Wallpaper* has followed the ‘wine meets design’ collaboration between New Zealand’s Brancott Estate and New York-based Studio Dror since its conception. Now, almost two years since the project began, the fruits of their labour are ready to harvest.
To pay homage to the Estate’s most noted wine – the 1979 New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon, a world first – an 8m-tall Corten steel stulpture has been ‘planted’ at the point that the first Marlborough grapes grew 40 years ago.
‘We spoke the same language,’ recalls Dror Benshetrit of the longstanding collaboration, after first visiting Brancott Estate in 2015. ‘The similarities between our shared dedication to pushing boundaries through new ideas was fascinating. By the time we returned to New York, I had already sketched an idea.’
‘Under/standing’, by Studio Dror, at Brancott Estate, 2017
He envisioned an installation that, from afar, appeared as if it grew naturally from the ground, following the same geometric, ‘embyronic clusters’ as the grapevines. Up close, the industrial-edge would become tangible, aided by the textural complexity of the pinot-red steel.
The intricate structure comprises 52 individual components that lock into place – a grandiose version of ‘flat-pack’ design. It’s an idea that Dror revisits for its limited edition wine rack, ‘Present’ – a translation of the sculpture’s geometry, into a functional, smaller-scale object. ‘When visiting a vinyard,' Benshetrit explains, ‘a bottle of wine acts as a special end result that visitors take home. We wanted to give a piece of the sculpture to visitors in the same way.’
The two-year long collaboration has also spawned design innovation from Brancott Estate, which has released two wines inspired by the sculpture, a 2016 Sauvignon Blanc/Sauvignon Gris blend and a 2015 Pinot Noir. Bottoms up!
From afar, it appears to have risen from the ground
Up close, the textural complexity of the rust-red steel is tangible
The Studio has also created a limited edition wine rack inspired by the steel sculpture
New York-based Studio Dror has been working on the project with the Estate since 2015
INFOMRATION
For more information, visit the Studio Dror website and the Brancott Estate website
ADDRESS
Brancott Vineyard
180 Brancott Road
Blenheim 7272
New Zealand
-
This surreal new seafood restaurant in LA is the stuff of mermaid's dreamsAt Cento Raw Bar, delectable fare is complemented by playful, oceanic interiors by Brandon Miradi
-
What’s new in the wearable world of smart glasses, and extended and augmented realityAre you ready for AR? Meta, Google, Snap and more are gearing up to compete with Apple and deliver frames-based communications devices – complete with AI integration
-
Italian-Japanese fusion’s a joy at east London’s Osteria AngelinaA Victorian warehouse in Spitalfields has been given a slick modern makeover to house a unique Italian-Japanese restaurant
-
How to build a home wine cellarOur resident drinks writer takes us through his own experiences on building the dream wine cellar at home including his favourite wines to stock up on now
-
Inside Domaine Evremond, the UK’s first subterranean winery‘Sparkling wine should be fun.’ We tour Domaine Evremond in Kent, a winery steeped in the English countryside
-
Toklas’ own-label wine is a synergy of art, taste and ‘elevated simplicity’Toklas, a London restaurant and bakery, have added another string to its bow ( and menu) with a trio of cuvées with limited-edition designs
-
Château Galoupet is teaching the world how to drink more responsiblyFrom reviving an endangered Provençal ecosystem to revisiting wine packaging, Château Galoupet aims to transform winemaking from terroir to bottle
-
London’s most refreshing summer cocktail destinationsCool down in the sweltering city with a visit to London’s summer cocktail destinations
-
Learn how to curate a simple cheese board with perfect port pairingsThe experts at artisan cheesemonger Paxton & Whitfield share tips for curating a simple but sophisticated cheese board, with port and cheese pairings for every taste
-
IWA sake brewery by Kengo Kuma is Best Roofscape: Wallpaper* Design Awards 2022IWA sake brewery in Japan, by Kengo Kuma & Associates, scoops Best Roofscape at the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2022
-
The Chuan Malt Whisky Distillery by Neri & Hu offers a twist on Chinese traditionNeri & Hu designs headquarters for The Chuan Malt Whisky Distillery in China's Sichuan province
