Over the past decade, wineries and distilleries have evolved far beyond their traditional role as places of fermentation, ageing, storage and distribution. Today, they are immersive architectural destinations where landscape, materiality and the visitor experience converge in a carefully orchestrated balance of function and aesthetics. Acting as mediators between nature and the built environment, these projects address questions of visibility, topography and sustainability, transforming the production of wine and spirits into a rich spatial experience.
Antinori Winery / Archea Associati
Set amidst the rolling hills of Tuscany's Chianti region, the Antinori Winery stands as a compelling example of how contemporary architecture can exist in complete harmony with the landscape, bringing together the beauty of nature and the precision of human craftsmanship. The project embodies the principles of sustainable design through its sensitive integration into the terrain, significantly reducing its environmental impact.
The architecture is a masterclass in minimalist design adapted to the complex requirements of a working winery. Embedded almost entirely within the hillside, the building reveals only two openings from afar: the entrance at ground level and the rooftop terrace, both appearing as slender horizontal cuts overlooking the surrounding vineyards.
The lower levels accommodate wine production and storage, while the upper floor houses the public programme, including a museum, library, auditorium and tasting rooms. Sustainability informed the project from its inception. Of the estate's 50,000-square-metre complex, only a small portion remains visible above ground, while the planted roof forms a seamless continuation of the vineyard itself.
Photography by Leonardo Finotti, Pietro Savorelli e Associati
www.antinori.it I www.archea.it
Delas Frères Winery / Carl Fredrik Svenstedt Architect
The terraced hills overlooking the French village of Tain-l'Hermitage have been planted with vineyards since Roman times and are renowned for producing some of the Rhône Valley's finest wines. Drawing upon this remarkable heritage, Delas Frères restored an existing winery and manor house, enclosing them within a robotically carved limestone enclosure.
The limestone establishes a direct dialogue with the site, while its porous, thermally inert properties create ideal conditions for wine production. A series of ramps guides visitors through the winemaking process before leading them to the rooftop terrace, where panoramic views unfold across the surrounding landscape.
Natural light enters the visitors' gallery through a continuous skylight, while the undulating stone wall reflects daylight into the barrel cellar, where direct illumination would compromise the ageing process. Designed to invite touch, the façade is constructed from 50-centimetre-thick Estaillade limestone quarried nearby. The building's principal wall—80 metres long and seven metres high—is composed of individually robot-carved stone blocks, significantly reducing material waste. The resulting stone offcuts were repurposed to pave the courtyard.
Photography by Dan Glasser, Sergio Grazia, Carl Fredrik Svenstedt
www.delas.com I www.carlfredriksvenstedt.com
Olarra Winery / IA+B Arkitektura Taldea
This project reimagines the distribution and visitor areas housed within the winery's three storage volumes. The intervention occupies the hexagonal core of the historic industrial building that accommodates Olarra Winery, distinguished by its iconic Y-shaped plan. Exhibition and retail spaces are complemented on the upper level by offices, meeting rooms and a professional tasting room.
The project's objective was to create a contemporary exhibition environment while improving, reorganising and separating the internal circulation routes, allowing each function to operate independently. The new architectural language responds directly to the powerful geometry of the existing structure. By bringing together the exhibition space, shop and wine bar within a single coloured-glass volume—a subtle metaphor for the diversity of the winery's wines—the different functions are clearly articulated while preserving uninterrupted views of the dramatic atrium and the material character of the original building. The result is a thoughtful dialogue between the winery's historic identity and its contemporary transformation, where heritage and innovation coexist in architectural harmony.
Photography by Aitor Ortiz
www.grupobodegasolarra.com I www.iabstudio.com
Words by Monica Ady
Discover the full version of this story in Volume V.