Europe has long been a place of pilgrimage for lovers of both art and wine, so it should come as no surprise that the two are often connected. Today’s cultural landscape remains celebrated, with several wineries boasting art collections that can be traced back for centuries. Not to be overlooked, New World venues, too, offer opportunities to engage aesthetic sensibilities across a range of mediums.
Marchesi Antinori
Tuscany, Italy
A fixture of Italian wine culture, Marchesi Antinori evolved in tandem with some of the greatest artistic achievements of the Renaissance, starting in the 1300s. That heritage is now reflected in an extensive collection of art that lines the walls of its estates.
The best place to drink it all in is its newest winery, Antinori nel Chianti Classico, where pieces from antiquity are displayed alongside modern, site-specific installations. It’s part of the family’s Antinori Art Project, an organization committed to research and sponsorship of contemporary exhibitions.
 Vivanco
La Rioja, Spain
Encompassing more than 40,000 square feet and exceeding 6,000 pieces, the Museum of Wine Culture at Spain’s Vivanco winery is an aesthetic and scholastic marvel. Throughout, modern, temporary installations and works by legends like Picasso, Dali and Miró are closely curated to illustrate the history of the beverage.
Wine-hued photos line one room where art explores the experience of tasting, paintings of grape harvests and carvings of Bacchanals are displayed in another, and ancient amphorae, wineskins and a variety of grape presses are exhibited elsewhere. An onsite Documentation Center rounds out the collection, cataloging portrayals of wine across media platforms.
d’Arenberg, McLaren Vale
Australia
Towering over Australia’s McLaren Vale region is the recently opened d’Arenberg Cube. Part tasting room, restaurant and interactive art museum, the one-of-a-kind, five-story glass and steel building is modeled after a Rubik’s Cube.
Inside, visitors will find such features as a bar made of grapevines covered in glass, a 3-D holographic light display and a soundscape that interprets the vineyard’s weather. Though the mélange of it all exudes a Willy Wonka-like vibe, the multisensory experience is very much meant to educate guests about wine.
Spier Wine Farm
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Family-run Spier Wine Farm is one of South Africa’s oldest continuously operating vineyards. Today, however, the dynamic estate equally embraces its cultural roots, showcasing one of the largest collections of contemporary South African works and forging connections with area artists.
Local-made pieces, ranging from stone sculptures and beadwork to recycled glass chandeliers and objects woven from newspaper, are exhibited throughout the farm’s mix of modern and restored buildings, while a master mosaic and ceramic studio and satellite art academy focus on employment-based training.
Hauser & Wirth Somerset
Bruton, England
The founders of the Hauser & Wirth gallery were drawn to nature at Durslade Farm in Somerset. Here, a closely manicured garden unspools into an extensive gallery of traditional sculptures and paintings, abstracts and floor-to-ceiling installations.
This venue highlights ecological engagement, hosting educational programing, committing to green initiatives and showcasing ethically sourced ingredients in its restaurant, Roth Bar & Grill. In 2015, winemaking became part of the big-picture plans as well when Bacchus, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes were planted. The first harvest took place last year, and the firm hopes to produce wines onsite soon.
Canvassing California
The Golden State’s wine country isn’t just about gazing at grapevines. Here are a handful of top-tier estates featuring equally excellent art collections to check out.
The Hess Collection Winery
Mount Veeder, Napa
Only a fraction of his massive collection, the exhibition has been a winery fixture since it first opened in 1989, and currently contains more than 1,000 pieces by 65 international artists. Works range in styles and rotate regularly, though all are chosen for touching the proprietor personally.
Hearst Ranch Winery
Paso Robles
Hearst Ranch Winery sits adjacent to sister estate, Hearst Castle, where you can tour 165 rooms and 123 acres, which showcase the only art museum operated by California State Parks. Designed by architect Julia Morgan and full of works acquired by William Randolph Hearst himself, most of the pieces on display were to be specifically showcased in San Simeon. Afterward, walk down the hill for a stop into the tasting room, itself housed in a former general store built in 1952.
The Donum Estate
Sonoma
Don your walking shoes and take in the oversized installations among the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines at The Donum Estate in Carneros. Over 30 works from world-famous artists like Ai Weiwei, Yayoi Kusama, Louise Bourgeois, and Keith Haring can be found throughout the 200-acre estate. The European owners began compiling the artwork in 2015, and now all tasting appointments involve a viewing of the grounds and sculpture collection.
Brander
Santa Ynez
Folk art rules at Brander, where you’ll discover Mexican ceramics, adorned vases, statues and beyond. Three generations of the Brander family lived and studied throughout Latin American before founding the sustainable Santa Ynez Valley winery in the early 70s. Co-founder Fred Brander, who established the Brander Museum of Folk Art in 2015, continues to travel and acquire pieces from small artisans.
HALL
St. Helena, Rutherford
Kathryn and Craig Hall, the creative forces behind HALL St. Helena and HALL Rutherford, invite guests to view their collection of contemporary designs and sculptures, which goes beyond the playful “Bunny Foo Foo” statue visible from Highway 29. Pieces from Nneka Okore, Nick Cave, François-Xavier Lalanne and Shahzia Sikander can be found inside and out of the tasting rooms or literally projecting on side.
