Les Vins Georges Duboeuf (Quintessential) revealed the original work of art to be featured on the 2017 vintage of its Beaujolais Nouveau, marking the 35th year of the wine’s appearance in the U.S.
Ari Azzopardi’s “Candy Coated” was named the winner after voting took place on Facebook and Instagram in a competition of artists from around the world. The artwork will appear in the U.S. on as many as one million bottles of the “first wine of the harvest” which debuts, per French law and tradition, at 12:01 a.m. on the third Thursday in November (November 16, 2017).
Azzopardi is a mixed-media artist from St. Petersburg, Fla., with a BFA in painting and sculpture. Her creative process is driven by spontaneity, and focuses on form, color and energy.
“We are dedicating this vintage to the creators, dreamers, builders—anyone who is passionate about what they do,” winery founder Georges Duboeuf said. “This artist competition and Ms. Azzopardi’s work perfectly capture this sentiment.”
For the first time, artists from a number of backgrounds submitted their label designs for a chance to win up to $5,000 in grants. Jon Lutz, a Brooklyn-based art curator who has worked with emerging artists for the past 12 years, chose the 13 finalists from over 200 submissions.
Last year’s label (the 2016 vintage) was also chosen by voting on social media, but entries came from professional graphic designers.