An old Pico tradition was that wineries were places that allowed people to not only come and taste the wines, but also to eat and stay. The Azores Wine Company has taken that tradition as its starting point, regenerating island hospitality while making acclaimed wines from Vinha Centenária to Vinha dos Ultras, or the more everyday Volcanic series.
Designed jointly by a Portuguese architectural firm, SAMI and an English one, DRHR, the main aim was to create a project whose visual impact on the landscape was minimal. This was also necessary as the winery is on a protected area of land where strict regulations are in force. Built on two levels, the bottom section, clad in the volcanic stone that surrounds it, blends so well into the landscape as to be almost invisible. The shape of the building echoes the old vineyard water tanks, with their naturally sloping roofs.
Inside the winery, an inner courtyard is another cultural reference as it reimagines the cloisters of the island’s monasteries. All rooms are accessed from this courtyard, as is the restaurant up a flight of stairs, and the tasting room and winery.
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