CARNEROS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
Nestled in the hills of the Carneros Valley, the winery embodies both the traditions and history of wine-making as well as the culture and aesthetics of California. Designed to integrate with the surrounding landscape, the winery houses spaces on two levels, above and below ground. These spaces are able to accommodate both state of the art winemaking and public spaces for wine tasting, private events, and exhibitions.
The building’s design consists of three overlapping seemingly independent structures on the ground level, embedded within a thin operable glass shell. The space between the main structures and the shell serves as a circulation path, allowing the visitors to enjoy the view of the grounds without having to exit the building as well as an extension of the interior spaces. The intention is to mesh public and private spaces and prevent having completely separate buildings, even with the technical requirements that come with the production of wine. Daily visitors are able to roam the grounds and the winery, visit the production areas open to the public, participate in wine tastings, and enjoy the art exhibited in the building. The winery is also able to accommodate private events with its large convertible reception spaces.
The areas dedicated to wine production take advantage of the natural conditions, above and below ground, to ensure absolute control over the production process. The subterranean section of the winery houses some of the essential spaces for wine production with wine cellars where the barrels will age in the best environment possible.
The Carneros Valley Winery celebrates and honors the wine culture and its origins while embracing this modern region, relatively new to this practice.
