It's so refreshing to stumble upon places that understand that sustainability isn't just a buzz word, it's a call to action. Carlton Winemakers Studio in Carlton, Oregon is a breath of fresh air--they just seem to *get it*. As the first winery registered with the US Green Building Council, CWS is a cooperative winery and tasting room that was built using recycled materials and a "whole-building" approach to sustainability. They utilized sustainable site development and environmentally conscious material selection (recycled and reused) in the construction of their facility.
Even now, they employ awesome water saving strategies (a below foundation water capture/reuse along with a north roof water capture/reuse) as well as emphasize energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality. They use natural light in both the winemaking facility and the tasting room which allows them to use very little electricity. The Lighting Design Lab in Seattle helped with this daylighting project to maximize natural light potential. If you visit, you will see that the tasting room lights are hardly ever on--they don't need to be!
Beyond the green construction efforts, Carlton Winemakers Studio is currently home to eight wineries and their talented winemakers. This allows wineries without a current facility of their own to share this sustainable winemaking facility and tasting room. Up to ten vintners can share space at Carlton Winemakers Studio at one time. They rotate selections through the tasting room which allows each winemaker to showcase their current offerings. Winemakers frequently stop by the tasting room to pour their wines and talk with customers. The current wineries housed in the CWS right now are:
Andrew Rich Vintner
Ayoub Vineyard
Brittan Vineyard
Hamacher Wines
Lazy River Vineyard
Montebruno
Retour Wine Company
Wahle Vineyards and Cellar
If you live in the greater Portland/Salem area or are visiting, I highly recommend you stop by the Carlton Winemakers Studio and support their efforts! The tasting room is open daily from 11:00am - 5:00pm and located at 801 North Scott Street in Carlton, OR. Visit online for more info or to purchase wine!
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