Stunning architecture and interiors provide an alluring backdrop for fine wine at these design-forward tasting rooms.
Auteur Russian River
Healdsburg
Up a winding driveway through rows of grapevines, Auteur Russian River is perched atop a wooded hillside overlooking a sweeping expanse of vineyards on the outskirts of Healdsburg. Husband and wife founders Kenneth and Laura Juhasz, who already operate an existing tasting room in downtown Sonoma, opened the Russian River location last year to provide guests with an immersive experience among the winery’s Healdsburg vineyards.
San Francisco firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson took inspiration in the region’s rural, agrarian forms when designing the modern structure. Though modest in scale as far as wineries go at only 3,000 square feet, Auteur envelopes visitors in the vast landscape beyond. A wall of windows extends across the south face of the building, and large sliding glass panels open to an outdoor patio sheltered by the sloping, metal-clad roof. Inside and out, materials including buff-colored limestone and rich wood paneling connect the building to its natural surroundings. A large fireplace in the main room invites lingering in colder months, while outdoors, Munden Fry Landscape Associates complemented the natural surroundings with windswept grasses and native plants.
Sample: Small-lot Pinot Noir and Chardonnay sourced from sustainable vineyards along the Northern California Coast.
Taste: Chef-created bites from the on-site catering kitchen.
Stay nearby: Luxurious new hotel Appellation Healdsburg boasts two restaurants serving locally sourced fare, two pools, a fitness center and a luxurious spa. The Dalya Estate is a beautifully appointed private retreat with a pool and lush gardens set among the vineyards — ideal for large groups of family and friends.
Bella Union Winery
St. Helena
Part of the House of Far Niente family since it was founded in 2012, Bella Union Winery opened a stunning Napa Valley tasting room in 2024, transforming a boxy working winery building into a modern Art Nouveau social hub. Conceived by Mike Niemann of Pacific Design Workshop and architecture firm JK & Co, the winery features a series of curated vignettes — each with its own character and distinct tasting experiences to match.
Casual tastings happen in the Wren, the cloistered outdoor patio with a tiled fountain and bar, numerous firepits and lush landscaping by George Girvin, or in the sunny Parisian brasserie-inspired Atrium outfitted with white oak paneling, gold-upholstered banquettes, marble tables and brass fixtures. Structured, educational tastings are hosted in several other spaces, including the stylish Salon, embellished with an expansive wine wall, darker wood paneling, emerald-hued banquettes and windows into the wine production facility, as well as the glass-walled Jewel Box, featuring a velvety gold acoustic ceiling and panoramic views of the Napa Valley. Pieces by Bella Union’s second artist in residence, Los Angeles-born, Guadalajara, Mexico-based Eduardo Sarabia, are displayed throughout the winery.
Sample: Small-lot Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as Cab and white wine blends.
Taste: Savory snacks and multicourse, seasonal culinary pairings, depending on the experience.
Stay nearby: Sleep chic at newly opened Le Petit Pali St. Helena, where you can partake in a complimentary champagne brunch, or take in the vineyard views from luxurious French-inspired maison lodgings at Auberge du Soleil.
Hamel
Sonoma
Nestled between a grove of 100-year-old olive trees and a slope of oak woodland and manzanita chaparral, the Hamel Estate House is a modern structure that is deeply rooted in the land it stands upon. When founders Pamela Hamel and George Hamel Jr. initially met with architect Douglas Thornley, then of Gould Evans (now known as Multistudio), they shared their desire for a tasting room design that would champion sustainability, an indoor-outdoor connection, flexible functionality, and the property’s sweeping Sonoma Mountain and Sonoma Valley views. While the couple initially envisioned a traditional aesthetic, Thornley won them over with his contemporary cantilever design constructed from black walnut, travertine and basalt stone. Large expanses of glass showcase the views while, while rammed-earth walls add warmth to the space.
In addition to tastings in the Estate House, the intimate Library room or on the expansive outdoor deck, some experiences also include a visit to the winery’s caves. The earth — so intrinsic to the nature of Hamal’s wine, crafted by the Hamels’ son, winemaker John Hamel — is on full display inside the caves, which feature several unfinished walls displaying the striated soil.
Sample: Volcanic, terroir-driven Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Grenache and Sauvignon Blanc.
Taste: Onsite chef Thomas Mendel crafts a selection of gourmet bites to accompany the wine, depending on the experience.
Stay nearby: A few blocks from Sonoma Plaza, MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa is a luxurious, stylish retreat set on six acres of lush gardens.
Lotus Abrams has covered everything from beauty to business to tech in her editorial career, but it might be writing about her native Bay Area that inspires her most. She lives with her husband and two daughters in the San Francisco Peninsula, where they enjoy spending time outdoors at the area’s many open spaces protected and preserved by her favorite local nonprofit, the Peninsula Open Space Trust.
