Artist Chiharu Shiota Is Responsible For The Stunning Château Mouton Rothschild 2021 Label

Photo Credit: Château Mouton Rothschild

Each year, an artist designs the label of Château Mouton Rothschild’s annual release — in past years, being the likes of Joan Miró, Andy Warhol, and David Hockney — in being invited to design the label for the latest vintage of Château Mouton Rothschild, and for the Château Mouton Rothschild 2021 iteration, that artist is Chiharu Shiota.

Photo Credit: M.Anglada

The Japanese artist — who was born in Osaka in 1972 and is currently based in Berlin — is often inspired by personal experiences or emotions, which she expands into universal human concerns such as life, death, and relationships. She has redefined the concept of memory and consciousness by collecting ordinary objects such as shoes, keys, beds, chairs and
dresses, and engulfing them in immense thread structures. She explores this sensation of a ‘presence in the absence’ with her installations, but also presents intangible emotions in her sculptures, drawings, performance videos, photographs and canvases. In 2008, she was awarded “the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Art Encouragement Prize for New Artists, Japan.”

Photo Credit: Chateau Mouton Rothschild  

And here, for one of the most famous Bordeaux brands, a Premier Cru Classé (a classified First Growth), she has created a label inspired by the land itself. In her drawing, the fragile silhouette of a human figure faces gorgeous, generous nature. It is not the centre of attention but seems small compared to the environment. It is as though the figure is holding onto the balance between nature and humans. Its grip cannot be too tight or the thread will break, nor too loose or else the cloud will blow away and the connection will be broken. The four threads represent the four seasons, setting time within the artwork’s space. While winter brings loneliness and sadness, the seeds of hope are planted in spring and grow into a summer of richness before coming to fruition in the fall. Whatever the vintage, the drinker is experiencing the conditions the grapes grew in.

Photo Credit: Alain Benoît Deepix

“When I visited Château Mouton Rothschild, I was very inspired by their relationship with nature,” she says. “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.” She adds, “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)… 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.”

Photo Credit: Sunhi Mang

In alignment with the Château Mouton Rothschild 2021 reveal, Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA, in partnership with Christie’s and with the participation of Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alléno, is holding an online auction of an exclusive lot. All the proceeds will go to the Association Antoine Alléno, a charity founded by Yannick Alléno after the tragic death of his son Antoine to help and support the families of young people who have suffered violence at the hands of a third party. The funds will go towards setting up and rolling out a comprehensive support programme for afflicted families. The programme will provide moral and practical support, including introductions to people in similar situations and to experts who can guide and support the families throughout their journey, not only in administrative, financial and legal procedures but also and above all at a human level.

Photo Credit: Atelier Chiharu Shiota

The lot comprises a unique assortment of formats of Château Mouton Rothschild 2021: six bottles, three magnums, a double magnum whose label will be signed by the artist and the family, an imperial and the only Nebuchadnezzar available to date. The acquirer and three guests will also be invited to the reveal of the label for Château Mouton Rothschild 2022, held at the estate in 2024, which will be attended by the family and the artist chosen to illustrate the label for that vintage. They will be given a private tour of Château Mouton Rothschild, followed by a tasting of wines from the estate.