JEFF KOONS ILLUSTRATES THE LABEL FOR CHÂTEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD 2010
Baroness Philippine de Rothschild and Jeff Koons – Photo credit: Bertrand Rindoff-Petroff
Since 1945, a major artist has illustrated the Château Mouton Rothschild label every year. Thanks to the initiative of the Château’s owners, a collection has been built up, bringing together the most famous names and adding a new piece every year.
Baroness Philippine de Rothschild commissioned American sculptor Jeff Koons, born in 1955 in York, Pennsylvania, and a leading figure in contemporary art, to illustrate the 2010 vintage. Following in the footsteps of Pop Art and kitsch, Koons works with familiar objects, illuminating them with color, hijacking them and recreating them using a wide variety of techniques. For a time, he was the world’s most expensive living artist, and in 2008, the appearance of his works at the Château de Versailles aroused passions.
Koons also revisits Antiquity: such as the Birth of Venus, a fresco from Pompeii, which his silver drawing transforms into Venus with a Vessel – both the cup that collects, and the ship that transports an exquisite wine far away, under a clear sun…
Probably Mouton Rothschild 2010!
MOUTON ROTHSCHILD: THE VINEYARD AND THE WINE
Premier Cru Classé, Château Mouton Rothschild comprises 84 hectares of vines in Pauillac, in the Médoc, planted with grape varieties typical of the region: Cabernet-Sauvignon
(83%), Merlot (14%), Cabernet-Franc (3%).
This Premier Cru benefits from exceptional natural conditions, in terms of soil quality, exposure and sunshine. It is meticulously cared for, from grape to bottle, combining respect for tradition with the most modern techniques: highly qualified oenologists, winemakers responsible for each plot on the estate, hand-picked grapes harvested in crates and sorted on vibrating tables, vinification in wooden vats, maturation of the wine in new oak barrels.
LE MILLESIME 2010
2010 was a dry and relatively cool year, benefiting from ideal sunshine and a few well-timed rainy spells in mid-June and
in early September. A dry, cool spring was followed by a generally dry summer, marked by a few hot spells. The harvest took place under excellent conditions from September 28 to October 13. Naturally concentrated, the berries were small in size, and the juice was rich and highly colored, with good acidity. The wine reveals a dark, intense color with bluish tints.
Essentially composed of Cabernet-Sauvignon, it offers a complex aromatic palette. The nose presents finely toasted vanilla aromas, opening onto fruit notes of blackcurrant and black cherry. On the palate, powerful, well-coated tannins reveal exceptional volume and roundness. The finish is characterized by freshness and minerality.
Length, elegance, harmony: Mouton Rothschild 2010 promises to be a remarkable success… and a fine follow-up to 2009.
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