In recent years, more and more wineries have sought to differentiate themselves, not only with their wines or their packaging, but also with their architecture and design. Chateaux and estates are no longer just places to pass through, but real destinations to visit. Here is our top of the most beautiful vineyards in the world!
Antinori nel Chianti Classico
Italy – Designed by Archea Associati, this estate is located in Tuscany. The big points of interest of this facility are its spiral staircase and its roof planted with vines. Skylights provide the building with beautiful natural light. The complex includes the company’s offices, a 200-seat auditorium, but also a restaurant and a museum.
Epoch Estate Wines
USA – The challenge for Lake|Flato Architects was to design a production facility that would fit into the York Mountain landscape. They designed an open-air fermentation area for the wine to benefit from the cool nighttime temperatures. The barrel room is illuminated by two oculi (openings made in the roof of the vault). For the record, architect Brian Korte preserved the original sequoia beams and used stone from the original cellar.
Trinchero Napa Valley
USA – In collaboration with local designer Erin Martin, and BAR Architects, the Trinchera family has created a state-of-the-art, design-driven winery. Italian and Californian influences are featured, evoking the history of the family and the region.
Kunjani Wines
South Africa – Its charcoal exterior and red sliding glass windows give this winery a strong modern look. The interiors, done by Haldane Martin, are particularly bold with a laser-cut staircase, wine rack, bright red accents and particularly graphic wallpaper.
Mission Hill Winery
Canada – Tom Kundig is the designer of this gigantic high-rise complex. The buildings are covered with concrete made of planks and surround a central courtyard with a 30 meter high bell tower. The Wine Education Center also features a tapestry by Marc Chagall and houses a small theater.
Bodegas Ysios
Spain – Bodegas Ysios was designed by Santiago Calatrava and completed in 2001 with an undulating roof made of aluminum and cedar, recalling the mountainous landscape. Its name is a tribute to Isis and Osiris, Egyptian deities closely linked to the world of wine.
Rocca di Frassinello
Italy – Designed by Pritzker Prize winner Renzo Piano, the Tuscan winery Rocca di Frassinello opened in 2007. The winery combines traditional Tuscan architectural forms with industrial themes. The rectangular tower contains heliostats that reflect light into the building.
Petra Winery
Italy – Located near the Tuscan village of Suvereto, Swiss architect Mario Botta designed the facility. It features some of the architect’s classics: a cylindrical core and a green roof. The building remains rooted in the region, with an exterior clad in pink Verona stone.
L’And Vineyards
Portugal – The beautiful And Vineyards was designed and completed in 2011 by Promontorio. The exterior is a crisp white, taking inspiration from the many whitewashed buildings in the area. Ten suites feature retractable ceilings, providing guests with the opportunity to relax in the area’s starry nights.
Marqués de Riscal
Spain – Frank Gehry was in charge of creating the structure that serves as the center of the city of wine and vineyards Marqués de Riscal. The titanium exterior in pink hues evokes a ribbon surrounding a gift. The complex also houses a hotel, a restaurant and a Caudalie spa.
Fournier Winery
Argentina – Designed by Bormida & Yanzon, the structure is made of concrete, glass and stainless steel offering a striking relief in a spectacular landscape.
Clos Pegase Winery
USA – This project was the subject of an architectural competition overseen by the San Francisco Museum of Art, and Michael Graves was the eventual winner. The structure is supposed to be reminiscent of the agrarian buildings of southern Europe, controlling and filtering the sunlight. The impressive collection of modern art by Jan Shrem will also be on display.
Bodegas Portia
Spain – Located in one of Spain’s leading wine regions, Bodegas Portia was designed by Foster + Partners and opened in 2010. In addition to many modern design elements (Cor-ten steel exterior walls, solar panel roofs), the structure integrates an old-fashioned, gravity-driven winemaking system: during harvest, the grapes are placed on the roof, where they are processed and crushed, so that the juice can then be poured into the containers below.
Opus One
USA – Opus One was designed by Scott Johnson and completed in 1991. The structure combines elements of traditional European architecture with a clean, new world aesthetic.
Lapostolle Clos Apalta
Chile – In 1994, Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle and her husband, Cyril de Bournet, began growing grapes and making wine in Chile‘s Colchagua Valley. 10 years later, they completed the construction of a centerpiece on a hill overlooking their estate. Designed by Amercanda Architects, the structure is composed of wood, glass and steel on 6 levels. It looks a bit like a bird’s nest sitting on the side of a mountain.
López de Heredia
Spain – To celebrate its 125th anniversary, the R. Lopéz de Heredia estate hired Pritzker Prize winner Zaha Hadid. The architect created a white triangular structure, which serves as a “bridge between the past, the present, and the future evolution of its famous wineries.”
Vik
Chile – The building in the center of the property was designed by Similjan Radic. A large pool holds the water used to cool the lower levels. The pool is crisscrossed with concrete paths and decorated with boulders.
Château Cheval Blanc
France – For the design of this installation, Christian de Portzamparc was inspired by the concrete fermentation tanks used by the winemaker and created a structure topped by a white concrete canopy. The wave-shaped roof resembles a curvilinear sculpture perched atop the beautiful surrounding vineyards.
Here are some of the most beautiful vineyards in the world. If others have particularly impressed you, feel free to tell us in comments!
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