and lies near Saint-Émilion and Pomerol.-Geography:...
, in the Bordeaux wine
Bordeaux wine
A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Average vintages produce over 700 million bottles of Bordeaux wine, ranging from large quantities of everyday table wine, to some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world...
region of France. While dealing in wholesale distribution of numerous Right Bank wines, the company also acts as a bulk grape merchant, operates exclusive distribution for select châteaux, and manages its own portfolio of Pomerol
Pomerol
Pomerol is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.It is located near Bordeaux.-Population:-Wine:The mostly small-sized producers in this area of about produce red wines. As in the neighbouring appellation of Saint-Émilion, the predominant grape variety is Merlot,...
and Saint-Émilion
Saint-Émilion AOC
Saint-Émilion is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée for wine in the Bordeaux wine region of France, where it is situated in the Libourne subregion on the right bank of the Dordogne...
estates. The company has 120 employees.
Since Jean-Pierre Moueix began investing in properties of the region in the early 1950s, the company grew to become highly influential in the French wine market, and was instrumental in the rise of the reputation of the Pomerol region. The early purchase of the Saint-Émilion estate Château Magdelaine
Château Magdelaine
Château Magdelaine is a Bordeaux wine from the appellation Saint-Émilion, ranked Premier grand cru classé B in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine...
in 1952 was followed by the acquisitions of Pomerol châteaux Trotanoy
Château Trotanoy
Château Trotanoy, archaically Trop Ennuie, is a Bordeaux wine from the appellation Pomerol. The winery is located on the Right Bank of the Bordeaux wine region, in the commune of Pomerol in the department Gironde...
, Lagrange and La Fleur-Pétrus
Château La Fleur-Pétrus
Château La Fleur-Pétrus, sometimes Château Lafleur-Pétrus, is a Bordeaux wine from the appellation Pomerol. The winery is located on the Right Bank of the Bordeaux wine region, in the commune of Pomerol in the department Gironde...
in 1953, while the gradual acquisition of Pétrus
Château Pétrus
Pétrus is a Bordeaux wine estate located in the Pomerol appellation near its eastern border to Saint-Émilion. An estate of limited size, it produces a limited production red wine almost entirely from Merlot grapes, on occasion with small amounts of Cabernet Franc, and produces no second wine...
was begun in 1961, followed by the assuming the farming of Château Latour à Pomerol
Château Latour à Pomerol
Château Latour à Pomerol is a Bordeaux wine from the appellation Pomerol. The winery is located on the Right Bank of the Bordeaux wine region, in the commune of Pomerol in the department Gironde...
in 1962. In 1930 his father, Jean Moueix, had already bought the Saint-Émilion property, Château Fonroque
Château Fonroque
Château Fonroque is a Bordeaux wine from the appellation Saint-Émilion, ranked Grand cru classé in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine. The winery is located in the Right Bank of France’s Bordeaux wine region in the commune of Saint-Émilion, in the department Gironde.-History:Château Fonroque...
. Later additions to the Moueix portfolio include the Napa valley
Napa County, California
Napa County is a county located north of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is coterminous with the Napa, California, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population is 136,484. The county seat is Napa....
property Dominus Estate
Dominus Estate
Dominus Estate, is a California wine estate producing Bordeaux style blends, owned by Christian Moueix. The winery is located in Yountville within the Napa Valley AVA.-History:...
, the Pomerol châteaux Hosanna
Château Hosanna
Château Hosanna, formerly Château Certan-Giraud, is a Bordeaux wine from the appellation Pomerol. The winery is located on the Right Bank of the Bordeaux wine region, in the commune of Pomerol in the department Gironde...
and Providence, and complete ownership of the Saint-Émilion estate Château Belair
Château Belair
Château Belair is a Bordeaux wine from the appellation Saint-Émilion, ranked Premier grand cru classé B in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine. The winery is located in the Right Bank of France’s Bordeaux wine region in the commune of Saint-Émilion, in the department Gironde...
.
Jean-Pierre Moueix retired in 1978 and died in 2003. In 1991 his son Christian Moueix
Christian Moueix
Christian Moueix is a French winemaker and the president of the négociant house Établissements Jean-Pierre Moueix in Libourne, overseeing production in several estates in Saint-Émilion and Pomerol including Château Pétrus and Château Trotanoy...
became president of JP Moueix, while the grandson Edouard Moueix is Director of Sales since 2003.
Art collection
Profiled art collectors, the Moueix family sold the painting Triptych 1976 by Francis BaconFrancis Bacon (painter)
Francis Bacon , was an Irish-born British figurative painter known for his bold, austere, graphic and emotionally raw imagery. Bacon's painterly but abstract figures typically appear isolated in glass or steel geometrical cages set against flat, nondescript backgrounds...
in April, 2008, originally purchased by Jean-Pierre Moueix in 1977. In an auction at Sotheby's New York
Sotheby's
Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish...
the work was purchased for US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
86.3 million by the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich
Roman Abramovich
Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich is a Russian businessman and the main owner of the private investment company Millhouse LLC.In 2003, Abramovich was named Person of the Year by Expert, a Russian business magazine. He shared this title with Mikhail Khodorkovsky...
, recording the highest price paid for a postwar work of art.