The Name
Houyi Vineyard sits near the top of Pritchard Hill and is the source of our estate single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon of the same name. Realm acquired Houyi Vineyard from the Chang family in 2022.

The Label
We first saw “Air Water Earth” by Luchita Hurtado, a Venezuelan-born, Los Angeles-based artist, a few years ago on a visit to the Hauser & Wirth gallery in Los Angeles. The painting spoke to us, as did the story of Hurtado’s life, and the piece stayed on our minds for months and years afterwards. When the gallerist later sent us a book of Hurtado’s work which included “Air Water Earth,” we knew it was meant to be: here was the ideal work of art to express the story of Houyi. Appearing for the first time with the 2022 vintage of Houyi, this label was created to mark Realm’s acquisition of the Pritchard Hill vineyard the same year, making it the fourth estate-grown wine in our portfolio.

As the title implies, “Air Water Earth” references balance in the natural world and was created at a time when Hurtado was considering the effects of climate change. The concept of balance resonates deeply with us as farmers and landowners who have lived through two devastating fire seasons and for whom the changing environment is an existential concern. But there’s something about Hurtado’s work that calms amidst the stress. At just 10”x10”, “Air Water Earth” is an intimate piece that invites you in. It is beautiful and tranquil, with layers and themes that are both universal and personal. Serendipitously, it is also an apt reflection of the myth of Nine Suns and Houyi. According to this Chinese legend, there were ten suns that one day appeared all at once; Houyi was an archer who shot down nine of the suns, restoring balance to the earth.

Luchita Hurtado is a fascinating artist whose work encompassed many styles, movements and themes throughout a career that spanned eight decades. Her work was rarely shown until she was in her 90s, when the discovery of a trove of her paintings and other works led to several solo exhibitions in New York, Los Angeles and London. Hurtado gained international recognition and was named one of Time 100’s most influential people in 2019. She died in 2020 at the age of 99.

Completed as part of a series in 2013, the crayon and acrylic on canvas “Air Water Earth” hangs at our Houyi Estate.