Château Mouton Rothschild has unveiled the artwork for its 2021 label, featuring a painting by award-winning international artist Chiharu Shiota. The art depicts the silhouette of a single human figure holding the strings attached to a floating, exuberant cluster of what could be balloons or grapes, evoking the fragile balance between nature and humans.
“The four lines connecting the human to the environment represent the four seasons—winter, spring, summer, autumn—and all the emotions linked to them—solitude, hope, achievement," said Shiota. “It is like preserving the memory of the year in the wine. I find this very fascinating because I also believe that the objects that surround us accumulate our memories and existence.”
Shiota was born in Japan and currently lives in Berlin. Her work has been displayed in leading art institutions around the world, including the Hammer Museum in Los Anegles, the National Museum of Asian Art at the Smithsonian, the National Museum of Art in Osaka and the Power Station of Art in Shanghai. She represented Japan at the 56th Venice Biennale.
Shiota's work often explores universal human concerns such as life, death and relationships, taking inspiration from personal experiences—in this case a visit to Pauillac.
“When I visited Château Mouton Rothschild, I was very inspired by their relationship with nature. They depend on the weather and do not interfere with mother nature. They accept the conditions in which the grapes grow. I think Mouton is holding on to the balance of human and nature.”
A tradition of art and wine
Since 1945, Château Mouton Rothschild has worked with the world's most celebrated artists to create unique art for their labels. Today Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild, co-owner of the first growth, is responsible for artistic and cultural matters at the estate. Each year he works with the selected artist for the new label.
“I was fascinated by Chiharu Shiota’s vision, so close to the world of wine, especially in the relationship between humankind and nature, fragile and fertile, generous but unpredictable. And then there is that bright red color, one of her trademarks, so reminiscent of new wine running out of the vats," said Beaumarchais de Rothschild. “For me the label embodies what I would call metaphorical realism: I see in it a vinegrower firmly grasping a fabulous cluster of grapes."
A Special Auction Lot
Mouton’s owners have tied the annual release of the new label to a charity close to the hearts of the Beaumarchais de Rothschild and his siblings and co-owners Philippe and Camille Sereys de Rothschild. This year they have partnered with renowned chef Yannick Alléno to raise money for the Association Antoine Alléno, a charity founded by the chef after the tragic death of his son Antoine, who was struck and killed by the drunk driver of a stolen car in 2022. The charity helps families who suffer violence at the hands of third parties, providing moral and practical support.
The online auction was conducted by Christie’s. Bidding closed on Dec. 8 at 5pm Paris time, and an undisclosed buyer made a winning bid of $255,200. The wine in the lot is a unique assortment of formats of Mouton Rothschild 2021: six 750ml bottles, three magnums, a double magnum whose label will be signed by the artist and the family, an imperial (6 liters) and the only nebuchadnezzar (15 liters) available to date.
The winner is invited to bring three friends to the estate for the 2022 label reveal in 2024 and a private tour and tasting. Yannick Alléno will also invite the foursome to an immersive dining experience at Le Pavillon Ledoyen, where they will have the opportunity to help prepare a meal with Alléno and his team. They will then dine with Alléno and one of the Rothschild siblings on a special menu paired with great vintages.
Enjoy Unfiltered? The best of Unfiltered's round-up of drinks in pop culture can now be delivered straight to your inbox every other week! Sign up now to receive the Unfiltered e-mail newsletter, featuring the latest scoop on how wine intersects with film, TV, music, sports, politics and more.
