Bordeaux first-growth Château Mouton-Rothschild has unveiled the label for its 2020 vintage, showcasing original artwork by renowned British painter Peter Doig. The painting has a dreamlike quality that evokes "the nocturnal birth of a great wine, seemingly brought to life by the strange magic of a song played on the guitar," according to Mouton's owners, siblings Camille Sereys de Rothschild, Philippe Sereys de Rothschild and Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild.
“We wanted an artist who uses canvas and pictorial material to express figurative subjects. Unrivaled as a colorist, Peter Doig focuses entirely on painting and has become one of his generation’s foremost exponents of the discipline, holding exhibitions all over the world,” said Julien, who is responsible for the estate’s artistic and cultural activity, in a statement issued by the family. “There is something very special about his technique and his universe that sets them apart in contemporary figurative art. His subjects are very varied, his painting resists any classification: He has succeeded in creating his own, inimitable world.”
Evoking the works of Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, Jean-François Millet and Francis Bacon, Doig says his Mouton label art was also inspired by Trinidadian artist Embah, a personal friend who played cuatro and recited poetry at one of Doig’s Paris exhibitions.
“The painting shows something of what goes on behind the scenes in the production of wine, what happens offstage, as it were. It’s a sort of ode to workers, to all those involved at the various stages of making a wine before it’s finally bottled," said Doig. "It’s a dream with a romantic streak, as if someone spontaneously decided to sing in the vines. It’s a moment of poetry, where you can take your time. It’s neither really day nor really night, but rather something in between, between waking and sleeping. It is possible to see it as a progression, a dream journey in the world of the harvest.”
While Mouton-Rothschild’s tradition of working with celebrated artists for their label began in 1945 with the Rothschild siblings’ grandfather Philippe de Rothschild, the trio has taken the opportunity to tie the release of a new label to their philanthropy. Last year, the unveiling took place at the spectacular Château de Versailles, which benefits from their largesse.
This month their philanthropy extended to the hardworking firefighters who battled wildfires in the Bordeaux region earlier this year. On Dec. 2, they teamed with Sotheby's for a charity auction featuring a unique superlot of Château Mouton-Rothschild 2020, including a double-magnum signed by Doig and the Rothschilds, along with six standard bottles, three magnums, an imperial (6 liters) and the only nebuchadnezzar (15 liters) made to date.
The auction lot sold for more than $185,000, with proceeds from the sale benefiting the firefighters of the Gironde department. The winning bidder, along with five lucky guests, is invited to fetch their wine from Château Mouton-Rothschild in person, and enjoy a private tour and luncheon while they’re at it.
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