The primary goal for this project — which re-envisions a historic Napa Valley winery lost to fire in 2017 — was to weave together the experience of the newly-constructed hospitality space and the historic stone winery that remained.

Perched high above the Napa Valley on Mt. Veeder, the new hospitality building was designed by frequent collaborators Backen & Backen, forming a single visitor experience that is warm, inviting and residential in scale. Washes of warm light tie together the rough stone, rustic wood cladding, extensive glazing and industrial steel that define the pair of structures. The dual-sided fireplace that forms a link between the two is suffused in an inviting pool of light, and draped with strings of cafe lights — a Howard Backen signature.

On the interior, cove and indirect accent lighting bring a subtle definition to the combination of rustic and contemporary materials, drawing the eye upward toward the steep pitch of the roofline and highlighting the soft texture of the plaster walls. In the cellar, intricate lighting applications evenly illuminate the stone-clad curved barrel ceiling, as well as the detailed bottle displays below.