SA cellar door awarded at global LIV Hospitality Design Awards

The Taylors Wines cellar door located in South Australia’s Clare Valley has been acknowledged for its interior design with two accolades in the 5th edition of the global LIV Hospitality Design Awards. 

The Taylors Cellar Door was named as the Destination Winner in Interior Design for Australia Pacific and also a winner in the Interior Design Brand New category. 

As with everything produced on the Taylors estate, sustainability has been an essential focus for the project. Elements such as EV charging stations, solar panels, and water conservation are all featured in the build.

“We are so proud of our Taylors Wines cellar door here in the heart of the Clare Valley, and to be recognised globally for its design and craftsmanship is a real testament to the hard work of the entire team,” says third-generation Winemaker and Managing Director Mitchell Taylor. 

“We wanted to develop a space that was elegant but with an instant warming feel for each and every person who walks through the doors – just like the sentiment we aim to achieve with our entire Taylors Wines portfolio.” 

It’s a South Australian-led project with interior design by local Adelaide Designer Georgie Shepherd of Georgie Shepherd Interior Design, along with interior designers Emmeline Barwick and Lauren Main. 

Clare Valley-based Architect Kristina Soggee of GP Architects led the architecture of the cellar door and the build was by another Adelaide business Cook Building. 

The LIV Hospitality Design Awards recognise exceptional architectural and interior design projects from around the world, with this 5th edition drawing in a record-number of over 550 submissions from 58 countries. 

Each application was judged by a panel of experienced architects, designers, and developers in the hospitality sector, with an official awards ceremony to be held in April in Shanghai. 

The Taylors Wines cellar door was one of only two Australian projects to win an award. The other was a concept by a Sydney Design School student titled The Bower Cafe which was the Destination Winner for the Interior Design - Eating Space category. 

The cellar door was completed in August 2023 and was the first significant update to the winery’s hospitality offering since it was established in 1969. It saw Taylors move from its existing cellar door in the main winery building on the property to a newly developed site: An extension from the original homestead located on the expansive front lawn of the property. 

Both the interior design and architecture send a nod to the surrounding Clare Valley, combining rustic, natural materials with elegant fittings throughout. The dark timber, travertine, metal detailing and custom joinery pieces are also inspired by the robust minerality used in Australian farmhouses.

The use of luxurious finishings and materials are designed to age with the building to create a warming, light-filled and welcoming destination for guests of Taylors Wines. 

The cellar door features five distinct visitor experience areas: the Main Tasting Room, The Courtyard, The East Patio, The Event Pavilion, and the Collector’s Club members' tasting room. 

The main entry of the cellar door features Taylors’ iconic three-seahorse emblem at an impressive scale in stylish weathered steel. The use of limestone carries throughout the building’s facade and walls, which speaks to how the Taylor family discovered fossilised seahorses in the vineyard’s limestone bedrock when they established the estate over 50 years ago. 

Passing through the floor-to-ceiling glass entryway, guests are welcomed to the expansive tasting counter with Enomatic Wine Serving Systems for Taylors' finest wines. The large countertop, made from travertine stone, serves as a service area for Taylors’ Cellar Door team and opens into the main tasting room. 

The central feature of the main tasting room is a spectacular, bronze-green tiled, circular fireplace surrounded by cosy lounges and bespoke furnishings featuring American oak and soft leather. Custom-designed exposed timber and metal roof trusses frame the room. 

The Victorian Ash timber used in the trusses also features on the walls to create a modern take on the classic Australian barns dotted across the region. 

A private Collector’s Club members' room sits beside the Main Tasting Room, offering groups of up to 18 a luxurious space to conduct hosted tastings and events. This enclosed tasting area offers guests 180° views of Taylors’ expansive lawn area and vineyards to the east of the property. 

The use of polished terrazzo-style concrete is threaded throughout the internal space and inlaid with wood and brass detailing to mark the transition between the distinct areas. 

There are two outdoor areas designed for guests to enjoy Clare Valley’s notable sunny days and those decidedly chilly ones. The Courtyard features an impressive stone fireplace where guests can enjoy the crackle of burning logs. 

The area is sheltered by a Vergola roof, which has angled louvres to protect guests from the elements while enjoying their tasting experience. The sun-soaked East Patio offers another beautiful outdoor setting for guests to relax and breathe in the fresh Clare Valley air. 

Toward the back of the new site, Taylors has created a purpose-built Event Pavilion designed to enable events to occur without disrupting the normal trading of Taylors' cellar door. The covered event space features a bar service area and allows for up to 60 guests (seated) for public and private events. 

Images by Anson Smart