Demonstration Winery

As Explained by Winemaker Amanda Cramer

San Luis Obispo County considers a free-standing tasting room (without production nearby) to be the equivalent of a “rural liquor store” and therefore an inappropriate use of agricultural land. We attempted to secure an exception to this rule for our unique situation. Everyone agreed that the Highway 46 frontage, in the foreground of Heart Hill, was the best location for the tasting room, but not for the winery. We had chosen the site on Anderson Road for the winery because of its relative cool shadiness and because of the hillside that was perfect for the construction of a multi-level, gravity fruit delivery winemaking facility. The county did not grant the exception, so we decided if we must build a second production building, we would make it spectacular. The result is the Demonstration Winery. This petite winery allows us to produce special small lots of wine and educate the public on winemaking techniques in a location convenient to the Tasting Room. It is also an ideal space for hosting intimate events.