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MANA GEMENT Design buffs are calling Ram's Gate Winery the new must-see attraction in the Napa-Sonoma area. feel. Simple touches such as Shaker-style cabinetry and wainscoting add elegance and sophistication. The Lail Design Group, winemaker Sam Kaplan and winery owners Ron and Susan Krausz also designed the 25,000-square-foot underground cave system. Upon entering the cave through a massive wooden door, guests descend down a flight of stairs to the fermentation hall and barrel- storage caves below. Located on the hilltop site of the former Roche Winery in the southern part of the Carneros AVA, Ram's Gate Winery is designed by one of the region's best-known architects, Howard Backen, who has created a modern interpretation of the weathered farmsteads of old Carneros. Ram's Gate embodies classic refinement as well as contemporary inspiration. The site reflects its landscape yet is unique amidst its more rustic neighbors. Backen's signature farmhouse aesthetic and keen ability to blend indoors and outdoors connect Ram's Gate to its breathtaking surroundings. Famed interior designer Orlando Diaz-Azcuy will bring his mix of classic aesthetic and modern minimalism to the winery's interiors, mixing old and new, modern and vintage, and bold colors, fabrics and textures. The 22,000-square-foot winery is housed in a stunning barn, including an open-air reception courtyard, grand tasting pavilion, one-of-a-kind demonstration kitchen, fireside lounge, elegantly appointed reserve tasting suites, wine library, underground dining alcove and barrel cellar available for private events as well as concierge service. Architectural highlights include 30-foot ceilings, exposed beams, walls made of reclaimed snow fence, recycled French granite paver-stones and massive floor-to-ceiling glass "walls" that open to sweeping vineyard and bay views. The property will include several event spaces that can accommodate anywhere from six to several hundred guests. Wine education Finally, new wine education facilities represent other inter- esting developments. The University of California, Davis, has completed an impressive new teaching winery and is starting construction on a facility designed to develop sustainable man- ufacturing with funds donated by Barbara Banke and the late Jess Jackson. Designed by Laurence Ferar and Associates in collaboration with FFA Architects, the Southern Oregon Wine Institute will provide a new home for Umpqua Community College's viticulture and enology program. The facility is designed to provide students with hands-on experience in all aspects of commercial winery operations—from grapegrowing and wine production to hospitality and business practices. The building program includes several "incubator" spaces for recent graduates as well as a demonstration kitchen for the school's Culinary Arts Department. The institute will serve the local wine industry through educational outreach and regional economic development. Joe Chauncey is working on a wine education center for the Northwest Wine Academy. He is helping the school adapt a metal storage building into a working winery, teaching kitchen, laboratory and classrooms. Barrels will be stored in freestanding, insulated rooms inside the building created with the same insulated blocks used for Hightower Cellars in Benton City, Wash. This solution is designed to reduce temperature fluctuations, reduce cooling requirements and reduce evaporation. The academy also is installing 12 light tubes through strategic capital and expertise for the wine industry www.bacchuswinefund.com (415) 828-8898 bacchuscapital@bacchuswinefund.com the roof to provide natural light in all interior spaces—a solution that reduces the need for artificial lighting during daylight hours. A last word Backen says he's busier than he's ever been, but most builders re- port things are slow compared to the heady days of the past. What is being built is often innovative. "There's lots of interesting archi- tecture; it's fun for us to build," notes Ledcor's James. 74 Wines & Vines JAnUARY 2012