Inaugural vintage features artist’s “Evening in the Orchids” and celebrates the connection between the mediums of art and wine
Napa Valley, CA (July 24, 2024) – Burgess announces the launch today of the Artist Series, a collaboration between the winery and globally recognized, emerging artists that brings together the wine and art worlds to celebrate the inspiration of beauty. The inaugural vintage features the vibrantly beautiful artwork of world-renowned abstract expression artist Patrick Eugène. A Haitian American painter, Eugène shares, “my work speaks to human connectivity using a minimalistic approach to evoke emotion.”
The featured artwork on the Artist Series label, “Evening in the Orchids,” is a piece from Lawrence Wine Estates CEO and Master Sommelier Carlton McCoy’s personal collection and its use in the inaugural artist collaboration was inspired by both McCoy and Eugène’s “connection between the land and ourselves as part of nature and a part of our identity.”
The Artist Series is part of Burgess’ overall vision to collaborate with and support talented artists. The Estate’s art collection features a diverse group of artists and commissioned pieces work to connect to the essence of Burgess, the regenerative practices, and the richness of the land.
“Patrick is the Modigliani of our generation,” McCoy said. “There is a purity to his work that taps into our common humanity. A quiet confidence and pedigree to his technique that parallels what we attempt to achieve every vintage at Burgess.”
The inaugural vintage is a 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon crafted from 30-year-old vines from Burgess hillside sites. Esteemed Winemaker Meghan Zobeck sought to express the same beauty from the vineyard that Patrick evokes in his painting.
“In “Evening in the Orchids,” I sought to capture the essence of a serene moment amid the vineyards, a testament to the shared appreciation for fine wine and the beauty of the land,” Eugène said. “The central figure, a black man depicted with reverence and joy, is portrayed savoring a glass of wine. This image is a celebration of the connoisseurship and enjoyment of wine, transcending cultural boundaries.”
The inaugural Artist Series collaboration was celebrated July 20 at Burgess as part of an intimate dinner amongst the vines. Eugène attended alongside McCoy and Zobeck and the event featured Michelin- starred chef Alex Hong of Sorrel in San Francisco. The wine is available for purchase by Burgess members and interested members of the public here.
About Burgess
Burgess is among Napa Valley’s greatest historical estates. Since its genesis in 1972, the winery has embraced the role and importance of nature in crafting elegant wines from its pedigreed vineyards. From the slopes of the historical Sorenson Vineyard, first cultivated in the 1800s, to the St. Andrews estate where apple trees are co-planted throughout the vines, our vineyards are 100% organically and biodynamically farmed to honor their past and protect the future. A leader in promiscuous and regenerative farming, esteemed Winemaker Meghan Zobeck aims to mimic nature rather than overpowering it, producing wines of great purity and pedigree that are true reflections of the land.
About Patrick Eugène:
Patrick Eugène (b. 1984 in Brooklyn, New York; lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia) is a Haitian American painter creating large scale compositions with a central figure, evoking a stillness that entrances the viewer. These works harness the improvisational energy and emotive depth explored in his abstract period; his signature line-making remaining fluid. As a son of Haitian immigrants, Eugène incorporates African diasporic connections between Haiti (the Caribbean), and continental North America within an intuitive practice that connects his work to everyday people. As an enthusiastic admirer of abstract expressionist philosophies and forms, Patrick Eugène identified a correlation between the freedom and experimentation of artistic movement and jazz music. Eugène studied the ways in which both forms convey mood and facilitate visceral responses in audiences. The musicality of his paintings engenders very cinematic characters, alive and animated.
