Auteur is a family-owned winery specializing in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. The winery operates a popular tasting room in downtown Sonoma but wanted to create a visitor experience more closely tied to its Healdsburg vineyards, which look out over the Russian River and forested hillsides. It is within this context that Auteur engaged our practice to create a modern tasting room that embraced the stunning natural setting and reflected its commitment to experimentation and creativity.

Inspired by agrarian structures found throughout the Russian River Valley, the tasting room is modest in scale and outwardly focused. A winding driveway guides visitors through rows of grapevines to the main tasting room. The stone-clad entry wall of the tasting room provides a visual threshold and organizes supporting spaces along the northern edge of the building. The entrance displays a balanced juxtaposition of materials, from light limestone to blackened wood siding. Along the south face of the building, non-reflective glazed windows cover the entire elevation and wrap around to the west, providing sweeping views of the vineyards and lush green hills from every angle.

Interspersed trees, insectary planting, and a waterwise palette create visually appealing and experiential moments in the landscape. A large fireplace anchors the eastern side of the tasting room, separating the main space from a private tasting room that also doubles as the winemaker’s lab. To the west, large sliding glass panels open to a sheltered terrace and an outdoor patio, offering a variety of outdoor seating areas for visitors to savor wine year-round.