The Wine Knows

Last week, we brought you the story of AgriVino, a self-serve wine-tasting room in Oregon's Yamhill-Carlton District. How things change quickly. Below is a report from Eric Degerman, Wine Press Northwest managing editor, who is working on a story about it:

The new AgriVino Wine Center near Carlton, Ore., opened earlier this month to the excitement of virtually everyone within the North Willamette Valley wine industry.

However, John Stuart's business might be doomed because of a ruling by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. He said he learned of the news Friday - the beginning of perhaps the biggest weekend in Oregon wine touring.

"It's unbelievable, and I'm obviously outraged," Stuart said. "What's more is the indication that the OLCC basically set us up. We have been given copies of internal communications that indicate that they knew a year ago that they might have an issue that they never brought forward until more than a month after we were licensed without any restrictions whatever (April 1, 2008).

"They even acknowledge that they are applying their interpretation of "self pour" inconsistently across the state and yet have proceeded with holding us to a different standard," Stuart continued. "When asked for an explanation, they just shrug their shoulders. We've pointed out that the Oregon State Constitution prohibits such treatment and they could care less."

Stuart's showpiece facility features the high-tech Enomatic wine preservation system and allows people to serve themselves a 1-ounce pour - and no more than 10 such pours within a two-hour visit.

Stuart called Wine Press Northwest to report that the OLCC told him today that this integral portion of his business model is in violation of regulations. The commission won't allow adults to use the Enomatic to dispense the 1-ounce pour into a glass.

"I could not have planned this out any better than I did," said Stuart, who claims to have documentation from OLCC staff congratulating and supporting him on the concept of AgriVino.

Alas, if AgriVino wants to continue to operate, the OLCC told Stuart he must have an employee - not the customer - operate each of the seven tasting stations.

Stuart's business model is designed for one sommelier, a concierge and a single "floating" monitor (all licensed servers). He said it would be too expensive and too inconvenient to his guests to have to assign a server to each visitor.

"Nobody in the state is held to such requirement," Stuart said. "Sadly, a project planned as a positive contribution to economic development for the entire community and a benefit to the wine industry is made to suffer incredibly capricious treatment."

He plans to remain open this weekend and will post signs within AgriVino that will inform guests of the OLCC demands.

"I'm in a holding pattern, trying to juggle staff and serve people in this ridiculous manner," Stuart said.

How excited are Willamette Valley wineries about AgriVino? Stuart reports more than 25 wineries are on the waiting list to have one of their wines poured at this latest venture at Abbey Road Farm.

Stuart pointed out Oregon law permits adults to pour themselves a glass of beer from a pitcher or their own wine at the restaurant table. Yet, he said he does not feel as though he can persuade the OLCC to reconsider its ruling regarding AgriVino. He said he's already tried to no avail.

"I am on the horns of a dilemma of major proportions and may well be pulling the plug on it," he said.

See AgriVino in action: