Today in London bidding opens to collectors around the world on Sotheby’s Wine’s online sale of limited-edition bottles of Tuscan estate Ornellaia’s 2017 vintage. To celebrate the 12th edition of the winery’s Vendemmia d’Artista, Ornellaia invited Tomás Saraceno, the acclaimed Argentinian artist, to interpret the character of the estate’s 2017 wine, “Solare” (Radiant), and personalise a series of 111 large format bottles, in addition to creating a special label available in each case containing six 75cl bottles. Comprising 12 lots, featuring 12 Imperials and the unique 1 of 1 Salmanazar, and a series of experiences, the auction will remain open for bidding until Wednesday 9 September.
“We are delighted to collaborate on our tenth auction with Ornellaia’s exceptional Vendemmia d’Artista project, having enjoyed spectacular events over the past decade in New York, Hong Kong, London, Toronto, Basel, Los Angeles and Venice. For the second consecutive year, the special auction celebrating the 2017 “Solare” will be offered online. The sublime marriage of art and wine in these unique large format bottles is a winning combination that will prove enticing to collectors around the world.”
With the issue of environmental sustainability close to Ornellaia’s heart, the decision to enter a creative partnership with Tomás Saraceno, an artist renowned for his interactive installations that allude to sustainable ways of living, proved to be perfectly aligned. In creating artwork interpreting the radiance of Ornellaia’s 2017 vintage, the artist sought inspiration from the Sun and Earth. His site-specific installation, created for the estate, consists of glass spheres resembling clouds, which form a magical floating city powered by the heat of the sun. A take on this concept is the sculpture “Pneuma 4.21x105”, a small-scale version of which floats atop the impressive 9-litre Salmanazar, tethered to the neck of the bottle – the prize lot of the sale. The large-formats depict various phases of a solar eclipse, and all the labels, including those on the 75cl bottles, are thermo-chromic, allowing them to change colour with the heat from one’s hand – an interactive solicitation from Saraceno for us to ponder humankind’s impact on the planet.
Every year since the release of Ornellaia 2006 in May 2009, a contemporary artist has created a site-specific work of art and a series of limited-edition labels as part of the Vendemmia d’Artista project. In 2019, Ornellaia announced its support of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation as part of a three year partnership which will see the expansion of the museum’s innovative programme, ‘Mind's Eye’, developed by its education department in 2008 to help individuals who are blind or have low vision experience art through all their senses. The final sum raised to support Mind’s Eye through the sale of these exclusive large formats will be announced by Ornellaia after the online auction draws to a close.
LOT DETAILS – For those wishing to bid on the sale, please go to www.sothebys.com/ornellaia
Lot 1, 1 Salmanazar x 9L Ornellaia 2017 'Solare' by Tomás Saraceno and an exclusive visit to the Ornellaia Estate including overnight stay and harvest experience, Estimate £30,000-60,000
Lot 2, 1 Imperial x 6L Ornellaia 2017 'Solare' by Tomás Saraceno, Estimate £8,000-20,000
Lot 3, 2 Imperials: 1 Imperial x 6L Ornellaia 2017 'Solare' by Tomás Saraceno; 1 Imperial x 6L Ornellaia 2017 'Solare', Estimate £9,000-24,000
Lot 4, 2 Imperials: 1 Imperial x 6L Ornellaia 2017 'Solare' by Tomás Saraceno; 1 Imperial x 6L Ornellaia 2007 'L'Armonia', Estimate £9,000-22,000
Lot 5, 1 Imperial x 6L Ornellaia 2017 'Solare' by Tomás Saraceno and a Guggenheim Annual Global Membership for 2 people, Estimate £8,500-22,000
Lot 6, 2 Imperials | 1 Imperial x 6L Ornellaia 2017 'Solare' by Tomás Saraceno; 1 Imperial x 6L Ornellaia Archivio Storico 2004, Estimate £8,500-22,000
Lot 7, 1 Imperial x 6L Ornellaia 2017 'Solare' by Tomás Saraceno and an exclusive private dinner for 6 people at Ristorante Ornellaia in Zurich, Estimate £9,000-22,000
Lot 8, 1 Imperial x 6L Ornellaia 2017 'Solare' by Tomás Saraceno, Estimate £9,000-22,000
Lot 9, 1 Imperial x 6L Ornellaia 2017 'Solare' by Tomás Saraceno and an exclusive private dinner for 6 people at Shun Restaurant in New York, Estimate £8,000-20,000
Lot 10, 1 Imperial x 6L Ornellaia 2017 'Solare' by Tomás Saraceno and an exclusive private dinner for 6 people at Tosca Restaurant in Hong Kong, Estimate £9,000-22,000
Lot 11, Unique collection case of 12 x 750ml bottles of Ornellaia with Vendemmia d'Artista labels, Estimate £4,000-12,000
Lot 12, Ornellaia Bianco Vertical | 2 Magnums x 1.5L Ornellaia Bianco 2015; 2 Magnums x 1.5L Ornellaia Bianco 2016; 2 Magnums x 1.5L Ornellaia Bianco 2017, Estimate £2,600-6,000
CONTACT INFO
London | Matthew Floris | Matthew.Floris@Sothebys.com| +44 (0)20 7293 6000
About Sotheby’s Wine
Sotheby’s Wine’s annual worldwide sales in 2019 significantly exceeded $100 million for the second consecutive year, led by a 20% increase in auction sales to a total of $118 million – the highest-ever annual total in Sotheby’s history.
Sotheby’s Wine, with a store located within the auction house’s worldwide headquarters on New York’s Upper East Side, offers a carefully curated selection of wines from the world’s most prestigious producers and important regions. Expertly assembled by Sotheby’s’ experienced specialists, the ever-evolving selection is built upon lasting relationships with winemakers from across the globe, with prices beginning at just $13.95. With bottles that are ready for immediate consumption, in addition to investment-worthy wines from highly sought-after vintages, each wine is chosen for its expression of its region and value for money. Each bottle selected by Sotheby’s specialist team must pass the brand’s signature “three-glass” tasting guideline, meaning that the tasters must like it enough to want to drink three glasses, or the standard amount enjoyed when sharing a bottle.
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