JBL Photography at Williams Selyem Winery

By Jordan Lebovich, JBL Photography

The AIARE Wine and Learn in November was held at Williams Selyem Winery and the Architect Alex Ceppi, founder of D.arc Group LLC was on hand to talk about the building design, systems and the challenges that they faced when he signed up for the project.  With Alex’s focus on world class sustainable Architecture and his careful integration of site, technology, material research and, environmentally-rooted design, Alex has been able to generate a brand of architecture both, dramatic and ecologically efficient.  The Williams Selyem Winery is a prime example of this.

The project came about when the winery owners decided to boost productivity.  As a result they needed more space.  They also wanted a clubhouse for their members and to represent what Williams Selyem is all about.  They wanted to set the standard for innovation and sustainability in the area by creating a modern building, but rooted in the heritage of the county.  The building reflects that by having a barrel wall façade and a bottle wall along the back of the tasting room. 

To achieve their goals and not take up valuable vineyard land, they located the winery at the top of a hill.  Alex broke up the building into several spaces to maximize square footage.  There are spaces for the employees, visitors and production.  The spaces are connected by bridges that go through rock outcroppings and past old oak trees that they were careful not to disturb during the construction.  The result is that there are amazing views of the Russian River Valley from just about every side.

Many of the materials used in the project came from local sources.  The redwood used on the ceilings and doors came from old fermentation tanks and the field stone on the outside walls came from the site.  The vegetation is all local and drought tolerant. Some of the site’s power is generated with solar panels and eventually more panels will be added to make the facility completely self-sufficient.  The building uses a high-efficiency evaporative condenser to cool it and to chill the wine tanks.

Williams Selyem Winery continues to produce Pinot Noirs that are exceptional and because production is limited, wines are sold through allocations on a first-come, first-served basis. Twice each year during the offering periods, members receive a newsletter and order form with a specific allocation. The allocation is not reserved or guaranteed, so early orders are encouraged. The next offering is in March, cheers!  For additional photos, click here