Here’s Why Art Is Becoming the Main Attraction for Wineries

Whether you’re sipping on some Pinots in Oregon’s Willamette Valley or enjoying the oaky Chardonnay Napa Valley has to offer, one thing’s for sure: Most people head to wine country to sip on a few sumptuous glasses of vino and buy a few bottles of their favorite varietal to bring the magic home. While it’s a bonus to stumble into a tasting room that looks as good as the vineyard’s blends taste, style has never been the most important thing about a trip to wine country. However, a handful of wineries are changing that by commissioning cutting-edge art pieces for their properties. In other words? You might come for the wine, but you’ll stay for the art.

For Audra Kiewiet de Jonge—founder and creative director of design-driven, art advisory studio called Art/artefact—wine and art are the perfect pairing. Kiewiet de Jonge has fostered a years-long partnership with Opus One and noticed both wine and art beg us to practice “slow reflection.”

“When we talk about wine, we are taking something abstract that we taste, and parsing its complexity for the things we recognize to make a unique expression of time and place,” she explains. “Art does this same thing with materials.”

Plus, in the spirit of creating a multi-sensory space, art can capture the essence and ethos of a winery in a way that a fancy light fixture or cool slotted wall simply can’t. It’s official: Wineries are becoming the new art museums—and here are a few spots you can go for a truly immersive experience.

Opus One

Courtesy of Opus One

As the brainchild of Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Robert Mondavi, Opus One excels in making Bordeaux-style wine with a West-Coast twist. Since the property is the upper echelon of Napa Valley wineries, it’s only fitting that they have an equally impressive art collection. Take a tour of the premises and you’ll spot many carefully curated pieces that display a smart intersection of humanity and nature. And, when paired with fancy furnishings and a great glass of vino, they create a haute homey effect.

Thanks to Kiewiet de Jonge, who commissioned five nature-inspired pieces from artist Rosalind Tallmadge for Opus One’s iconic rotunda in 2023, the artful marvels begin from the moment you step inside.

“No one expected this minimalist New York-based artist to fit so seamlessly into the context of Opus One,” she admits. “But her opulent layers of raw and man-made materials in complex, holistic compositions that celebrate the material characteristics and change with the light and season is a perfect metaphor for Opus One’s wine making process as an homage to terroir and time.” 

Kiewiet de Jonge says that Tallmadge’s “subtle but bold” eye transforms the space—and teases the dapper yet dynamic tasting to follow.

Hall Wines

Michael JN Bowles

Kathryn Hall might be St. Helena’s queen of Cabernet, but she and her husband Craig are art collecting connoisseurs. “[It’s] perhaps the most time-intensive and fulfilling passion we share outside of work,” she explains. “Without it, life would seem flat and empty.” So it was only natural that the couple’s artful edge permeated Hall Wines’s Napa Valley location. “We want our winery locations to be more than just a production facility,” she explains. “We want them to reflect our passion for nature, art and architecture.”

From Lawrence Argent’s gargantuan bunny that welcomes guests upon arrival to Graham Caldwell’s “red rain” that appears in the tank room, a trip to Hall Wines is an artful education from start to finish.

The Donum Estate

Adam Potts Photography

Founded in 2011, The Donum Estate is a relative newcomer to California’s Sonoma wine region; however, the vineyard has made its mark with its truly museum-like quality collection. To date, the property’s 200-acre estate boasts over 60 statement-making pieces from artists all over the world. 

“Our collection is a reflection of our commitment to the convergence of wine, art, nature, and culture—where each piece is thoughtfully placed to enhance the landscape and inspire meaningful connections,” says Angelica de Vere Mabray, CEO of The Donum Estate. “Just as our wines express a true sense of place, the art at Donum invites guests to engage with the land in a deeper, more immersive way.”

 Highlights include Chinese contemporary artist Ai Weiwei’s collection of bronze animal heads that represent the zodiac as well as Hyperspace, Yang Bao’s thoughtful use of steel, mirror, and gold that creates a distorted reflection of the surrounding area.  However, with so many pieces to enjoy, why not book a tasting and find your favorite? Preferably with a glass of chardonnay or pinot noir in tow.

Louis M. Martini Winery

Louis M. Martini Winery

For Louis M. Martini Winery, which has been pouring everything from Sauvignon Blanc to Zinfandel since its founding in 1933, the art always needs to relate back to the wine—and the winery’s home in Napa Valley. Fittingly, the property just commissioned a duo of pieces from Abraham Cruzvillegas that does just that. Aptly named “Two Untitled Maps,” the pieces are two abstract maps that create a thoughtful conversation about migratory journeys that shaped both Napa Valley’s human history and natural landscape.

“Abraham’s curiosity led to a deep collaboration with all aspects of the winery to better understand and explore the relationship between the history, land, and people,” explains Michael Claypool, the winery’s estate director. “‘Two Untitled Maps’ is a poignant reminder of the tension between the natural and man-made world that is found in a glass of wine.” A message that’s certainly worth toasting to.

Silverado Vineyards

Silverado Vineyards

As Silverado Vineyards proves, you don’t need to commission pieces from a buzzy designer to make a splash. In fact, the Napa winery’s art appreciation traces all the way back to its Disney days. (Yes, you read that correctly.) “Walt Disney will always be known for his talent in the arts and focus on guest experiences,” explains Courtney Foley, the second generation vintner at Foley Family Wines & Spirits, which owns Silverado Vineyards. “His daughter Diane Disney Miller was also a patron of the arts and an art collector, some of which was displayed in the winery during the 41 years their family owned it.”

Foley shares that she’s committed to honoring Miller’s legacy at Silverado, and incorporating artwork into the interior design is one very stylish way to do so. As you sip on the vineyard’s Sauvignon Blanc or Merlot, you might spot walls of advertisement posters from the early 20th century or the property’s crown jewel: Leonetteo Cappiello’s “Glymphes of Nymphes.” “This is one of our great talking points here at the winery during tours given the room was literally designed with this piece being the centerpiece in mind,” Foley shares.

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