Clayton Korte

Establishing itself as the bedrock central to Copia Vineyards’ 50-acre estate, this new production winery and tasting room facility is located among the scenic hills of the Willow Creek District on the western side of Paso Robles, California. The combination of calcareous soil and steep slopes make for ideal growing conditions to produce premium, well-balanced Rhone varietals.

The building responds directly to hillside terroir, the climatic influences of the sun and prevailing breezes enjoyed by the Central Coast. A simple layout facilitates the production of small-lot, Rhone-style blends of up to 3,000-5,000 cases annually. Positioned in the heart of the vineyard, the new winery includes open-air fermentation space that receives natural daylight via a north facing sawtooth roof. A large barrel storage room flanks fermentation and includes a working portal and winemaker support spaces that front sweeping views of the vineyard to the east.

With dramatic vistas of Paso Robles to the east, hospitality spaces share an intimate connection to the vineyard and surrounding ridgeline landscape. This heightens the visitors’ experience and intensifies the winery’s connection to its place. A simple palette of materials, intended to be clean-lined and expressively modern yet resilient and environmentally authentic, include a painted steel structure, raked plaster walls, cast-in-place concrete, mild steel, and charred wood. Planned renewable systems include an integrated photovoltaic system that will help minimize reliance on utility provided energy.