Cathedrals of Wine

Wine Temples created by architects in the world, combining functionality and aesthetics. Wineries silent witnesses to the passage of time, trapped as inside wine barrels and bottles, but above all factories full of activity where wine is the true "work of art". And though their architectures respond to different winemaking techniques, sometimes buildings are impressive, edgy aesthetic and functionality, as a symbol of prestige, deserve the name of "Cathedrals of Wine" and "Wine Temples".

That's the most modern wineries in Spain that renowned architects like Rafael Moneo Spanish, Iñaki Aspiazu Iza and Canadian Santiago Calatrava or Frank O. Gehry or French Philippe Mazieres have devised to pamper the grapes during their years of rest and maturity. Modern, functional and integrated into the environment, the architecture of the wine becomes a symbol of quality and projection of Spanish wines, but also a new tourist attraction for rural areas and a new line of business for entrepreneurs wine .

In north of Spain, in Elciego (Álava), stands the City of Wine, of Bodegas Marques de Riscal. Canadian Frank O. Gehry, Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, has devised this project as surprising. The revolutionary building with titanium outer sheets, emerging from the ground like a vine, and is fully integrated into the landscape of vineyards and fields surrounding it. Do not miss the interior, which includes a hotel and a luxury restaurant and a wine spa, a meeting center and a museum.

Just 10 miles away in Laguardia, on the Route of the Rioja Alava wine, a new metal hills have joined the rolling countryside, this is building unique covers that Santiago Calatrava designed for Bodegas Ysios. Also we had another spectacular building, Bodega Viña Real CVNE (Rioja), designed by French architect Philippe Mazieres, shaped tub. Buildings are very different, but both are spectacular. Strolling through its halls see that everything is designed to facilitate and achieve the highest quality in the process of wine making and aging. Philippe Mazières, is also a worker in Spain of the winery Hacienda Monasterio (Ribera del Duero), his passion for wine comes from the side, and it shows in his creations. Conceives the wineries as meeting places and passion are not merely centers of production, but places where art is made.

The cellars Faustino and Arínzano Manor also are linked to internationally renowned architects. Faustino Group has a name except for their new winery in the Denomination of Origin Ribera del Duero, the British architect Norman Foster. The issue has more merit when you consider that it was the first time that professional winemaker in charge of a project. But Arínzano Manor not far behind. The Chivers family owns several wineries being in Corella (Navarra) the oldest. In 1988 he purchased the manor architect Rafael Moneo became the present winery.

The Protos winery in Valladolid found the British architect Richard Rogers to design their new winery at the foot of the castle of Penafiel (Valladolid). A building that does not compete with the view of the fort - Today Wine Museum - and blends with the environment. The construction of five ships of different lengths, tries to mimic the elliptical shape of the castle.

There are merely functional but also symbolic, as these monumental buildings, intended to be the card of wines that house. The cellars of Calatrava (Ysios), Moneo (Julian Chivers), Gehry (Marqués de Riscal) Mazieres (CVNE) Aspiazu (Baigorri) and other non mecionadas here are the shows the splendor of the new Spanish wines and its future projection . Buildings that combine living spaces with light and darkness of the ships for aging of the grape. They are places to visit, places museum vocation.

In any case, these are just some examples of these new cathedrals of wine in Spain. Because there are many more spread across other wine regions. The structures of these architects have also opened the way for the ultimate integration of modernity in rural settings and has opened a new form of tourism: rural tourism design, as near the wineries are now set luxury hotels, museums, restaurants, spas, tours and tastings.