Wine By Design

Wine DesignSecond Edition

by

This edition first published 2010© 2010 John Wiley & Sons Ltd

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Executive Commissioning Editor: Helen CastleProject Editor: Miriam SwiftPublishing Assistant: Calver LezamaContent Editor: Françoise Vaslin

ISBN 978-0-470-72141-4 Cover design, page design and layouts by Spazio8Printed in China by Everbest

Sean Stanwick Loraine Fowlow

Wine DesignSecond Edition

by

ContentsAcknowledgements 7

Preface 8

Introduction 10

Branding The Vine 28

Introduction 30

Adega Mayor, Portugal by Álvaro Siza 32

Marqués de Riscal, Spain by Gehry Partners, LLP 38

Bodegas Ysios, Spain by Santiago Calatrava 42

Bodegas Julián Chivite, Spain by Rafael Moneo

Architect 46

Clos Pegase, USA by Michael Graves & Associates 50

Dominus, USA by Herzog & de Meuron 56

López de Heredia Viña Tondonia, Spain by Zaha

Hadid Architects 60

Petra, Italy by Mario Botta Architect 66

Le Clos Jordanne, Canada by Gehry Partners, LLP 70

new VinTages 74

Introduction 76

Rocca di Frassinello, Italy by Renzo Piano Building Workshop 78

Bodegas Darien, Spain by Jesús Marino Pascual 82

Winery Esterházy, Austria by Pichler & Traupmann Architekten ZT

GmbH with Anton Mayerhofer Architekt 90

Vignaioli Contrà Soarda, Italy by Henry Zilio 94

Feudi di San Gregorio, Italy Hikaru Mori Architect and Massimo and

Lella Vignelli Interior Designers 98

Disznókö, Hungary by Ekler Architect 106

Loimer, Austria by Andreas Burghardt Architect 110

Bodega Otazu, Spain by Jaime Gaztelu Quijano Architect 116

Bodegas Juan Alcorta, Spain by Ignacio Quemada Architect 120

Cantina Rotari (MezzaCorona), Italy by Alberto Cecchetto Architect 124

Weingut Leo Hillinger, Austria by Gerda and Andreas Gerner

Architect 130

Alois Lageder, Italy by Abram & Schnabl Architects 136

Young Terroir 140

Introduction 142

Mission Hill, Canada by Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen 144

Novelty Hill and Januik, USA by Mithun Architects 150

Fielding Estate Winery, Canada by Superkül inc |

architect 158

Evelyn County Estate, Australia by Philip Harmer

Architects 166

Peregrine, New Zealand by Architecture Workshop 172

Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate, Canada by Kuwabara Payne

McKenna Blumberg Architects (KPMB) 178

Viña Pérez Cruz, Chile by José Cruz Ovalle Architects 184

Opus One, USA by Johnson Fain 190

Byron, USA by Johnson Fain 196

Quintessa, USA by Walker Warner Architects 202

Roshambo, USA by Jacques Ullman Architects 206

BeYond The VineYard 210

Introduction 212

Loisium Visitors’ Centre, Austria by Steven Holl Architects 214

The White Tower Restaurant, United Kingdom by Elumin8 /

Speirs and Major Associates 218

Prince Wine Store, Australia by Chris Connell Interiors 222

Wineries and Architects Listings 228

Further Reading 230

Above, from right to left:

Feudi: At Feudi di San Gregorio, every interior detail, from furniture to silverware was overseen by the design team. The overall effect is both polished and glamorous Feudi: Bright red loungers beside a crackling fireplace, tan marble floors and white ceilings with soft, indirect light help set the overall moodFielding Estate Winery: For the owners of Canada’s Fielding Estate, the appreciation for the rustic lodge in the woods is so ingrained that they will readily admit it’s an important part of defining who they are

Key: t=top, b=below, c= centre, l=left, r=right

Cover: © Peter A. Sellar / Klik

pp 1, 132–39, 194 & 212–17 © Trevor Mein, Meinphoto; pp 2–3, 79–81, 154–157 & 218–21 ©

Roland Halbe; pp 4(c), 30–33, 92, 94 & 96–97 courtesy of Allied Domecq World Wines®; p 9

Alexander Lowry / Photo Researchers, Inc; pp 10, 56–61, 124, 140–42, 143(r), 144(t), 145(b),

146 & 147(t) © Patrick Reynolds; pp 12–13, 14(t), 16, 20 & 23 courtesy of Petra Winery; p

14(b) Caroline Houlden/Royal Horticultural Society; p 15 © Loraine Fowlow; p 18 courtesy

of Stephen Dominick; p 24–29, 62–63, 64(t+c) & 65(bl) © Gehry Partners, LLP; pp 34–37, 93

& 95 © Duccio Malagamba; pp 38–42 & 43(t) © William Taylor; p 43(b) © Michael Graves &

Associates; pp 44–47 © Margherita Spillutini; pp 52–55 courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects;

pp 64(b) 65(tr+cr+br) Courtesy of Yolles Structural Engineers; pp 66–67 & 106–13 courtesy

of Leo Hillinger Winery; pp 69 & 98–105 courtesy of Cantina Rotari Winery, NOSIO Spa;

pp 70–77 courtesy of Ekler Architect; pp 82–87 © Andreas Burghardt; pp 88–91 courtesy of

Jaime Gaztelu Architect; pp 120–23 courtesy of Alois Lageder Winery; pp 143(l), 144(b), 145(t),

147(c+b) courtesy of Architecture Workshop; pp 148, 149, 150(c+b), 151(l), 152 & 153(t) ©

Peter A. Sellar / Klik; pp 150(t), 151(r) & 153(b) courtesy of KPMB Architects; pp 158–9, 160(b),

161(r), 162(t) & 163(tl+b) © Johnson Fain: Photos by Tim Street-Porter; p 160(t) © Mark Defeo

Heliphotos; pp 161(l), 162(c) & 163(tr) © Johnson Fain; p 162(b) © Johnson Fain: Photo by

Charles Callister Jr.; pp 167(b) & 168(t) © Johnson Fain; pp 164-166, 167(r), 168(b) & 169 ©

Johnson Fain: Photos by Erhard Pfeiffer; pp 174, 175, 178 & 179(t) © Richard Barnes; p 176 ©

Mark Defeo Heliphotos; pp 177 & 179(b) courtesy of Walker Warner Architects; pp 180, 181,

182(tl+tr+b) & 183 © Roshambo Winery: John Sutton Photography; p 182(c) © Roshambo

Winery: Ed Aiora Photography; pp 197 & 208–10 © Chris Gascoigne; pp 198–201 Photos by

Robert Alexander Herbst; p 206(b) courtesy of Giner + Wucherer Architects; p 211 courtesy of

Richard Kirk, Elumin8; p 224 PhotoDisc, Inc./Getty Images

Executive Commissioning Editor: Helen Castle

Development Editor: Mariangela Palazzi-Williams

Design and Editorial Management: Famida Rasheed

Publishing Assistant: Louise Porter

To my beautiful wife Jennifer Flores and to my supportive mother Dianna Stanwick. All my thanks.

For Sara, Dave and Mom, forever. L F

Photo Credits

AcknowledgementsWe would like to acknowledge and thank the following for assistance with this book:

Helen Castle for her enthusiastic support for this project from the outset, and always

gentle editing; Steve Denyer and Jamie Patriquin for invaluable research assistance;

Raphael Neurohr for quick and helpful translation work; Jane Holland at Lewis Carroll

Communications; Tye and George Farrow of Farrow Partnership Architects (Toronto), for

their professional support and enthusiasm; and a huge thanks to Jennifer Flores, for her

fluid words on Roshambo and for championing the project coordination effort. Special

thanks to Don Triggs, President and CEO of Vincor International for his warm hospitality

and generous contributions. Lastly, many thanks to Maggie Toy for getting it all started in

the first place and to Mariangela Palazzi-Williams for her dedication to the project.

We would also like to thank all the wineries, architects, designers and photographers from

around the world for graciously providing their time, effort, drawings and photographs,

without which this book would never have become a reality.

8 WINE BY DESIGN

9

PrefaceThis book has its origins, literally, in a vineyard. While attending the unveiling on the site

of the new Frank Gehry-designed winery in the Ontario countryside, it occurred to us

that this combination of great architect with fine wine would make for a wonderful book.

There was something so delicious about visually consuming fabulous architecture while

actually tasting great wine that we thought others would enjoy this conjunction too.

Therefore, this book is about architecture and wine, but it is also about the people who

make and share their precious product. Wine has long had a close relationship with the

buildings that housed its production, but now there is a new relationship developing.

Forged by entrepreneurial vintners with an eye both to a new vision of the role wine

plays in society and culture, and to the booming growth of wine tourism, these canny

business people are reshaping how we experience wineries. Wine and tourism are now

becoming inextricably linked as wine clubs, foodie magazines and the wine tour explode

in popularity. Many of these vintners are hiring international superstar architects such as

Frank Gehry, Rafael Moneo and Santiago Calatrava to design their wineries. Why?

Some of the reasons behind this question are addressed in this book, as are the issues

of commerce and art, economics and design. Also discussed is the offspring of this

conjunction of wine and tourism: the themed wine destination. Consumers are now

able to feed their desire for all things wine far beyond the vineyard, in venues that are

increasingly departing from the traditional notions of retail.

Quite simply, wine has never tasted, and looked, so good.

PREFACE

Opposite:

Adega Mayor:There is a poetic simplicity throughout the winery, even in the production and fermenting cellars with their simple stripped concrete walls and floors

10 WINE BY DESIGN

11INTRODUCTION

Introduction The first edition of Wine by Design, published in 2005, charted the development

and growth of the phenomenon of wine tourism. Since then the industry has seen

new developments in terms of the winery experience, not least the construction

of new signature buildings to promote brand identity and provide the wine tourist

with architecture as memorable as the vintages and their vineyards. And the

experience has been further enhanced: select wineries now offer guests luxurious

hotel accommodation and the chance to visit their customised spa.

Since the earliest days of wine-making, the physical winery has consisted of

processing and storage areas, particularly in the French wineries where tradition

and provenance have lasted for centuries. In many wineries this has not changed.

What has changed, however, is the expansion of these facilities to include, embrace,

and actually lure the visitor.

The Wine Tourist

There is a revolution currently under way in the world of wine as both established

and new wineries discover the dual marketing advantage of coupling exquisite,

brand-name designer architecture with the winery tour. The role of tourism in the

wine industry is rapidly growing as both the casual tourist and the organised groups

of wine connoisseurs increasingly seek out these new wineries. Tourism is now

such a large factor in winery design that the locations for new wineries are often

chosen as much for adjacency to other tourist attractions as for the quality of the

soil and growing conditions. Just as the experience of a meal is enhanced by a rare

vintage, so the contemporary winery is designed as much for the winery tour as

for wine production itself – wineries such as Le Clos Jordanne by Frank Gehry

have intentionally factored in the tour as a design consideration. In addition, the

dual tourism appeal of a Gehry building in close driving distance to Niagara Falls

guarantees that this winery will be a magnet for visitors.

Opposite, from top to bottom, left to right:

Adega Mayor:At night, the poetic simplicity of this volume is immediately appreciated

Fielding Estate Winery:Exposed cedar captures the comfortable feel of a summer cottage while the running bands of windows expose the winery operations for all to see

Jackson-Triggs Niagara EstateOverlooking the vines, the winery with its great hall is a sensitive progeny of a strong Canadian regionalism with every detail inspired by the traditional farm buildings of the area

Feudi di San GregorioThe wonderful Asian style terraced gardens are abundantly stocked with typical Mediterranean aromatic plants, old vines, ancient rose bushes and century-old olive trees

12 WINE BY DESIGN

One very physical manifestation of the growth of wine’s popularity is seen in the

increasing inclusion of wineries on the tourist’s itinerary. For example, Ontario,

Canada actively promotes its annual ‘summer wine tour’ through the Niagara region,

with stops at Jackson-Triggs and Le Clos Jordanne. Wine clubs are organising tours

for their members throughout the winemaking world, taking wine connoisseurship

to the level of pilgrimage.

In addition to visiting wineries, for the growing number of wine tourists a new

form of architecture is springing up, one entirely devoted to wine. For example,

the Loisium in Austria offers visitors the opportunity to learn about wine while

sampling wine products. A cross between a museum, tasting bar and retail outlet,

this new hybrid typology extends the experience of wine beyond the winery itself.

Devoted to the appreciation of all things wine, these new facilities are expanding

the horizons of how we consume this ancient beverage.

A logical extension of the wine tourism phenomenon is the winery hotel

and, increasingly, the associated spa. No longer merely offering comfortable

accommodation to visitors touring within a wine district, these new winery resorts

feature a complete package of deluxe accommodation, spa and even conference

facilities. Although there is a growing number of these extraordinary resorts, pre-

eminent among them has to be the hotel and spa at the Marqués de Riscal winery

in Elciego, Spain, designed by architect Frank Gehry.

The Ciudad del Vino (City of Wine) is a complex encompassing the oldest winery in

the Rioja, the original 1858 Marqués de Riscal, as well as the new hotel, spa, restaurant,

meeting and conference centre and banqueting hall. Operated by Starwood Hotels

& Resorts Group’s prestigious Luxury Collection brand, the Riscal hotel can be

described as a 21st-century château with a twist – quite literally, since the design

of the building showcases Gehry’s trademark swoops and curves. The winery is

also promoted as ‘a world full of living sensations’, for this is what wine tourism is

really all about: the sensual experience. Affording as full-bodied an experience as

the wine itself, the Riscal Ciudad provides guests with the opportunity to immerse

themeselves in experiences designed for, and devoted to, the senses. From the

beautifully appointed rooms to the serenity of the spa, to the delectable creations

of a Michelin-starred chef, it is the senses that are catered for in this city of wine.

Another sensory adventure can be found in the quiet countryside of the Lengenlois

region in Austria. Designed by architect Steven Holl as part of his scheme for the

Loisium Visitors’ Centre, the Wine & Spa Resort Hotel integrates the exploration

of wine in the centre with a destination designed to provide the ultimate in

pampering of body and palate. As both architectural and metaphoric counterpoint

to the Visitors’ Centre, the hotel and spa give guests the opportunity for leisurely

enjoyment in an environment dedicated to sensory pleasures.


Loisium Wine & Spa Resort HotelPart of the complete package of luxe accommodation and spa, the pool offers guests the opportunity for the leisurely enjoyment derived from an environment devoted to sensorial gifts

Loisium Wine & Spa Resort HotelDesigned by architect Steven Holl as par t of his scheme for the Loisium Visitors’ Centre, the Wine & Spa Resort Hotel integrates the exploration of wine in the Centre with the indulgence afforded by a destination designed for the experience of Dionysian ideals

Marqués de Riscal Hotel The Caudalie Vinothérapie spa at the Marques de Riscal Hotel offers visitors vinotherapy treatments that utilize the powerful antioxidant qualities found in grapes, their seeds, and vines

13

14 WINE BY DESIGN

In addition to catering to tourists, both the Marqués de Riscal and the Loisium

present themselves as unique settings for conferences, meetings and banquets, the

provision of the winery environment for business gatherings being yet another

development in the range of wine tourism attractions. In the competitive world

of business accommodation, the winery conference centre provides a relaxed

backdrop designed primarily for pleasure, yet inherently suited to more serious

pursuits by virtue of its facilities. First rate dining, seamless service and beautifully

designed architecture combine to provide a highly competitive alternative to the

usual conference and meeting venues. This new business direction is an emerging

aspect to winery design with enormous potential, particularly for wineries close

to city centres, such as the Loisium, which is near Vienna. The savvy entrepreneurs

behind Loisium have also entered the lucrative market for children’s birthday

parties, an international growth industry, as parents vie with one another to give

their offspring ever more unusual party experiences.

Another interesting new angle on the wine tourism phenomenon is the wine spa,

which uses real wine as part of its treatments, taking a logical step further the

wine-is-good-for-you philosophy now validated by medical studies of the health

benefits of red wine. It is well known that grapes, their seeds and vines are powerful

antioxidants, and all are now being incorporated into this new venture in the global

spa industry: vinotherapy. Today it is rare to find a spa that does not feature some

form of vinotherapy. Originating with skin treatments developed in France in the

early 1990s by Mathilde Thomas of Caudalie Vinothérapie, vinotherapy also forms

the basis for entire spas, such as Les Sources de Caudalie. With its luxury branding it

is hardly surprising that the Marqués de Riscal Hotel spa is a Caudalie Vinothérapie.

The trend is also spreading through hotels in wine country in the US, such as the

Kenwood Inn and Spa in the Sonoma Valley. Wine tourists can enjoy a soothing vine

bath after a day of wine tastings, often in a tub shaped like an oak barrel. A day that

begins and ends with the yield of a wine barrel is indeed a day of leisure and escape.

Culture and Wine

The production of wine dates back thousands of years and has always required a

close relationship between humans and the environment. In A Short History of Wine,

Rod Phillips states that, ‘the journey that wine made from the vine to the glass ...

has always been one in which humans and the environment have collaborated’1.

As the grape is a product of the land, the qualities of the wine have always been

inextricably linked with the earth itself. The notion of ‘terroir’ in the winemaking

industry pairs the characteristics of the land with the specific traits of the wine

produced, and now, increasingly, with the architecture.

But the history of wine is also the history of human culture. Whether wine was

Above: Loisium Wine & Spa Resort Hotel Designed by architect Steven Holl as par t of his scheme for the Loisium Visitors’ Centre, the Wine & Spa Resort Hotel integrates the exploration of wine in the Centre with the indulgence afforded by a destination designed for the experience of Dionysian ideals

15INTRODUCTION

viewed as a gift from God or the work of Satan, its consumption has always mirrored

the cultural mores of the society that produced it. Wine has played a prominent

role in numerous societies – in religious ritual and daily diet, as political symbol,

economic driver, even medical treatment, and much else, all of which directly reflect

the cultural and social ideas of their time.

So, what does the consumption of wine tell us about ourselves now?

The Age of Lifestyle

Today a convergence of influences is resulting in an unprecedented interest in

lifestyle and quality of life, including an interest in all things wine. The manifestations

of these influences include the cocktail culture; the proliferation of lifestyle

magazines and television shows; the ease and growth of travel, and the Slow

Movement. It is the Slow Movement that perhaps best illustrates the reasons

behind this surge of enthusiasm around life-style. In his book, In Praise of Slow, Carl

Honor states that, ‘Fast and Slow do more than just describe a rate of change.

They are shorthand for ways of being, or philosophies of life’.2 In this fast-paced

digital age, more and more people feel a desire for balance in their lives. There

is a recognition that quality of life is important, as well as quantity, and with this

comes the interest in, and demand for, lifestyle choices. And one of those choices

is wine. Wine tours and tasting both at home and at specialty stores and events,

is rapidly becoming a growth area driven by a design-conscious, mobile public

increasingly focused on life-style and environment. In this context, the UK’s Wine

Tower at London’s White Tower Restaurant has been specifically tailored to the

culture of mobility and the jet-set.

With the growth of interest in novel travel destinations and increased accessibility

thanks to competitive air travel costs, the average tourist is now looking beyond

the traditional sun and sand holiday package. There is a new breed of tourist

exploring lifestyle travel. Meanwhile, popular media such as films contribute to

public awareness of unusual destinations. The 2005 film Sideways, which saw a

group of 30-somethings working through relationship issues in California’s

wine country, has ‘uncorked a tourism swell in the Santa Ynez Valley’.3 Local

tour operators offered customised tours based on locales shown in the film,

and visitors purchased Sideways T-shir ts with their bottles of wine. In addition,

the film’s official website had a link to the Sideways Wine Club, which offered a

catalogue of related wines available to order.

Traditional European and North American interests in wine and art are also

expanding to encompass a new generation with both the interest and, financial

wherewithal to embrace wine connoisseurship. Both the number and membership

Below: The White TowerWith brand-name designers such as Philippe Starck and Karim Rashid rapidly being called upon to design über-lounges for the newly chic, it’s no surprise that the latest incarnation of the trendy airport lounge is the Wine Tower, a 13-metre-high shimmering obelisk dedicated entirely to wine

16 WINE BY DESIGN

17INTRODUCTION

of wine clubs have grown exponentially in recent years. Hundreds of food and

drink publications now exist worldwide, and innumerable websites are devoted

to wine information and discussion groups. A further indication of the growth

of public interest in wine has been the Wine Idol competition launched by the

Australian wine company Hardys. In conjunction with the TV channel UK Food,

Wine Idol looked for the next TV wine celebrity. Other television shows, such as

Jancis Robinson’s Wine Course in the UK, have both fed and fostered the growing

interest in all things wine. Interest in wine and vineyards even extended into

the realm of floral design: at the 2005 Chelsea Flower Show, designer Kate Frey

designed the Fetzer Wine Garden, her inspiration the diversified and sustainable

agricultural system of Fetzer’s Vineyards in the area surrounding Mendocino

County, California.4

The Culture of Celebrity

The cult of celebrity is an inescapable and undeniable aspect of contemporary

Western culture. While this is not a new phenomenon historically speaking, of

course, what is new is the multiplicity of media formats that ensure global identity

and exposure of celebrities and their antics in the blink of an eye. Celebrities are

now such a part of most Western lives that we think nothing of buying their salad

dressing, listening to and acting on their political opinions, copying their fashion

sense, and naming our children after them. It should come as no surprise, then, that

we are now also buying their wine. The scope of the relatively new phenomenon

of celebrity wine runs the gamut from simply using a celebrity’s name and likeness

on the label, to wineries that are actually owned and run by celebrities.

Celebrity Cellars, based in California’s Sonoma County and Los Angeles, ‘bottles

the most recognizable names and faces in the world’.5 These include Barbra

Streisand, Celine Dion, KISS, Madonna, and the Rolling Stones. Elvis is also now

swilling wine: for US$12 a bottle you can enjoy Jailhouse Red Merlot or Blue

Suede Chardonnay. Licensed with Elvis Presley Enterprises, Graceland Cellars is

producing the Elvis line of wines in Napa Valley, California. Another celebrity-

endorsed California vino undertaking is Marilyn Wines, begun in 1983 as the

playful venture of a small group of friends. Marilyn Merlot was the result, and other

offerings from the winery now include Marilyn Cabernet, Norma Jeane wines, and

the Velvet Collection. The winery has an exclusive agreement with Ms Monroe’s

estate, and royalties paid to her estate from the wine sales help support a special

child treatment centre.

In addition to the label-thin use of celebrity to market wine, however, there is

now a long list of celebrities who are actually making wine, many of whom do not

stamp their name on either label or winery. Included on this list are: Sam Neill


Enie Els

Novelty Hill and JanuikThe crushed glass fire pit is embedded into a solid slab of basalt, which doubles as an outdoor tasting bar and Zen-like gathering spot on warm summer evenings

Feudi di San GregorioOver 650 feet in length, the concrete cellar holds more than 6,000 French oak barrels for ageing reds, along with several Austrian oak vats for select whites

Above: Francis Ford Coppola signing a bottle from Rubicon EstatePerhaps the godfather of all celebrity wine, is that produced from Rubicon Estate in California, owned and operated by Francis Ford Coppola

18 WINE BY DESIGN

(Two Paddocks, New Zealand), Olivia Newton-John (Koala Blue Wines, Australia),

the Smothers Brothers (Remick Ridge Vineyards, California), Mick Hucknall of

Simply Red (Il Cantante, Sicily), Gérard Depardieu (Château de Tigné, France) and

Sir Cliff Richard (Cortes de Cima, Portugal).

Perhaps the godfather of all celebrity wines, however, to use a well worn but in this

case tongue-in-cheek expression, is that produced by California’s Rubicon Estate,

a winery owned and operated by Francis Ford Coppola. Originally the Niebaum

estate in Napa Valley, where the winery was founded in 1840, the property was

acquired by Coppola in 1975 as a summer home where he could pursue his

winemaking hobby. After more than 20 years producing critically acclaimed wines,

the winery was renamed Rubicon Estate after all the original vineyards of the

estate were reunited and in honour of their flagship wine.

But a sure sign that celebrity wine has come of age occurred in 2007 when

lifestyle guru Martha Stewart entered into partnership with E & J Gallo to produce

Martha Stewart Vintage. A long-time friend and advertiser in Stewart’s magazines,

Gallo Wines has put Stewart’s name on three of their wines. A shared passion

for food, drink and entertaining led to this ‘natural outgrowth of their friendship’. 6

The Housing of Wine

Architecture has in the past taken a back seat in winemaking. Buildings were

designed and used to house the process of creating wine and, often, the

winemakers themselves. Quietly set within the countryside, whether in Italy or

Portugal, wineries simply produced wine. It was the winemaking itself and, of

course, the wine that predominated. In recent years, however, these roles have

been changing dramatically.

Viticulture has historically been an agricultural pursuit, part of the work of a farm

or monastery. The process of making wine was undertaken in simple vernacular

structures, which were not purpose-built, but were most likely to be sheds, barns

and cellars. The first château specifically built for winemaking is believed to be the

Château Haut-Brion at Pessac, completed in 1525. Cultural and economic forces

in late 18th-century Bordeaux in France led to the use of the name ‘château’ in

the designation of wines, resulting in the first association between winemaking

and the buildings related to the estate. This early form of branding was utilised to

identify particular wines as products of the aristocracy, as distinct from the mass

of simple wine producers. So popular and successful was this strategy that the use

of ‘château’ in the naming of wines spread well beyond the Bordeaux region, into

the Loire, the Midi and eventually to Australia, Canada and elsewhere. As wine

production and public interest grew dramatically in the latter part of the 20th


Feudi di San GregorioThe wonderful Asian style terraced gardens are abundantly stocked with typical Mediterranean aromatic plants, old vines, ancient rose bushes and century-old olive trees

EsterházyBuilt amid recently created vineyards on the outskirts of Trausdorf, the new Esterházy Winery is within view of its historic ancestor, the Schloss Esterházy in Eisenstadt

Mission HillPassing through an allée of trees and a perfumed rose garden, the senses are overwhelmed and there is little doubt that something unique awaits within

López de HerediaInside, visitors and bottles contrast comfortably against gloss white furniture, polished stainless steel and an array of colourful bottles of aged Bordeaux

19

20 WINE BY DESIGN

21

century, so too did interest in the buildings that housed the wine.

The public identity of vintners is taking on a higher profile as interest in wine

grows and, with it, interest in the buildings themselves. Many contemporary

wineries are using new designs by top architects such as Herzog & de Meuron,

Zaha Hadid and Frank Gehry to stamp their brand on the international

market. In the world of winemaking, this marks a shift in attitudes between the

Old World and the New. ‘Architecture is an arena where a culture’s attitudes

toward past and future play out in concrete forms.’7 Vintners understand,

now more than ever, that they must invest in the culture of their product

and respond not only to the palette of the senses, but also to our aesthetic

palette by promoting the space of wine; a place of ambience, of life-style, of

architecture.

Brand and Identity

The direct association between the making of wine and the buildings that house

it goes back to the late 18th century, when winemakers in the Bordeaux region of

France began using the word ‘château’ on their labels. Today, the representation of

the winery through label design has progressed beyond merely using the name,

to using the image itself. An example of this practice is the Disnókö Winery in

Hungary, which proudly displays imagery of the winery complex on many of their

bottles.

The significance of branding for the wine industry is increasingly related to the

sales of the product. As wine sales move out from specialty retail outlets and into

supermarkets in many parts of the world, the ability of the consumer to identify

wine choices is challenged. One solution is to improve the readability of the

brand and wine producers who are new to the market are increasingly looking to

architecture as a form of branding for their products.

We live in an age of the brand-conscious consumer, whether we’re looking at

the brand of jeans, car, toaster or even hotel. Stamping a brand is a means of

claiming an identity. Consumers choose the brand that most closely matches their

own values and ideals, and today the consumer can be a museum or university

just as easily as an individual. We are seeing public and private institutions and

corporations utilising the design of their buildings to forge their identities. This is

the age of the star architect, who produces a product that represents the ultimate

in branding exercise: the signature building. This is not architecture as fashion so

much as architecture as identity. It is also architecture as tourism magnet, now

known as the ‘Bilbao effect’, after the tremendous success of the Frank Gehry-

designed Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.


Bodegas DarienPerched atop a small terrace of land overlooking the Ebro River, Darien glows bright white against the rolling green hills of the Rioja wine region

DominusDubbed the ‘stealth winery’ because of the way it simply disappears into the land, Dominus is an abrasive object set within rows of delicate vineyards.On closer examination, though, the boldlyelongated, monolithic volume actually yields an intense combination of emotional and sensorial pleasures

DisnóköSet against the for tified stone wall of the forecourt, the ragwork outer skin of the tractor shed is in total contrast to the warm glow of the skeletal wood trusses inside

Loisium Wine & Spa Resort HotelThis typical guest room displays the luxurious accommodation set within fabulous design is the hallmark of the new breed of winery hotel and spa

INTRODUCTION

22 WINE BY DESIGN

The Business of Wine

The spread of viticulture to the New World brought traditional methods and values

related to wine, but in return the New World is contributing and challenging these

established approaches to winemaking. For centuries wine has been economically

important to many regions in the Old World, some of which are still leading wine

producers, including France, Portugal, Spain and Italy. The export of wine is now

increasingly important outside the traditional Old World, for countries such as the

United States, Australia, Chile, and Canada, as wine consumption rose substantially

in the second part of the 20th century. Within the context of continental Europe,

Rod Phillips writes: ‘To some extent neighbourhood sociability has been replaced

by a more intense sentiment of domesticity, manifested by people increasingly

entertaining in their homes rather than meeting their friends in public places like

cafés ... a sea-change has taken place, not only in the amount of wine consumed in

some important wine-producing countries, but also in the contexts in which it is

consumed.’ 8

Beyond Europe, the consumption of wine has risen, fallen, and risen again due

to cultural and economic factors. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, medical

evidence of the beneficial effects on health of red wine created a spike in US sales

of red wine, which temporarily increased four fold. The average consumption in the

US prior to the Second World War was 2 litres a year, more than 8 litres by the

1980s, and down to about 7 litres a year by the 1990s owing to the fall in demand

due to the imposition of federal taxes.

Australia, which has the highest wine consumption rate per capita in the English-

speaking world, saw consumption rise from 17 litres per year in 1980 to 21 litres

in 1987, only to decline to 19 litres in the early 1990s. Other countries have also

experienced a rise in annual wine consumption, including Japan and the Netherlands.

China is a market gearing up to explode in the wine industry. Fuelled initially by

the government’s switch in 1987 from grain-based liquor to grape-based wine, the

Chinese market for wine is rapidly expanding. The population in China most likely

to consume wine as a lifestyle choice is the upwardly mobile youth, a demographic

that currently numbers over 300 million. This is more than 10 times the potential

market of the US and many more times that of other Western countries.9 Brand

allegiance is strong in China, as shown by the dominance of Coca-Cola in the soft-

drink market. This vast country is still a virtually untapped market for international

wine producers, if one that is quickly gaining recognition. With a population of 1.3

billion and growing, the potential in China for the wine industry is simply astounding.

Due both to the size of the market and to evolving Chinese tastes that favour

Western style leisure and luxury, there is speculation that China ‘could become


Novelty Hill and JanuikA simple modern space defined by heavy concrete walls, the Novelty Hill tasting area is warmed by cedar beams and natural light

Novelty Hill and JanuikAt Novelty Hill, large overhangs create a delightful shadowplay against the clean concrete walls

Feudi di San GregorioThe library and lounge enhance the rich atmosphere with deep brown Poltrona Frau leather sofas. For those who want to further their wine knowledge, a collection of related publications is also available for browsing

23

24 WINE BY DESIGN

the industry’s next Chile: a fount of quality and affordable wines’.10 The wine

industry in China was worth around $10.5 billion in 2007, but is projected to

grow to approximately $13.7 billion by 2010, with the country set to become

the world’s eighth largest wine consumer by 2012. As the customer base

soars, the Chinese wine industry is working to keep up and expand domestic

production. Currently, there are more than 500 wineries in China, but these

are mostly small, with 70 yielding less than 1,000 tons of grapes per year. In

order to shift the bulk of consumption from imports to domestic product, the

home industry is seeking to capitalise on their own growing market. Changing

life-styles among young urban professionals in China that reflect the por trayal

in the popular media of wine as sophisticated and classy are projected to help

stimulate both Chinese wine consumption and production. That Chinese taste

is turning towards grape-based wine was demonstrated in March 2007 when a

record 23,000 Euros worth of wine and spirits were purchased at Paris’s duty

free shop by a Chinese œnophile.

In the New World, the growth in the 1980s and 1990s of public interest in the

quality of wine affected both scale of production and number of producers. Many

new wineries sprang up in previously untapped geographic regions, such as in

many US states in addition to traditional producer California, in the southern

parts of New Zealand, the Okanagan region of western Canada, and in new areas

of Australia such as Margaret River. The stunning Peregrine Winery showcases

Australia’s national strategy for wine tourism as developed by the Winemakers’

Federation of Australia. As well as the founding of new wineries, the scale of wine

production is shifting as large corporations such as Mondavi purchase established

and successful small and medium-sized wineries. For example, Byron Winery in

California, initially a small independent winery, was bought by Mondavi as a vehicle

for their experimental growing programmes.

A corporate approach to the ownership of wineries is now increasingly common

in both the New and Old Worlds, as newer companies merge or enter into

partnerships with older, established wine-producers.11 An example of this is the

partnership between Ontario-based Vincor International Inc, and Jean-Charles

Boisset, Vice-President of Boisset, La Famille des Grands Vins of Nuits-St.-Georges

France. It was this consortium that hired Frank Gehry to design Le Clos Jordanne

in the Niagara region of eastern Canada.

Increased higher-quality production is due in part to improved mechanisation

among small producers, which was previously economically less viable, and to

better pest control throughout wine-growing regions. Another factor contributing

to superior wine production has been the greater sophistication of technologies

for the clonal selection of vines, which has resulted both in vines of higher quality

and in pest- and virus-resistant varieties.

25

The changing dynamic in the operation of New World wineries also involves a

new approach to the business of housing wine and interacting with the public.

Not reliant on centuries of tradition and provenance, New World growers began

to want wineries designed to foster public interest in winemaking and, of course,

the resulting purchase of wine. Napa Valley in California was at the forefront of this

new approach in the latter decades of the 20th century with wineries such as Clos

Pegase by Michael Graves. In the new Millennium, Australia and New Zealand are

considered the hot-beds of wine tourism, with wineries designed by high-profile

practices such as Harmer Architecture and Architecture Workshop.

Countries and regions in the New World are discovering, and tracking, the fact that

wine and wine tourism are big business. A 2003 Australian study found that 4.9

million international and domestic tourists visited a winery in that year, spending

a total of $4.6 billion during their travels around the country. A reflection of the

boom in the industry is the fact that a large section of the official website of the

Wine Federation of Australia is devoted to wine tourism. It states that ‘wine tourism

has been identified by virtually every state and territory tourism organisation as

an important element of the range of experiences being sought by the visitors of

today. Tourists are looking for a more participatory style of holiday experience, one

that offers them the opportunity to do more than just be a spectator, and high

quality winery visitation can offer these sorts of experiences.’

Even small wine producing areas such as the US Missouri River Valley are benefiting

from the surge in wine tourism: with 52 wineries statewide, more than 1.5 million

visitors are drawn to the area, spending approximately US $26 million on tourism

and wine. Larger US wine producing areas such as Sonoma County now top US

$1 billion in tourism spending, ranking the industry in the same economic league as

retail, health-care and high-tech. Even South America is embracing eno-tourism: the

Mendoza region of Argentina saw a 35 per cent rise in tourist numbers between

2003 and 2005, with guided tours by oenologists hired by the country’s travel

agencies and which feature demonstration polo matches and tango shows in

addition to traditional wine tastings.

Nor are innovative developments restricted to the New World. Architects such as

Calatrava, Moneo and Gehry are designing new bodegas in Spain and characteristic

of these new wineries is visitor access to several stages of the winemaking process.

The process itself is still closely guarded by vintners, however – although public

access is encouraged, it is nonetheless limited. While the traditional winery tour in

the Old World may have consisted of a walk in the vineyard, today’s visit to a winery

in both Old and New Worlds includes the melding of wine and design.

The relationship between wine and architecture is clearly being forged in new

directions, with benefits surely to come for both industries.

INTRODUCTION

26 WINE BY DESIGN

The Millennials are Coming

A 2007 Nielsen survey found that ‘the 70 million strong Millennial Generation – 21

to 30 year-olds – is set to become the most influential group in terms of drinks

buying, at the same time as the US is poised to become the top wine buying

nation in terms of dollars by 2010’.12 Almost as large in number as the baby

boomers, this is the next generation significantly to influence market trends, not

only through sheer size, but also through new attitudes. Arguably, this generation has

been raised with more market exposure and consumer choice than any previous

generation in history. Thanks to the marketing of goods through unprecedented

media outlets, which now include advertisements on Facebook as well as those sent

via text messages,13 and their web savviness, the Millennials are a truly international

generation, who ‘believe all of the cool stuff from around the world was made for

them, and that includes wine’.14 Wine clubs (internet-based, of course) devoted to

this group are springing up, and pleasurable and fun tasting and eating are at the

core of their œno-focus. The Young Winos of Los Angeles is such a group, their

irreverence for tradition inherent in their very name, as well as a blog entitled

‘Brown Paper Bag’. Their website proclaims: ‘Edutoxicating Los Angeles Since 2005’.15

According to Patrick Merrill, a San Mateo-based wine market researcher : ‘When it

comes to wine, they drink more, know more, spend more, and enjoy a broader

international selection of wines, on average, than any generation before them’. 16

So, what does all this mean for wineries and their design? Quite simply, it means

a burgeoning consumer base with discriminating and adventurous tastes that is

eager for new experiences. This is, of course, good news both for wine tourism

and for winery design. Here is a target market that is looking for, and appreciates,

the richness and intensity of experience of a winery designed not only for the

production of exquisite wine but also for their visit. Such consumers will seek out

the adventure, and blog about their experiences for an international audience to

share. Such consumers will continue to educate themselves about wine and the

industry, just as they are at the beginning of their earning years. And they are only

30 years old, at most.

Good news, indeed.

The case studies in this book are presented in four different chapters. The first chapter,

‘Branding The Vine’, looks at the growing trend of using brand-name architects to

forge an easily recognised identity for wineries that include Le Clos Jordanne and

Dominus. The second chapter, ‘New Vintages’, explores the innovative architectural

27

Notes1 Rod Phillips, A Short History of Wine, London: Penguin Books, 2000, p xv. 2 Carl Honor, In Praise Of Slow, Toronto: A Knopf, 2004, p 14. 3 Kitty Bean Yancey, “Sideways” Fans Go for Taste of Wine Country’, USA Today. 4 http://www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea/2005/exhibitors/show_gardens/fetzer.asp.5 http://www.celebritycellars.com/about.php.6 ‘Gallo Launches Martha Stewart Range’ (http://www.decanter.com/news/145267.html). 7 T Matthews, ‘Building Bold’, Wine Spectator (electronic journal), 30 June 2003: http://www.

winespectator.com.8 Phillips, A Short History of Wine, p 311. 9 Dr Stephen Reiss, member first US Wine Delegation to the People’s Republic of China.10 ‘China’s Vintners Well Set as Wines Come of Age’ http://www.reuters.com/articlePrint?articulated=US

SP16149220080914.11 Phillips, A Short History of Wine, pp 323–4.12 ‘Wine Gains on Beer as US Youth Drink of Choice’, Decanter.com, 29 November 2007.

http://www.decanter.com/news/164434.html.13 ‘Snafu – First Wine to Text Message Tasting Notes and Food Pairings to Your Phone’,

http://vinoverve.blogspot.com/2007/11/snafu-first-winery-to-text-message.html.14 ‘Young Winos: the Millennial Generation is a Thirsty One’, Los Angeles Times, 12 March 2008.

http://latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-youngwine12mar,0,3257664,print.story.15 http://youngwinosofla.com/?page_id=2.16 Ibid.

INTRODUCTION

approaches being taken in the traditionally Old World of winemaking that are

revitalising the global position of these regions. The third chapter, ‘Young Terroir’,

presents case studies of wineries in the New World that are breaking ground, both

in terms of design and their approach to wine tourism. The final chapter, ‘Beyond

the Vineyard’, takes as its theme the extension of the wine experience outside the

winery and into a new hybrid of viticultural design that combines museum with

wine-tasting bar.

28 WINE BY DESIGN

Branding the Vine

29

Branding the Vine

30 WINE BY DESIGN

The design of the winery has taken an enormous leap into the

realm of branding through the collaboration of vintner and

brand-name architect. The innovative coupling of a recognisable

design identity with the winery itself is producing a new breed of

winery. Born both of love for the industry and canny awareness

of marketing, these wineries are redefining how we experience

winemaking.

To define a brand is to claim an identity, and this is precisely

what these wineries are striving for, and achieving. In a visual

culture, the image of a building is an easy signifier. Embodying

both an individual statement and a broader cultural definition,

the branded building provides owner and public with a mutual

understanding of the product. This is not a superficial exercise;

it is not trend. Rather, it is a sophisticated manifestation of the

understanding that visual communication transcends all others,

par ticularly today. The global truth of this, of course, is evident

in the power of the visual message, communication that goes

beyond language; it is truly international.

It is not only the addition of the world-renowned architect to

the mix; it is also the recognition of the potential for the winery

tour that is breaking ground. Most of the wineries in this chapter

incorporate the tour as an integral par t of the overall design. Le

Branding the Vine

Branding the Vine

31

Clos Jordanne by Prize-winning architect Frank Gehry has been

designed with the entire journey in mind, beginning with the

visitor approaching the site in their car, and culminating with the

tasting of the product underneath his undulating, floating roof.

Likewise, Petra’s design by Swiss architect Mario Botta offers

the visitor an identifiable symbol of the winery from a distance,

signalling the beginning of the tour experience. Arguably the first

by a brand-name architect, Clos Pegase in California designed

by Michael Graves, takes the visitor back to ancient Greece

and the mythical origins of wine itself. Frank Gehry has also

designed the hotel for the Marqués de Riscal winery in Spain,

adding enormous tourist potential to this well-established,

well-regarded winery.

The exception to the phenomenon of tourism-centred design

in this chapter is Dominus in California, designed by another

Prize-winning architectural firm, Herzog & de Meuron. The design

for Dominus has been internationally published, arousing great

interest in architectural circles. Perversely, however, this is one

winery that was not designed for the tour ; it is exclusively private,

much to the disdain of the design equivalent of foodies. Most

will only ever savour this exceptional design within the pages of

a publication. Despite this, however, the winery design has a high

recognition factor due entirely to its architectural provenance.

BRANDING THE VINE

Branding the Vine

previous page: Adega MayorThe winery spreads itself proudly across a raised level plinth and dominates the multicoloured horizon. Set high above the vines and hills which roll away on all sides, the winery seems almost like a guardian to a sacred deity

Above: Adega MayorThe winery spreads itself proudly across a raised level plinth and dominates the multicoloured horizon. Set high above the vines and hills which roll away on all sides, the winery seems almost like a guardian to a sacred deity

32 WINE BY DESIGN

Adega MayorÁlVaro siza

Location: Campo Maior, PortugalCompletion date: 2005

Spain may be in the midst of a massive bodega boom, but Portugal is certainly not content to watch from the sidelines. Some of the world’s most famous architects are using their signature designs to help elevate the global wine brand and the arresting new Adega Mayor winery by architect Álvaro Siza is sure to bring Portugal to the attention of many an international wine tourist.

A wine pavilion or a temple on the hill? Rising above the pristine landscape of the Alentejo Plains, Siza’s long and sleek white washed structure is perhaps a bit of both. Situated on the very edge of Campo Maior, a small town of approximately 8,000 inhabitants in the Alto Alentejo region, it looks out over an area dotted with ancient relics, rich reminders of its Roman past. It seems fitting, then, that this new temple to wine should assume a refined white silhouette in keeping with its historic counterparts.

The undulating plains and rich fertile soil make this some of the best agricultural land in Portugal, with plentiful cork, olive oil and, of course, exquisite Vinhos do Alentejo (Alentejo wines). Operating for the Nabeiro Group, a well established coffee and cork producer in the region, Adega Mayor is designed both as a production facility and as a showpiece for the Mayor wine brand. Mayor intentionally integrated small architectural details and a customised font into their labels: on the centre point of the ‘o’ in Mayor appears a neat allusion to Siza’s signature cork-sealed concrete which is used throughout the winery’s interior.

The winery spreads itself proudly across a raised level plinth and dominates the multicoloured horizon. Set high above the vines and hills which roll away on all sides, the winery seems almost like a guardian to a sacred deity. In this case the deity is the grape and its fruitful bounty. A thin road slices through the rolling hills and granite contours to provide the first clear view of the elongated structure.

Approaching via a gently rising slope, visitors first cross a simple paved plaza. One immediately notices the weight and mass of white-washed brick base, a typical detail in the region. Atop this plinth, the winery rises up on the south-western end to define the public entry. Cantilevered overhangs project out to further enhance the entry court and create dances of light and shadow across the bright-white alabaster skin.

The poetic simplicity of this shape is in sharp contrast to the complexity of interior spaces, where soaring volumes devoted to production and

Opposite: Some of the world’s most famous architects are using their signature designs to help elevate the global wine brand and the arresting new Adega Mayor winery by architect Álvaro Siza is sure to bring Portugal to the attention of many an international wine tourist

Below: Mayor intentionally integrated small architectural details and a customised font into their labels and signage

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Adega MayorHerdade das Argamassas, 7370–171 Campo Maior, Portugal+351 268 699 440www.adegamayor.ptContact wineryBook through website – 11am, 3pm and 5pmStark-white simplicity(7) Seven 2006, Reserva do Comendador 2007Contact wineryOwner Rui NaberoTopaz reflecting pool set within a green roof

ADEGA MAYOR

Address

TelephoneWebsite

Opening hours Tours

Design style Recommended wines & icewines

Tastings / special eventsVintners

Special features

34 WINE BY DESIGN

storage sit side by side with those used for social gatherings, tasting and unalloyed enjoyment of the wine. Inside the details are as crisp, with tan marble floors and white walls softened by warm wood furnishings. In the meeting areas marble and masonry give way to traditional wainscoting and wood flooring. With his unique understanding of the landscape, Siza then masterfully perforates the white walls with horizontal bands of glass and floating mezzanines to frame the views and expose the full splendour of the panorama beyond.

The narrative continues with the ripening of the grapes and their journey through the production areas located in the northern end of the building. Along with a quality control laboratory, the process includes fermentation of Aragonez, Castelão and Verdelho varieties, vinificators, vacuum presses and storage racks.

Opposite: Inside the details are crisp, with tan marble floors and white walls softened by warm wood furnishings

Above: Every detail is considered, including the barrel racks which are reduced to their purest form while single long wooden beams rest on cubic concrete feet

Above: Producing the exquisite Vinhos do Alentejo (Alentejo wines) Adega Mayor is designed both as a production facility and as a showpiece for the Mayor wine brand

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