Positioned in California’s Russian River Valley, the new Auteur Winery by Munden Fry Landscape Associates reconsiders the contemporary winery as both an agricultural environment and a landscape rooted in ecological performance.
Perched against a wooded hillside overlooking the surrounding vineyards, the project was developed for a vintner-founded winery committed to sustainable farming practices and a broader community centered around wine, food, and hospitality.
Photography above by Matthew Millman.
Rather than establishing a highly formalized destination, the redesign of the property focuses on strengthening the visitor’s relationship to the site itself.
Sweeping views across the vineyards are framed through a restrained material palette composed of natural stone, native planting, and modest architectural interventions that remain closely tied to the surrounding terrain.
The reprogramming of the site prioritizes immersion within the landscape while allowing the existing agricultural setting to remain visually dominant throughout the experience.
The outdoor environment is structured around a planting strategy that supports both biodiversity and long-term ecological resilience.
Native insectary plantings are integrated throughout the site to encourage beneficial pollinators and reinforce the winery’s commitment to sustainable agricultural practices.
Shade trees positioned throughout the property contribute to climate modulation, creating cooler exterior gathering spaces while reducing heat exposure across the visitor environment.
Interwoven throughout the site is a network of bioswales designed to reduce erosion and retain water on site.
Rather than concealing these systems, the landscape strategy incorporates them directly into the spatial composition of the project, where drainage, planting, and circulation operate simultaneously as environmental infrastructure and visitor experience.
Designed in collaboration with Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, the architecture balances agrarian references with a contemporary material language.
Modest in scale yet highly detailed, the new tasting destination reflects Auteur Winery’s broader philosophy beyond wine production itself, creating an environment intended to encourage slower engagement with the landscape, climate, and rhythms of the vineyard.
With studios in San Francisco and Healdsburg, Munden Fry Landscape Associates is recognized for landscape architecture that closely integrates ecological systems, architecture, and regional character.
The studio’s work frequently emphasizes restrained planting palettes, material continuity, and environmental performance, with projects ranging from residential gardens and wineries to hospitality and civic landscapes throughout California and the western United States.
Credits:
Client: Auteur Wines
Landscape Architecture: Munden Fry Landscape Associates
Architecture: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
Construction: Earthtone Construction
Landscape Contractor: Dexter Estate Landscapes
Irrigation Consultants: Dickson & Associates
Photography: Matthew Millman
