In 1905, Paul Masson constructed his "vineyard in the sky," where success was celebrated at the Chateau with grand soirees. The property sat at the crest of the mountain encircled by vineyards and redwood groves, with magnificent views overlooking the valley and the small town of Saratoga. After the property changed hands years later, a concert bowl was constructed in 1958 and the famous Summer Concert Series began. Over the years, The Mountain Winery has become a popular outdoor venue for entertainment, weddings, corporate retreats, and other such private events.
With the property's ongoing restoration efforts, DAHLIN designed new facilities that expand and improve the guest experience under the specifications of the previous architectural and site approval granted in July 2006. Respecting boundaries and building sizes dictated by the original approval and current Use Permit, DAHLIN is assisting The Mountain Winery with modifying the approval to include five new structures: a wine tasting room, winery plaza building, plaza deck building, office and storage facility, a box office, and a garden terrace.
As part of the planning and design effort, DAHLIN flew drones over the property to survey the unique terrain, sightlines and the conditions of the surrounding natural landscape. Topographic, elevation and NDVI maps were produced to assist in identifying site opportunities and constraints, and for compiling a 3D site model as a basis for planning and design efforts. In keeping with the property’s old-world ambiance of ivy-covered stone-masonry buildings, the architectural style of new structures compliments the existing historic Chateau and reflects that of a working winery. New structures are pocketed into the terrain creating more intimate corridors for outdoor gathering between buildings, while outdoor decks open up to magnificent and expansive views along their open space-facing edges. The new structures also enhance and improve the entertainment venue functions, providing new staging areas and better visitor flow of guests to provide a complete, memorable experience.
