July 19, 2007

Europe | Italy, Tuscany, Spain

Grape Architecture

By Nicole Cotroneo

Welcome to Europe's most spectacular vineyard visions.

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All vintners know good wine needs structure. But a few have now taken the principle beyond the goblet, enlisting world-class architects to build showpiece wineries. The latest enological design is the new Rocca di Frassinello winery, just completed by New York Times Building creator, Renzo Piano. Set in a natural amphitheatre in Tuscany’s Maremma region, the project features a tiered concrete cellar sealed by a glass ceiling and a series of mirrors that flood the lower levels with light. From the “piazza” above, visitors can peer through the window at the barrels below.

Piano’s $14-million wine cellar comes on the heels of a high-profile trio of Spanish wine temples. First off the blocks was Valencia trailblazer, Santiago Calatrava, who erected the curvaceous Bodegas Ysios in Laguardia. Zaha Hadid, the first female Pritzker Prize-winner, has put her contemporary stamp on one of the oldest wineries in La Rioja — her centerpiece to the 130-year-old Lopez de Heredia is a decanter-shaped tasting pavilion. But it’s Frank Gehry’s billowing ribbon of titanium at the nearby Marques de Riscal (pictured) that’s scored the most honors. His “City of Wine” in the heart of the Basque wine country houses a Starwood Luxury Collection hotel and Caudalie vinotherapy spa.