THE REALIZATION OF A DREAM
A new home for Cantiga Wineworks is currently under construction, and is scheduled to be completed this spring.
The building site is on a knoll top overlooking Cantiga's estate vineyards in Somerset, California.
The location has a fantastic 360-degree view!
The footings are being poured.
Our 10-month-old son, Benjamin Gerrit, is overseeing the project. His 3-year-old sister, Anneke Grace (below), is acting Foreman.
The winery is being constructed from Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF), a state-of-the-art building system designed for thermal performance. The 11-inch-thick walls will hold a very stable 55 degrees F with minimal heating or cooling needs. The roof, windows, and doors are also designed for thermal efficiency.
The walls go up quickly, like giant Lego blocks.
The forms are then filled with rebar and concrete.
The roof truss goes up.
A view from above. The end result will be reminiscent of a Gothic church--right in line with our wine label image!
The ceiling is coated with spray-on insulation.
It took two backhoes to unload and place our press on the crush pad!
Still in construction, harvest arrived early and we had to move in and begin operations ahead of schedule.
The base coat of EIFS is applied as a highly durable, water tight finish.
The sidewalks are poured. This view also shows the building with finish coat of EIFS.
Stay tuned for further developments!
August 2008
Christine Rorden