Damien Hirst partners with Château La Coste on rosé brand
High-profile English conceptual artist Damien Hirst has put his name to a new rosé brand as part of a partnership with biodynamic Provençal wine estate Château La Coste.
Hirst, who rose in fame in the UK’s art scene during the 1990s for works such as a sliced cow suspended in formaldehyde, is believed to be the nation’s richest living artist.
Despite being teetotal, he has created a design for an organic wine called Madame ‘B’.
The brand – featuring a colourful butterfly by Hirst – is the result of a long-standing friendship between the artist and Château La Coste owner and Irish hotelier Paddy McKillen, who showcases some of Hirst’s work at the Provence wine estate, which includes a gallery and sculpture park.
Indeed, the property has previously produced a rosé called Lady A featuring another Hirst image of a butterfly (pictured, bottom) – although that wine has been discontinued, and Madame B marks the first time that the name Damien Hirst appears on a wine.
Madame B is certified organic and produced from biodynamically-grown grapes from Château La Coste estate in Aix-en-Provence, and will sell in the UK for £26 (75cl).
In the inaugural 2025 vintage, 10,000 bottles have been made, and will be available at the property and via its web-based shop, as well as in Selfridges, which will be the exclusive retailer of the rosé for one month from today (16 June) – although Madame B will be available in a few restaurants, bars and clubs from the same date.
The wine is also due to be served at two UK summer events: The Royal Parks Polo Classic at The Richmond Polo Club and Royal Ascot.
Madame ‘B’ is blend of grapes from across the estate, featuring varieties Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Mourvèdre and Counoise.
McKillen bought Château La Coste in 2002, renovating the estate and converting the vineyards to organic and then biodynamic viticulture, before opening the property to the public in 2011.
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This allowed visitors to discover major works of contemporary art installed in the open air and five gallery spaces located across the 200-hectare site – which includes 130ha of vineyards.
The property produces a little more than 700,000 bottles annually, having almost halved yields since moving to more sustainable farming methods.
Today, 60% of the production is rosé, with the rest split between red and white wines.
Also on the estate are two hotels, several restaurants, and a shop, meaning that 30% of Château La Coste’s wines are sold on site.
McKillen also has a vineyard estate in the Uco Valley in Argentina – where he is building a new winery and high-end hotel – along with a further hotel in Kyoto, called The Shinmonzen, designed by celebrated Japanese architect Tadao Ando.
More recently he has purchased a property in Burgundy with 1.2 hectares of vineyards in Nuits St Georges, where he plans to build a hotel.
As previously reported on by db, McKillen has invested in an Irish whiskey project in county Kildare which will involve an old mill being converted into a 5,051 square-metre distillery and visitor centre.
U2 frontman Bono, whose real name is Paul David Hewson, is also reported to be investing in the project, which is said to see €50million put in to reviving the site, which traces its history back to the 1700s, but stopped distilling 100 years ago.
Called Church of Oak, the distillery and visitor centre is expected to open to the public next year.
Friends and business partners, Bono and McKillen co-own the Clarence Hotel in Dublin.
