Bay Area designers are adding their panache to tasting rooms throughout the Twin Valleys and beyond. Here, we sample four wineries with settings just as noteworthy as the vintages.
PHOTO: ADAM ROUSE
Brecon Estate
Paso Robles, California
Reason to go:
A boutique winery surrounded by gnarly vines and majestic oaks, Brecon Estate is worth the three-hour drive south to Paso Robles. Aidlin Darling Design completed the two-phase remodel, overhauling the tasting room and adding a new deck and pedestrian pathway. “The design provides as much outdoor experience as possible, surrounded by vineyard and the native landscape habitat,” says Peter Larsen, a principal at Aidlin Darling Design. “The casual nature of the outdoor terraces makes the guests feel like they’re relaxing on a friend’s deck.”
What you’ll sip:
Brecon offers the oldest plantings of Bordeaux varietals in the area, yet it doesn’t like to be categorized into one genre. “We try to elucidate the best of Paso Robles by only using varietals that can be truly world class in the Central Coast,” says Brecon Estate winemaker Damian Grindley.
PHOTO: COURTESY NICOLE HOLLIS
Hall Wines
St. Helena, California
Reason to go:
Craig Hall and Kathryn Walt Hall of the eponymous luxury winery tapped Signum Architecture and designer Nicole Hollis to revamp the reception building and tasting rooms to reflect their innovative vision. “We were inspired by the owners’ deep appreciation for art and design, so we took our cues from influential artwork such as Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate,” Hollis says. “We created a mirror polished-steel tasting bar that reflects the spectacular view.” Bold details, such as red Ingo Maurer chandeliers, complement the sleek aesthetic.
What you’ll sip:
The Hall Wines portfolio includes three 100-point scores by leading wine critic Robert Parker, and, since its first vintage in 2002, more than 180 of the wines have been rated 90 points and above.
PHOTO: TUBAY YABUT
Trinchero Napa Valley
St. Helena, California
Reason to go:
With more than 45 acclaimed wine and spirits brands, Trinchero Family Estates has come a long way since the family first purchased the abandoned Prohibition-era winery in 1948. Architect Jeff Goodwin of BAR Architects and designer Erin Martin of Erin Martin Design kept that history in mind while imagining the new complex that comprises three buildings stitched together via an outdoor courtyard. “The vision was to incorporate simple architecture while creating casual elegance,” Goodwin says. For the tasting rooms, Martin added furniture and finishes that play to a speakeasy vibe. The result is an exclusive lounge with a tufted bar, a fireplace niche and taxidermy pheasants. “We tried to bring in the family history and to pass that authenticity on to the clientele,” Martin says.
What you’ll sip:
Visitors will try exclusive single-vineyard cabernet sauvignons. Next year marks Trinchero’s 70th anniversary, so expect special events honoring the milestone.
PHOTO: COURTESY SIGNUM ARCHITECTURE
Sinegal Estate
St. Helena, California
Reason to go:
Known historically as the Inglewood Estate, this 30-acre retreat located at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains is one of Napa Valley’s oldest wineries. With a history dating back to 1881, Sinegal turned to Signum Architecture and Katie Martinez Design to showcase the character and depth of the estate. “This is a unique layout for the area as the tasting room is literally inside the fermentation building separated by a pair of 14-foot-tall custom doors made with reclaimed Douglas fir,” says Juancarlos Fernandez, a partner at Signum Architecture.
What you’ll sip:
Sinegal offers four distinct wines: sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and reserve cabernet sauvignon. Later this year, Sinegal will introduce a new wine to the portfolio: the 2015 Howell Mountain cabernet sauvignon.
