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Eric Lemelson had two clear goals in mind when he began visualizing the design of a winery in 1997. Above all, he wanted to create a “no compromises” Pinot noir production facility focused exclusively on quality. He was also guided by a set of design principles that encompasses clear, compelling aesthetics appropriate for our setting in the farmland of Western Oregon, with ease of use and common-sense function. His material choices were strongly influenced by his background as an environmental lawyer and his commitment to principles of sustainability.
Knowing that Pinot noir is a highly "nuanced" wine varietal with delicate aromas, complex flavors and variable textures, Lemelson recognized the importance of attention to detail and gentle processing at every stage of the grape-growing and winemaking process, and how that attention distinguishes truly exceptional from merely good wines.
The resulting winery was designed by a trio: Eric Lemelson, architect Laurence Ferar, and consulting winemaker Eric Hamacher. Completed in time for the 1999 harvest, the winery employs rigorous fruit selection for quality, gentle handling at every stage of the process, and both small and medium-size stainless fermentation vessels to allow each vineyard block to be fermented separately. The facility uses gravity to move wine under very low pressure from level to level, rather than pumps, which can diminish aroma and flavor.
The facility's one-of-a-kind, mobile stainless steel sorting platform sits on four massive steel legs and moves along the winery on a track that doubles as the drainage system for the fermentation room. The sorter allows the winemaker to select only the ripest grape clusters to fill each temperature-controlled, stainless steel fermentation vessel. Stainless steel wine lines cast into the concrete floor allow wine to run throughout the building while minimizing the need for plastic hoses that can leak and create safety hazards.
The wine aging or barrel rooms on the winery's lower level are located underground to minimize energy costs and are constructed from pre-cast concrete arches with radiant heating and cooling pipes in the concrete floors. This design allows for precise temperature control during the wines' long evolution in French oak barrels.
Lemelson used environmentally sustainable building materials at numerous stages of the construction process. Framing lumber was purchased from Collins Lumber, one of the nation's first certified lumber producers, and a longtime family-owned Oregon company. Flooring material in the tasting room and public areas was obtained from Oregon white oak trees harvested on the winery property and milled locally with a portable sawmill. Cedar siding came from storm-damaged trees selected individually from a family-owned tree farm near Mount Hood, Oregon's tallest peak.
The resulting winery combines a focus on quality at every stage of production with beautiful wood, stone and concrete materials to create a building that is highly functional, beautiful and human-scaled.
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