Mouton Rothschild, one of the five First Growths of Bordeaux has released the customary label for its 2011 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, which has been made from a painting by the well-known French contemporary artist Guy de Rougemont, and takes you through various stages of the birth of wine .
 Titled and signed on the label as Lumiere de Mouton, the painting takes his new style of the "serpentine line", in different colours and shades of darkness. The snake-like lines run the colour spectrum from yellow, orange and red to blue and deep purple and reflect both the clarity of vines in sunshine and the darkness of the cellars, according to the company release.
A member of the Academy of Fine Arts of the Institut de France, the 78 year-old Guy de Rougemont is known for his use of bright and warm colours. He subsequently turned to geometrical forms and undulating lines, referred to by the artist as “serpentine lines” whose undulations emphasise or temper contrasts of light and shade. The painting reflects his latest style.
The owner of the Chateau along with her family, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild who is an artist and a connoisseur of fine arts, commissioned the well-known painter and sculptor also to paint one for the new room in which the “Paintings for the Labels” exhibition is displayed. That painting is an ‘Iridescent colonnade of gilded brass with a recurring motif of wine-coloured whorls.’
Every year since 1945, a great artist has illustrated the label of Château Mouton Rothschild wine, thus bringing together the famous names in contemporary art together in a collection to which a new work is added each year. Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Juan Miró, Andy Warhol, Francis Bacon, Prince Charles and the Indian born British artist Aneesh Kapur are some of the artists whose paintings adorn bottles of various vintages of the First Growth wine through its label - a style that has inspired many wineries in the world to have artist drawn paintings in their labels.
Reportedly, the artistes are not given any cash for the work but presented (a case of the) Chateau wine of that vintage as a token of appreciation. Usually, the label is released in December every year. This year, it appears to have been released almost a month earlier than usual.
A Premier Cru Classé since 1973, (the only change conceded in the original Classification of 1855), Château Mouton Rothschild comprises 84 hectares (207 acres) of vines at Pauillac in the Médoc, planted with the varieties typical of the region - Cabernet Sauvignon (80%), Merlot (16%), Cabernet Franc (3%) and Petit Verdot (1%).
According to the company, ‘The 2011 vintage stands out in the memory as one of the hottest, sunniest and driest vintages of the last forty years. These conditions were favourable to the vegetation cycle. The wine has an intense, dark red colour with a purple hue. The supremely elegant nose displays red fruit aromas and notes of spice. On the palate, a smooth attack and powerful, velvet tannins offer remarkable roundness and beautiful length. Fine vanilla and cocoa flavours combine on the finish, set off by some floral notes. Structured and deep, Mouton Rothschild 2011 is a classic wine and a very fine success in the vintage’.
For the release of 2010 label, visit Mouton ’10 Label by Most Expensive Living Artist
For some of the previous labels visit the company website at http://www.chateau-mouton-rothschild.com |
