March 26, 2026

Heard it on the Grapevine II: Like your Labels?

Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol and King Charles III walk into a bar...

Ok, so it's not really a bar, but somewhere, these three giants are hanging out in the same cellar. That's because each of these historic heavyweights has created artwork for some of the finest wine bottles money can buy.

Most wine labels give you the facts: the bottle's vintage, producer... a few tasting notes if they're feeling verbose. It's a tradition that extends back to the Greeks and Romans, who stamped amphorae of wine with details of their contents. But as viticulture became more refined and competition steeper, enterprising producers finessed every possible detail. Even the humble label got its upgrade.

2004 label by HRH Prince of Wales

This story really begins with Château Mouton Rothschild, which boasts designs by the aforementioned members of artistic (and literal) royalty. They first commissioned an artist in 1924, when Baron Philippe de Rothschild asked poster designer Jean Carlu for a bespoke illustration on the label of that year's vintage.

Inspired by the latest Cubist and Art Deco aesthetics, Carlu delivered a sleek, geometric take on the Rothschild symbols of a ram's head and quiver of arrows. However, it took until 1945 for the Rothschilds to commission more label art, this time featuring a patriotic V-for-Victory symbol commemorating the end of the Second World War.

By now, the winery's labels have become a Who's Who of well-known artists. Experts at auction house Christie's explain that for collectors a coveted prize is a complete 'vertical': meaning every bottle from the past century. An art collection you can sip.

It's not just Rothschild wines that combine beauty you can see with beauty you can taste. In 2012, Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama brought her trademark bold colours and polka dots of Veuve Clicquot Champagne, designing a gift box with golden dots that foreshadows the sparkling bubbles within. And if you had $30,000 to spare that year, you could have bought one of the 100 limited-edition sculptures that served as bottle cases.

Each statue, a twining cluster of multicoloured flowers, is a three-dimensional demonstration of how wine inspires art. What better represents the fizzing celebratory spirit of Champagne than the exuberance of Kusama's flamboyant colours and fun-loving forms?

Kusama's sculptural case for Veuve Clicquot Champagne (copyright: Kusama and Veuve Clicquot)

There are plenty of other memorable examples. In 1983, venerable Champagne house Taittinger established the Taittinger Collection, limited-edition bottles that become canvases for renowed artists, from Victor Vasarely's shimmering optical illusions to Roy Lichtenstein's colourfully abstracted grape vines.

The latest Taittinger Collection bottle, celebrating their Taittinger Brut Millésimé 2008, may be one of our favourites. Designed by photojournalist Sebastião Salgado, at first glance it's just an expanse of blackness. But as you look closer, you'll find eyes staring back at you: a leopard, drinking from a Namibian river. Rendered in precise black-and-white, it hints at untamed power.

At Bacchic we love wine because it connects us to culture. Crafted with infinite care, great vintages require the same imagination and creativity as great artworks. Nothing demonstrates this better than these labels, which have become tiny canvases in their own right.

So next time you come to visit us, feel free to linger over the labels, and at tasting sessions, don't forget to discuss how the flavour profile might have inspired the imagery.

P.S. If you want to get straight in on the action, the latest beautiful Taittinger Collection bottle can be bought today from Bacchic.

Heard it on the Grapevine I: Welcome to Bacchic!

From kaya toast to chilli crab, there’s something great to eat on every corner in Singapore. But what if you want something good to drink?

Traditional wine shops, designed mainly for the practicalities of storing bottles, are rarely glamorous places. A trendy city like Singapore, with its flourishing culinary scene and cosmopolitan style, deserves a wine shop that exudes modern luxury.

That’s where Bacchic comes in. Named after the Roman god of wine and revelry, we believe in curated wine experiences that go beyond what’s in the glass. It’s not enough to offer customers excellent vintages… We want everyone who visits our store on Keong Saik Road to feel like they’ve stepped into a sanctuary, somewhere they can shut out the noise of the world and really unwind. Even if you know nothing about wine, you won’t want to leave.

When you step into our boutique, shaped to mimic the curving neck of a wine bottle, you’ll feel the shift. Our rooms are designed to pull you out of the everyday, and to honour the nature that gave humans wine. The store’s main floor is autumn, reflected in the colour palette of dark wooden shelves lined with wines, while our walk-in cellar evokes winter. In our summer room, you can host private gatherings and dinners, featuring menus curated by nearby restaurants such as The Teochew Kitchenette and Bistro Gaston, while our spring-themed VIP room allows you to lounge and listen to vinyl records during your tasting. Above you, a floral artwork spools across the ceiling, and the furniture adds a pop of bright pink. Talk about the art of fine living.

And of course, let’s not forget the reason we’re here: the wine.

Bacchic is on the customer’s side. That’s why we invest our attention in tailoring a wine collection of 500 labels, showcasing the best of Old World winemaking and making it easy for you to find exciting lesser-known vintages. While we have an excellent collection of classic Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne wines, we’re always on the lookout for underrated purchases to tickle our client’s palettes.

Pricing is another way we keep customers’ interests in mind. Most of what we sell is in the $100-$300 range, and those new to wine will appreciate the affordable $60 bottles that we stock. But if you like to splash out, fear not. There are always items in our cellars like a jeroboam of Château Mouton Rothschild 2000, for those occasions where you’ve just got to have a three-litre bottle of the finest champagne.

Most of all, we want to connect people to the stories behind wines, through conversation, gastronomy, design, music. Wine is a natural icebreaker, an opening point for deeper connection, and that’s why we believe in curating intimate events that blend art and wine (to find out more, please head to our events page).

Bacchic’s ultimate goal? To prove that wine isn’t just a moreish tipple, but a cultural cornerstone.