Full-Bodied Art: Vineyards by Art Lovers

Articles and punny titles are a great combination, but the pairing of art and wine might just be better. Here, we take a look at the stunning wine estates owned by art lovers who just could not bring themselves to decide between the two. Much to our happiness, they realized that one need not be exclusive to the other, and set forth to merge two of life's simplest joy-bringers - art and wine. 

It takes a certain level of orchestration to integrate, in most of these cases, behemoth sculptures within a vineyard. Consider the commissioning of these works, the amount of manpower needed, the excruciating installation processes required. While there are many who would cite themselves as both art collectors as well as wine aficionados, we decided to hone in on those who really love art and wine. Far too often, blue-chip works of art that enter private collections (quite literally) hardly get to see the light of day. For owners of The Donum Estate, Château La Coste and Ca' del Bosco, amongst others, art is displayed proudly, engaged with thoroughly to their surroundings, and accentuated by their rolling landscapes for all to see, as they should be. 

The Artling brings you these following estates that bring together beautiful art with palette-pleasing wines in harmonious marriages, allowing a full-bodied experience for anyone's senses. Take a look at them here: 

 

Donum Estate

Where: Sonoma, California, USA
The wine: The Donum Estate's "ultimate pinot noir project" is based on a Burgundian grand cru model, with the goal of producing the finest pinot noir and chardonnay.
The art: The sculpture collection at Donum is world-class - making it no surprise that they top this list of arty vineyards. Since 2014, Donum owners Allan and Mei Warburg have presented large-scale sculptures throughout their 200-acre vineyard, seamlessly creating an open-air encounter with global art of diverse origins and practices. The estate includes works by Ai Weiwei, Elmgreen & Dragset, Anselm Kiefer, and Yayoi Kusama, to name a few.

Recently, Donum has commissioned a site-specific artwork by artist Doug Aitken, Sonic Mountain (Sonoma), situated within their eucalyptus grove. Like all other sculptures at Donum that have unique relationships with their space, Sonic Mountain (Sonoma) mimics a wind chime, responding to changes in the surrounding environment and creates patterns of sound as wind moves through it.

 

Château La Coste

Where: Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade, Aix-en-Provence, France
The wine: In 2009 Château La Coste’s wines were given the French organic label “AB” in recognition of the respect shown to the land along with the methods used which are in perfect harmony with nature.
The art: Château La Coste not only merges art and wine but also architecture. The Art Centre, designed by renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando, is the welcoming point for visitors. Beyond the Art Centre, the entirety of Château La Coste also features works by Richard Serra, Lee Ufan, Frank Gehry and Tracey Emin, to name a handful. Visitors can experience all these works in Château La Coste’s Art and Architecture walk that takes place every day. You can take a look at the map of the walk here. 

 

Moorilla 

Where: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
The wine: Moorilla’s vineyard sits just one meter above sea level, with steady breezes along the River Derwent facilitating a long ripening process for the vines and greater flavor complexity in the fruit.
The art: Sharing Moorilla’s site is the Museum of Old and New Art, also known as MONA. It is a museum that dedicates itself to - you guessed it - both old and new art. The museum, initiated by Moorilla’s owner David Walsh, showcases his $110m private collection made up of 1,900 works of art and antiquities. 

Here, you’ll be able to see anything from ancient works to contemporary installations in non-chronological order, without museum labels. Instead, you will be given the option of using free headphones and an iPod-like device called the 'O', which has an in-built GPS that senses where its holder is located and displays information about artworks nearby. Notable works in Walsh’s collection include Ryoji Ikeda’s Spectra that is switched on for the winter and summer solstices, James Turrell’s Amarna open during sunrise and sunset, and the museum’s underground galleries with works by Alfredo Jaar, Richard Wilson, and Erwin Wurm. 

 

Mumm Napa 

Where: Napa Valley, California, USA
The wine: Mumm Napa can be traced back to GH Mumm, a leading International champagne brand in France. Mumm Napa follows traditional winemaking techniques of its French heritage to create hand-crafted sparkling wines.
The art: Twenty-seven gelatin silver prints created by renowned photographer Ansel Adams line Mumm Napa’s art gallery. The exhibition, entitled Poetry of Light, features many of Adam’s most famous photographs, including Monolith, the Face of Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, Winter Sunrise from Lone Pine, and Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico. These photographs are on loan from the Adams family, and the works showcase Ansel Adam’s journey toward becoming one of the most influential photographers of the twentieth century.

 

Ca' del Bosco

Where: Erbusco, Brescia, Italy
The wine: All of Ca' del Bosco’s grapes are cosseted at their “berry spa” - an exclusive air-bubble bunch-washing system that incorporates three soaking vats. Their red and white wines are created through controlled environments, cutting-edge technology and tools, innovative design and the deft use of wood.
The art: Ca' del Bosco is adorned with contemporary sculptures that blend together with its enchanting landscape. To Maurizio Zanella, Ca' del Bosco’s founder, the creation of sculpture has great similarity to that of creating wine. His estate includes surprising works such as a Stefano Bombardieri rhinoceros hanging at their entrance, a glimmering Rado Kirov column fragmenting and reflecting off the estate’s greenery, and Zheng Lu’s water-inspired sculpture in their cellar. 

 

Bodega Colomé 

Where: Salta, Argentina
The wine: Bodega Colomé was founded in 1831, with the first Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon vines arriving from France in 1854. At an altitude of 2600, the grapes grown in their four vineyards make for wines that are smoother and less astringent.
The art: Donald Hess, Bodega Colomé’s owner, is almost as well known for his art collection as his winemaking advances. It makes sense then that Bodega Colomé is also home to The Hess Collection that features works by Francis Bacon, George Baselitz, Robert Motherwell, and Gerhard Richter. 

More distinct of Bodega Colomé and The Hess Collection is that it also includes the James Turrell Museum - the only one in the world dedicated to the artist. A whopping nine installations by Turrell are in this space, along with numerous works on paper, drawings, and prints, highlighting his profound impact on the Light & Space Movement. Among the works on display are Spread 2003, a 4,000-square-foot walk-in environment of blue light, as well as Unseen Blue 2002, the world’s largest skyspace. Unseen Blue 2002 reaches its full intensity at sunrise and sunset. 

 

Seven Stones 

Where: Napa Valley, California, USA
The wine: Seven Stones produces a singular Cabernet Sauvignon across their three acres of vineyards. The 400-500 cases of Seven Stones produced each vintage is the end result of the meticulous efforts of their entire vineyard and winemaking team.
The art: From the 1980s, owners Ron Wornick and his wife Anita began collecting master artisan pieces made from wood, ceramics, glass, fiber, and metal. Ron is an accomplished woodworker in his own right, and together with Anita, they created one of the premier contemporary craft collections in the world over the last 20 years. SEVEN STONES by Richard Deutsch sits boldly on their humble estate, and an image of this sculpture even adorns their wine labels. 

 

Pt. Leo Estate

Where: Merricks, Victoria, Australia

The wine: Pt. Leo Estate’s wines curve down the Western Port Bay, and their vines respond to the constant forces of nature. Their aromatic Pinot Gris speaks of the sun, while their elegant Chardonnay has benefited from cool nighttime breezes.
The art: Pt. Leo Estate’s sculpture park spans 135 of landscaped ground. On their tour described as “a gentle promenade as opposed to a strenuous trek”, visitors can experience some 60 works that feature not only Australian artists but also major international artists. 

These include sculptures by Tony Cragg, Julian Opie, Inge King and a 7-meter high cast iron head of Laura by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa - one of the most acclaimed exhibits. Pt. Leo Estate’s sculpture park is open daily. Their shorter route is a 30-minute walk, and their longer one is a 60-minute walk. For sculpture enthusiasts, there is also the option to combine both walks. 

 

 

Brick Bay 

Where: Warkworth, Auckland, New Zealand
The wine: Brick Bay has just under 4 hectares of vines. As fruit is not brought in from other regions to supplement their single vineyard, they produce only 1000-1500 cases each year.
The art: Brick Bay’s sculpture trail showcases contemporary works by some of the most exciting artists working in New Zealand today. Set in their lush environment that features native trees, wildlife and ponds bursting with waterlilies, visitors who fall in love can even purchase these works as everything in this sculpture park is for sale.

 

Georg Müller Stiftung

Where: Eltville am Rhein, Germany
The wine: Rheingau’s gentle rolling hills extend down to the Rhine river, allowing for their dry warm summers and mild winters. They grow a variety of international grapes that are matured traditionally using barrique barrels, contrasted with ultramodern wine-pressing technologies.
The art: Unlike most estates on this list that have their art outdoors, Georg Müller Stiftung has their art underground. In their 250-year-old cellar, you’ll find paintings, sculptures, and even site-specific installations. Keep your eye out for Ulli Böhmelmann’s large-scale work, comprised of a floor-to-ceiling installation made as an artistic reaction to the cellar. 

 

Thirsty for more? Get your fix of art on The Artling, featuring works by over 2,500 contemporary artists from around the world.