Fine, rare, and expensive wines are cherished by connoisseurs and collectors alike, often stored in cellars for special occasions or auctioned for profit. Top-tier wines are always in high demand. However, the labels on wine bottles, which provide information about the wine, have also become rare collector’s items, fetching high prices at auctions and coveted by enthusiasts.
One notable example is the wine labels of Chateau Mouton Rothschild, renowned for its expensive and rare wines that are prized collectibles and achieve high auction prices. These labels, often designed by famous artists, include works by Joan Miro, Marc Chagall, Picasso, Dali, Francis Bacon, Jeff Koons, and Andy Warhol, among others.
The initiative to invite artists to design wine labels began with Baron Philippe de Rothschild, who, passionate about art, first used a Cubist-style poster by Jean Carlu for the 1924 vintage. The tradition truly took off in 1945 with a label designed by Philippe Jullian, featuring a V for Victory, celebrating the end of World War II.
Since then, many renowned artists have contributed to the labels, and their involvement is considered an honor. Notable Asian artists like Xu Bing and Xu Lei from China, and Japanese artists Setsuko and Chiharu Shiota, have also designed labels. These artworks are sometimes sold as posters, auctioned, or sold online, often fetching high prices.
One such prized label is from the 2004 vintage, designed by King Charles III, then Prince of Wales, depicting a watercolor of a pine tree on the Cote d’Azur. This label is now kept at Sotheby’s in New York, alongside other celebrated artists.
Wine labels designed by artists remain valuable collectibles, often sold as posters or auctioned for significant sums. For instance, the 2010 vintage by Jeff Koons and the 1993 vintage by Balthus, despite some controversy, are highly prized. Even years with less favorable wine vintages can have notable labels, such as the colorful 1997 label by Niki de Saint Phalle.
The tradition continues under Baron Philippe’s descendants, with the 2015 vintage featuring an abstract painting by Gerhard Richter. Recent labels, like the 2021 vintage designed by Chiharu Shiota, reflect the ongoing legacy of artistic collaboration. Only a few vintages, like the 1953, 1977, 2000, and 2003, lack artist-designed labels due to special commemorations.
Even if one does not collect wine, possessing these artistic wine labels offers a unique connection to the world of fine art.
