7 Remarkable Design Wineries in Italy: Wine & Architecture

Antinori, one of Tuscany’s most historical and legendary wine estates, embraced modernity by inaugurating its new winery in October 2012. More than a design masterpiece, the center also marked a new era for the 600-plus-year-old wine estate, as its cellar doors opened to the public for the first time. The family wanted to lead by example in embracing wine tourism in Tuscany; located in Bargino in Chianti Classico, the Cantina is a must-see attraction for wine tourists.

Set amongst olive groves, vineyards, and oak trees, and cleverly hidden from view by the Chianti vines, the Cantina blends into Tuscany’s rolling hills, with a uniquely designed earthen roof that lets the vines climb in their natural state to its peak. Moreover, a fantastic museum charts the Antinori family’s course through wine, and an excellent restaurant satisfies even the most critical gourmets. And plenty of opportunities to stock up on delectable wines before you leave!

For generations, Ceretto has produced superlative Barolo and Barbaresco in the hills surrounding Alba in Piedmont. It has stayed true to its origins while welcoming new ideas about how to fully express the Nebbiolo grape. The installation of the ‘Cube’ during their winery expansion is just the latest example of the Ceretto family embracing modernity – a glass structure without a frame that affords panoramic views of the Barolo region in all its glory.

Designed by Turin architects Luca and Marina Deabate, working with Polar Glass, the Cube does not blight or obscure the landscape despite its cutting-edge design. It is simply a glass sculpture attached to a renovated winery, and simplicity is key. It sets the example for modern architecture seamlessly blending into the landscape – in the generally conservative Barolo region, let us hope that others can follow their lead.

Legendary father-daughter duo Vittorio and Francesca Moretti produce fantastic wines in southern Tuscany. Their wines draw strongly on international varieties, particularly the Bordeaux grapes that have become an important part of modern coastal Tuscan winemaking. So it is only fitting that they hired architect Mario Botta to design a winery like no other in the region. With an impressive pedigree that includes designing the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Botta created what has been termed a ‘cathedral winery’, which again blends seamlessly into the Tuscan scenery and has the gravitas and presence of an important religious building.

On approach to the winery, you are instantly struck by the beauty of the design: a central cylindrical form with a vineyard-lined roof and stairs leading up the main building to afford visitors those memorable views. The interior is clean, functional, and attractive, and the slatted roof allows plenty of light to penetrate the winery. But perhaps the most striking feature is the space-age barrel tunnel, dug into the hill, which serves as a wine cellar for the Moretti family—a true icon of winery design.

Another example of Tuscany leading the way in winery architecture, the Rocca di Frassinello winery is a masterpiece of cutting-edge design thoughtfully integrated into an idyllic Tuscan vineyard. Renzo Piano designed this thoroughly modern take on Tuscan winemaking in the coastal region of Maremma in 2007.

The winery was designed to let in as much natural light as possible, so large glass panels are everywhere, with steel structures kept to a minimum. Piano was very much enamored with the color red – a red roof offers visitors a fantastic viewing area perfect for sipping a glass of Frassinello’s gorgeous Super-Tuscan wines in the warmer months. The interior is designed to be as clean and spacious as possible, with the highlight being a sizeable amphitheater-like barrel cellar that holds over 2,000 barrels stacked on each of the four sides above a central stage. A great example of aesthetics and function not being mutually exclusive!

When legendary Barbaresco winemaker Angelo Gaja decided to build a new winery in Castagneto Carducci on the Tuscan coast, he turned to architect Giovanni Bo to design a sophisticated, cutting-edge winemaking center. Despite the winery’s strikingly modern design, it blends seamlessly into the beautiful surrounding landscape.

The winery is mainly underground, with an impressive network of tunnels, rooms, and cellars, creating an art-collection effect rather than a winery. Only one section is visible above ground, with the remaining three sides submerged in the hills. It attests to Bo’s desire to integrate fully into his beloved Tuscan countryside.

Welcome to Italy’s first space-age winery! The Carapace at the Tenuta Castelbuono in Umbria is undoubtedly one of the world’s most outstanding and thoroughly 21st-century winery designs. This semicircular cylindrical building evokes science-fiction films rather than centuries of wine-making in one of Italy’s oldest regions. Commissioned by the Lunelli family, who purchased the Tenuta Castelbuono estate in 2001, Carapace was designed by their close friend Arnaldo Pomodoro, who wanted to merge a modern sculpture reminiscent of a turtle with his beloved Umbrian landscape.

After six years, Pomodoro’s labor of love finally opened in 2012. Surrounded by vineyards in all directions, the dome cellar is an unmissable yet hidden part of the landscape. The interior is astounding, again invoking a futuristic atmosphere with vibrant shapes, colors, and an unorthodox layout. It is a winery you have to see to believe!

Nals Margreid is a wine co-operative in the Alto Adige zone like no other. How many co-operatives would invest in such a landmark winery high up in the Italian Alps? Markus Scherer of Merano designed the winery to make a bold statement about the region. Unlike other projects in Tuscany, for example, it stands proud in the landscape rather than trying to blend in.

Today, 138 wine-growing families who work with the Nals Margreid cellar have invested in a bold, thoroughly modern wine cellar with steel and wood structures well integrated into the main concrete building. It undoubtedly creates an industrial feel that doesn’t feel obstructive to the mountain scenery. Inside, the space feels clean, with industrial design and large, functional business, production, and tasting rooms offering unparalleled views of the gorgeous Alto Adige region.