Two things can be true at the same time. A memorable label design might not have any bearing on the taste of the wine found inside the bottle, but it might well tempt someone to consider a bottle they might not have otherwise. And in the case of the Tuscan vineyard Ornellaia, a compelling design isn’t the only factor at play in their label design; there’s also an impressive visual arts pedigree.
You can chalk that up to the role that artist Marina Abramović played in working on labels for the 2023 vintage, which went on sale on April 1. Abramović is not the first acclaimed artist to work with the vineyard; instead, collaborating with artists is something that the company has done since 2006. In June, the editions with Abramović-designed labels — known as Vendemmia d’Artista — will be auctioned off at Bonham’s, with proceeds going to benefit the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation.
Last year’s iteration of the auction raised $300,000 to support the preservation of works in the Foundation’s collection. Those bottles also featured a distinctive label design, this one courtest of Pascale Marthine Tayou. Tayou’s label design took a (literally) naturalistic approach, with images evoking the plants at the heart of winemaking. For her part, Abramović opted for a blend of text and evocative images, including one label in which Abramović channels Medusa.
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Memento Mori combines fine wine with fine artAs Tim McKirdy pointed out in a 2019 article for VinePair, one of the more interesting things about Ornellaia’s winemaking practice is their focus on French grapes. As for the wines themselves, they have — in the past — earned high marks from the likes of Wine Enthusiast. A combination of notable artists, meticulously crafted wine and a worthy cause makes this collaboration one to savor.
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