W
hen Boston transplants Bill Sweat and Donna Morris started a winery in 2006, they decided to focus on the beauty of the Willamette Valley. They named their venture Winderlea, a loose German translation meaning âthe wind in the meadow,â and began crafting chardonnays and pinot noirs in Dundee, Oregon. On their 20-acre vineyard, they chose a spot for their tasting room that feels as if you are âfloating above the vineyardâ with expansive views of the terrain. The original vision was âessentially a glass cube with a roof,â inspired by an Austrian winery that Sweat and Morris discovered while researching design ideas. The duo hired Portland-area LEED-certified architect Ernest Munch, and their vision was translated into reality with a Northwest twistâa mix of modern architecture with organic surroundings. The 4,000-square-foot, two-story tasting room features photovoltaic arrays to convert sunlight into electricity and a solar hot-water system that uses sunlight to heat water. The large overhanging roof works to protect exterior walls from rain but still allows the sun to warm the concrete floorâmade with fly ash, a recycled material generated from making steelâinside. Sweat and Morris kept the color palette neutral with cream walls offset by gray Venetian plaster. The tasting bar features a walnut base with black granite, light-green glass, and a white Corian counter. Sweat describes their tasting room as the pairing of a modern building with a 35-year-old vineyard. In wine terms, the clarity of the tasting room perfectly balances the texture and depth of the beautiful vineyard that surround it.
Owners Bill Sweat and Donna Morris let the terrain of their 20-acre vineyard choose the spot for the tasting room. They wanted it to seem like they were floating above the land. Expanses of windows allow natural light to flood in, adding to the airy feel.
GRAY ISSUE No. three
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