Carmel Winery

In Carmel, California, a winery looked to expand the ways guests could experience its magical flagship vineyard. With fertile soil along the Carmel River, the on-site vineyard is 100% organic and farmed by hand.

Over the decades, the winery’s buildings had come to include an almost century-old river house, a French chateau-inspired front-of-house building, a villa used for events, and a barrel hall. However, guest access was mostly limited to the front-of-house building, surrounded by paved parking, and a central, paved road that could take guests to the vineyard and back but nowhere else on the property.

A complete evaluation of the winery’s current facilities and programs resulted in a new framework plan that clarifies as it adds. Umé Studio envisioned a lush, re-wilded landscape that knits together new and existing buildings, some of which will be adapted to new uses. The plan, which is being implemented across several phases of work, transforms the winery into a spatially organized yet programmatically flexible destination, inviting visitors to connect more deeply and delightfully with the land.

The framework plan aimed to improve and expand site circulation. Referencing the monumental land art of the 1960s, a line and circle create a simple schema that is easy for guests to navigate. The line, composed of a green trellised path that stretches across the width of the site, is both divider and joiner. The busy drop-off zone, parking areas, and the front-of-house building sit to the north of the line; to the south, shielded from the programs above, the site remains pastoral.

The circle, a path with no end, extends guest access further out into the site and connects all of the winery's buildings. Wayfinding is simple: directions are either left or right along the trellised path, or around the circle circuit. Back-of-house circulation is tucked away behind a planted berm along one edge of the site, preserving a quiet and car-free atmosphere for guests.

The framework plan proposes new programs for the winery, including a boutique hotel, event spaces, a retail shop, and food and beverage offerings. These programs introduce a variety of ways for guests to enjoy the winery and its land, as well as generate new streams of revenue. Guest capacity for all event spaces, both indoors and out, was calculated to demonstrate how the whole property could be mobilized for a range of events packages.

For guests looking for a more casual experience, a new pizza kitchen, prep area, and tasting room offer options for enjoying wine within the wine garden. There is also a custom bar, where visitors can pick up charcuterie and wine in a basket and picnic on the grounds.

A semi-outdoor area in a greenhouse, and a patio, offer more formal dining and are serviced by the commercial kitchen. A rattan shade structure encloses the greenhouse, providing a sense of intimacy. Umé Studio designed custom furniture for these spaces, playing off the building’s chateau-inspired design. Solid teak farmhouse tables, designed in a suite of heights—coffee, dining, bar—are paired with stackable cast iron seating with custom cushion covers. Designed for longevity as well as ease of storage, the furniture is complemented by a collection of smaller cast iron pieces, including chandeliers and candle holders. Small accessories, including ceramics and stools, add layers to the narrative. Edible and fragrant plants, such as citrus trees and seasonal arrangements in custom planters, have been carefully selected to support the winery’s culinary offerings.

A new events lawn offers the winery flexibility in the kind and size of events they can host. A large grassy area, bordered by yellow and orange flowers, leafy plants, and tall grasses, can accommodate cocktail parties and company off-sites. Operational details have been carefully planned, with storage space provided unobtrusively nearby.

A more classical space at one end of the lawn, with Baroque-inspired hedging and white climbing roses, serves as an ideal backdrop for wedding ceremonies.

The land is central to the existence of the winery, and is the main character of the story that the new framework plan weaves. New plantings and gardens re-introduce color, texture, and life beyond the vineyard to the winery’s grounds. A balance is struck between curated and productive landscapes and land returned to a pre-agricultural state. This strategy creates purposeful destinations across the property within a natural setting.

Curated landscapes that support the winery's programs include an orchard and a chef's garden that provide a diversity of fruit and vegetables, bolstering the winery's culinary offerings. Plants have been selected so there is always something ripe to enjoy all year round—apples in winter, oranges in the summer. The winery will also offer workshops, such as jam-making, around these seasons. Other gardens, such as the Japanese forest, provides needed privacy for the future hotel.