La Cantina Nuova is here

After nearly two years of paperwork, digging, designing and constructing, this Saturday,October 20 will mark the inauguration of our new cellar.  Designed by local architect Marco Pignattai, the 5,500 square foot (500 square meter) cellar is reminiscent of a church amongst the vineyards, and combines contemporary architecture, cultural tradition and environmental sustainability.

The style of the cellar adheres to the local architectural tradition, blending perfectly into the landscape as if it had been there for ages.For the exterior, only building materials typical of the region were used, whereas the concrete walls and laminated wood used for the interior provide a more contemporary feel.The vinification room takes on a style widespread throughout the Val d’Orcia, la sala con copertura a capanna, or the room with the gabled roof, and was the central focus around which Mr. Pignattai designed the entire building.In the aging room, a peaceful, calming place where the wine rests for four years, there is an added element teasing the senses: an undulating roof made of thousands of small cedar slats, reminiscent of the waves in the ocean. The design pays great attention to minimizing the vineyard’s carbon footprint and to having as small an impact on the environment as possible (see here and here to read more about our commitment to sustainability). Some green initiatives that we were able to incorporate into the cellar include recovering rainwater for irrigating the gardens and cellar work, reducing the amount of thermal energy required, installing an air exchange system to maintain temperature throughout the seasons, using 90% recycled bricks for the roof and the walls, and sourcing all the stone for the landscaping from an on-site quarry. "If wine was a religion, Il Palazzone would be its cathedral."

To see the building process from start to finish, check out the video here.