[Report] Narasella Dreams of Becoming the Holy Land of Domestic Wine Culture with 'Dowoon'

Narasella Opens Wine Complex Cultural Space Doun
From Wine Education to Pairing, Dining, and Purchasing

"Dowoon is a space planned and prepared to encompass everything from A to Z about wine."

[Report] Narasella Dreams of Becoming the Holy Land of Domestic Wine Culture with 'Dowoon'

(From the top left clockwise) 1st floor lobby lounge, seminar room 'Dowoon Hall', wine bar 'Nightcap', cooking studio 'Dowoon Space'.

Narasella has opened the doors to 'Dowoon,' a wine complex cultural space, in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Dowoon is a space established by Narasella with the goal of expanding the base of domestic wine culture. Its name is derived from two characters: Do (萄), meaning grape, and Woon (韻), meaning taste and sentiment, symbolizing a space where the aroma of grapes spreads. Spanning a total of 10 floors from basement level 2 to the 7th floor and rooftop, Dowoon consists of various spaces including private wine storage, a wine shop, a hall for wine tastings and pairing classes, fine dining, and a wine bar.

Visiting Dowoon on the afternoon of the 31st of last month, it was a space that anyone interested in wine?from beginners just starting to take an interest to connoisseurs who have established their own preferences?would want to visit repeatedly. Despite the remarkable growth of the domestic wine industry recently, spaces where the public can properly experience wine culture are still lacking. Dowoon offers beginners opportunities to learn and understand wine, while providing enthusiasts with an environment to fully focus on their own tastes, making it a multifunctional space designed to satisfy everyone.

The most anticipated space after touring Dowoon was the 2nd-floor 'Dowoon Hall.' This space, designed in a library style with walls lined with famous wines on both sides, is intended for seminars, tastings, and wine education when overseas winery officials visit Korea. Given the limited number of seminar venues or educational institutions specialized in wine, it is expected to build recognition among enthusiasts as a casual academy space in the future. A Narasella representative explained, "We plan to regularly hold classes not only on alcoholic beverages such as wine, whiskey, and sake but also art classes," and added, "On the 6th floor, 'Dowoon Space' features a cooking studio where food pairing classes are also being prepared."

Exterior of Nara Sella wine complex cultural space 'Dowoon'.

On the 4th and 5th floors, the fine dining restaurant ‘Kori’ operates. Combining 'Korea' and 'Innovative,' Kori aims for innovative Korean cuisine with the overall concept of 'fermentation,' matching the fermented beverage wine. The structure, which includes a showcase displaying directly fermented ingredients and an open kitchen leading to a cozy and well-arranged dining hall, was impressive. As a restaurant operated by a wine importer, the extensive wine list featuring over 400 varieties also stood out.

The wine bar ‘Nightcap’ on the top floor was also impressive. Meaning a drink taken before bedtime, Nightcap contrasts with the warm atmosphere of Kori by featuring a toned-down black and gray color scheme, creating a hip lounge bar vibe. With wide windows facing Namsan and the Han River, it seemed ideal for enjoying wine and whiskey while admiring the night view. Seunggi Jeon, Nightcap’s general manager, said, "What differentiates us is that all classic cocktails are given a twist by incorporating wine, reflecting the character of the wine importer."

Additionally, the basement level 2 houses a ‘Private Cellar’ equipped with a temperature and humidity control system to store VIP customers’ wines in optimal condition, and basement level 1 operates the ‘Narasella Reserve’ directly managed store where customers can purchase over 500 types of wine, premium sake, spirits, and various other alcoholic beverages.