Tenuta Liliana occupies a truly unique location: an ex-quarry of carparo building stone now
transformed into a winecellar that is in harmonious dialogue with its surrounding environment.
Its stone walls, their surfaces, incorporating fossils that etch intriguing patterns on them, reflect the warm summer light and the cool air currents of winter, creating the feeling of a locus suspended in time.
The building, comprising some 1,000 m 2 , was designed to integrate perfectly into its surroundings. The architectural components privilege locally-produced materials, such as the soft carparo stone, sheet glass, and Cor-Ten steel, with the goal of creating a structure that celebrates the past and gazes into the future.
Harvesting is carried by hand when the grapes reach perfect ripeness, between September and October, depending on the year. The grapes are collected in small baskets and quickly taken to the cellar where they are sorted by careful eyes and hands so that only perfect grapes enter the vats. The maturation cellar houses barriques and tonneaux mainly made of French oak, including some from the forests of Fontainebleau. There the wine matures as long as necessary.
“The project is not merely a production facility, but a space to be sensorially experienced as well. The rooftop garden generates solar energy, while the main façade, sheathed with glass panels that reflect the monolithic entry space, faces the sunset, creating a dialogue between architecture and nature. The building’s lateral spaces, dedicated to wine production, host cutting-edge technology that accesses the most innovative winemaking practices. Finally, the centrally-placed barrel cellar is set into a hidden garden. Tenuta Liliana is far more than just a winecellar: it is a point where the past encounters the future, where the fragrances of myrtle and lentisk trees meld into the brine-laden winds from the nearby Ionian Sea. It is a privileged spot for those who love wine, culture, and overwhelming beauty.”
Angelo Giaccari, Architect
