St. helena

East meets West with quiet presence in the architecture of this winery, named after an ancient legend from the owners’ Chinese heritage. The hospitality building is built on the footprint of an existing residence and mirrored for the tasting facility next to it. The sheltered terrace invites visitors to enjoy panoramic views, stretching from across the SF Bay area to Mt. Diablo without suffering the hot and windy conditions characteristic of the area. A third building contains production facilities. A basalt plinth wall grounds the structures while banks of clerestory windows separate the roof from the building. Designed to minimize the impact on views from the valley floor, the production facility is sunken, creating direct access to... More

Built in 1885, time and the elements had taken a toll on this historic winery, which was shuttered by Prohibition and then reopened after repeal as a precursor to Napa Valley’s custom crush concept. The owners wanted to bring this treasure back to life as an extension of their new state-of-the art winery. Preserving as much of the historic building as possible, the rest was rebuilt with modern materials and fittings that evoke the original ambiance, while setting the stage for contemporary winery life. Upstairs is now a soaring and open event venue. Walls of tongue and groove Douglas fir are warm and evocative. The original floor was protected during construction and carefully cleaned to retain its patina. The original portal is now an... More

Components: Production + Fermentation, Public Tasting, Private Wine Club Lounge, Viewing Terrace, Kitchen On the valley floor, this building sits between two mountains, drawing tasters from all sides. Upon entry, guests are drawn into a quieter, darker space, close to the winemaking process, and then released back out toward the openness of the valley. The buildings' natural materials: weathering steel, warm concrete, and stone, unite it with the adjacent, historic building. The curtain of transparent, low iron structural glazing is stunning and dynamic. The glass reveals the warm interior materials and reflects the splendor of the landscape. There is a strong link between tasting and production areas. The vines seem... More

Simple and unadorned, this corrugated metal building set atop tall concrete foundation walls creates a striking silhouette. A welcoming, wrap around broad porch shelters from the hot summer sun and winter rains characteristic of Napa Valley. Inside, exposed wooden beams throughout the hospitality areas soften and warm the space, creating a lodge like experience. To avoid the typical white barn form found throughout Napa Valley, we turned to the rustic architectural traditions of western mining communities for inspiration. Steep roofs and tall internal spaces provide barnlike simplicity and facilitate efficient multilevel work. The design uses gravity to move the grapes and juice through the winemaking process from level to level, elimi... More