The Donum Estate in Sonoma is one of the top destinations in the world for viewing contemporary sculptures outdoors. Here, among rolling hills and vineyards, you’ll find an ever-expanding sculpture collection that includes works by artists such as Ai Weiwei, Keith Haring, Jaume Plensa, Subodh Gupta and Tracey Emin.
Now, the Carneros region estate has added yet another reason to make your way to Sonoma Valley.
A new tasting space, the Vertical Panorama Pavilion, opened on the 200-acre property in August. As to be expected, it’s a strikingly beautiful venue for sipping wine and taking in the views: 832 colored glass panels come together to form a conical canopy atop an open-air lounge seating area. The glass panels — an interpretation of the changing seasons at The Donum Estate — are in a spectrum of colors that range from an autumnal orange to a springlike emerald green and reflect light like a kaleidoscope.
Three years in the making, the artful new tasting venue was designed by Berlin-based Studio Other Spaces, founded by artist Olafur Eliasson and architect Sebastian Behmann. Along with views of the estate vineyards, it boasts scenic vistas of San Pablo Bay and a sampling of the 50-some, large-scale sculptures that dot the property.
To gain access to the Vertical Panorama Pavilion, visitors will need to make an appointment for Donum’s new three-hour Transcend Experience, which is $500 per person. It includes a tour of the property aboard an all-terrain vehicle and a sampling of five rare, single block, library wines (a portion of vintages made from a single variety of grapes from a single block within a vineyard that have been reserved to be re-released or consumed at a later date).
The Donum Estate wines are paired with dishes like foie gras with Donum plum jam and summer truffles, grape leaf dusted salmon in basil paprika broth, and a lobster tart topped with Tsar Nicoulai Caviar. Guests also take home a gift back, which includes a box of treats from Napa-based Kollar Chocolates, wildflower seeds and lavender products created from the estate gardens.
The Donum Estate offers a few more affordable tasting options, ranging in price from $95 to $175 per person. These tasting experiences don’t allow access to the Vertical Panorama Pavilion, but guests will be able to get a peek of the installation while walking around the property.
The Donum Estate, 24500 Ramal Road, Sonoma, 707-732-2200, thedonumestate.com
