The Carlton Winemakers Studio

Unique place to learn about how winemakers gain their experiences and connect with others with the same passion. Take the tour. Well worth it.

Our visit to The Carlton Winemakers Studio was absolutely fantastic! My wife and I stopped in without a reservation, which was such a nice surprise. I went with the flight of reds, and my wife chose the flight of whites, and both were excellent. It’s easily the best “bang for your buck”. You get to taste wines from multiple wineries, all offering different styles and regions, without having to drive all over wine country. The space is small and cozy. The woman who helped us (her name started with a “T” I wish I remembered it!) was incredibly knowledgeable about the vineyards, winemakers and their stories. Her passion and insight made the tasting even more enjoyable. If you’re visiting Carlton, this spot is pretty awesome. Great wines, friendly service and an experience that feels personal and laid-back.

Delightful experience at Carlton Winemakers Studio. Our experience was relaxing, paced well, informative and inspiring. Was wonderful to taste unique wines from several creators, served by a host who was well versed in the story behind each wine.

Had a wonderful tasting experience here. We took the grandparents and the kids, kids are welcome on the patio area. There are multiple wine makers sharing this location and the sommelier informative and helped match best wines for what we wanted. The charcuterie was plate yourself, but good options. Very relaxed atmosphere. Good mix of reds, whites, and bubbles. I didnt take enough pictures 😅

Amazing experience at Winemaker’s Studio today! Nick was welcoming and knowledgeable, and curated a tasting experience based on our preferences over the course of our visit. Walked away with seven bottles and a better understanding of what we look for in wine (in addition to a baseline ‘yum’ factor). I also appreciated the options for gluten-free snacks!! We will absolutely be back :)

Love this place! 17 winemakers under one roof, quality wine! Great tastings, nice room, good outdoor area, charcuterie boards are delicious! Whitney and Tracy are superb hosts, very knowledgeable and helpful! Great attention given, all needs met, went above and beyond to make sure our experience was impeccable. Go here! Delicious wine and good people.

Winemakers studio was a great place to go spend a quiet afternoon and enjoy a glass of wine. It is secluded and relaxing. Dogs are allowed and they offered my puppy water in a water bowl. The building and garden is beautiful.

I had a very enjoyable tasting here. This is the tasting room for a production facility that is shared by a number of local vintners. So you get interesting diversity in the wines and wine making on offer. Very friendly and informative. All the wines are on the pricey side though and I took off a star for that. There are a lot of excellent local wines for less. Still, Carlton Winemakers Studio was a good stop, a fun tasting, and I came away with bottles I look forward to opening and enjoying.

We have getting wine from Carlton and have visited their winery for years now. We love the diversity of the wine, the low key friendly atmosphere, and the fun events they host!

Do you like trying wines from all different wineries? Do you like trying the same varietal but from different wineries / different nearby vineyards to see how they differ? Do you like supporting small winemakers / wineries? IF you answered YES, to any of the above, go see Whitney! She's a wealth of knowledge and tidbits about the wines and owners. So fun trying all the different wines.... and we found a GSM that is absolutely sublime. Oh... and a White Pinot Noir (Pinot Noir Blanc) was the surprising new wine I'd never tried before today. It was so good that I had to buy a couple bottles. Note: Walk-ins allowed and welcomed, and 2 people can share 1 tasting. Plus...they have a vending machine of charcuterie snacks you can buy to go with your tasting.

Amazing experience. Sitting outside by a fire pit. Wonderful tasting of 6 different wines from different wineries. Above expectations!

This is a wonderful place to try wines from 15 different wineries in a relaxed setting. Two different flights of five wines were offered, and we tried each. They also have many other selections available by the bottle, including a 20 year pinot noir vertical. We also got a kick out of the charcuterie, cheese, and chocolate vending machine!

Visited on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in early October. Was very busy and understaffed and had paid ahead for the customized tasting experience. Even though the 2 employees working were slammed, Nick did everything he could to make our experience live up to their reputation. We had great seating outside with optimal shade. He created the perfect charcuterie board that paired well with the awesome selection of wines he chose for our tasting. He even carved time out to give us a tour of the facilities (which I did not even know was included in the tasting.) We were so pleased with the experience and wines that we became members. Can't wait to go back! Thank you, Nick, for your professionalism, patience and hospitality. It was very much appreciated.

We stopped in on a friend's recommendation and were very happy we did. We got in early, just after they opened, and that worked out well as the guy there (and I am kicking myself for not getting his name) had plenty of time to talk with us on the wines, the history of the area, the different winemakers, etc. We went through their basic tasting of five wines and enjoyed all of them. The place is set up really nicely, with plenty of room outside to sit and enjoy whatever you decide to order. The charcuterie plates looked delicious, so we might have to get one of those next time. The vending machine is a real kick as well, and it has some amazing cheeses in it. Five stars for sure - Mike sez absolutely check it out!

I love this place. The staff is welcoming, knowledgeable and friendly. Great variety of wine and labels. So happy to be a member. Today we really Enjoyed the 00 VGW and VGR, though we loved the Cummins and Hyland labels as well. This is the only place I've enjoyed every bottle they crack open from reds to white. Great ambiance and easy parking.

We stopped by the Carlton Winemakers Studio during our visit to the Willamette Valley. It is different than the other wineries we visited- it feels much more like a bar than a winery. It is very modern, and I love the fact that we could try a variety of winemakers all in one place. The service was good, no complaints!

Can't say enough great things about this wine studio. Griffin was a gracious host in educating us in all the wines and the owner's backstories. I left with a lot of wine to take home. SO good!

We really liked this winery. Server was friendly and helpful. She did serve a wine I really liked, but they were out (this is why I gave 4 instead of 5 stars). I loved and needed their charcuterie vending machine! We were hungry!

In the past we have had a great experience - they represent a cross section of wonderful winemakers in the area and still do. However, this rating is about our last visit. We had the pleasure of hearing the knowledge of the employees as we tasted their wines which I would rank five stars. The issue why we ranked three stars is because it appears they are only pouring more low budget wines. Just as an example there was a sparkling wine that was produced locally that was poured and it was flat ( we even questioned the server and his response was "it was opened yesterday." He did not even pour us the proper bubbly. Out of the whole flight only one wine stood up to the caliber of the winemakers they represent. As a suggestion in the future - when visiting - do your homework on the winemakers they represent and order a bottle and picnic!

Our group was visiting the Willamette Valley for the first time, and CWS was the perfect place to savor a range of unique, local styles. Each tasting was delicious but also totally distinct. Comfy, chill outdoor patio. Reasonable pricing. Would easily make the wine specialist and tasters looking to learn more very happy. Our host Ian was so fun and knowledgeable. None of us are wine experts and he welcomed our questions with approachable and detailed answers. We enjoyed learning not just about how the wine was made but also about wine market and trends from him. Absolutely would come back!

Fantastic selection of local wine with a real pulse of the wine making scene, terroir, and local history of the more storied wineries in the region.

Welcoming wine tasting room where function and form are aligned in a cool LEED certified building that is universally accessible for all winos...ummm...oenophiles. Tasting room staff that are hands on expert in the wines they pour and who extend their passion for the artisan product. (A special nod to Carly who was our hostess.) Reasonable tasting fees (@$10-$15) for short flights (three each) of your choice (Pinot Noir, Other Red, White) free poured (to allow enough to really assess the wines) in Riedel stemware. Places to sit at tasting bar or at standard height (hooray!!!) tables in the contemporary indoor space or, weather permitting, outside on a patio. (Where on the day of our visit we had a chance for greeting by a most enthusiastic adorable very young winery dog, Griff.) We opted for the Other Red fight of three as one can get truly "Pinot Noired Out" in Willamette Valley tastings and our flight of three contained one PN and two others. From the flight we bought the 2009 Wahle Pinot Noir and an Andrew Rich second label blend which was mostly Syrah (one of my fav red varietals). We also purchased a 2011 Merriman Chenin Blanc since we are big fans of the "can't get no respect" white varietal. Total bill for three bottles and including $10 tasting fee (not refunded with purchase) roughly $85.00. This was the most enjoyable tasting experience of our afternoon in Carlton. Although big fans of Willamette Valley wines and of other winery towns in the Valley, we'll admit we just do not "get" Carlton in general and it is virtually never on our rotation. But the Winemaker's Studio makes a Carlton detour worth it. THIS N THAT 1) ACCESSIBILITY: Unlike most tasting rooms in Carlton, this one is fully accessible from parking lot, through the door and throughout. 2) STUDIO CONCEPT: For those unfamiliar with a shared studio concept, this allows small producers who do not have winery production facilities to share resources and staff to make and bottle wines and represent them at the tasting room. Some folks who started out in this kind of facility have gone on to be big names in the Valley. 3) ANOTHER STUDIO: August Cellars is another independent winemaker's studio set up. They followed the Carlton folks and borrowed ideas from them in the facility and format. If you're in the Newberg area, August Cellars is also a fun stop. http://www.yelp.com/biz/august-cellars-newberg

I was so excited to try this place and get a sneak peak at the next generation of winemaker talent in the valley. I think the staff said they have 12/13 wineries represented. Maybe because she said that I was a bit bummed that we were only able to taste 4. They do have a lot for sale though, many at very reasonable prices, so if you live locally this is a great little wine shop in addition to a tasting room. If you're lucky you might see a winemaker actually doing some work in the barrel room which shares 1 wall with the tasting room. My only complaint is that the tasting fee is relatively high for the amount of wine you get and is only waived with 6 bottle purchase.

Had high expectations for our tasting here! Andrew Rich wine is one of our favs, and happens to make his wine here. So we thought we would be able to taste a few of his at least, but only 1 was offered in the tasting. They have numerous bottles of his wine on the shelf for purchase, but I'm not one to purchase something I have not tasted. The whole purpose to wine taste is to buy something you really like! Many other winemakers have come and gone in this place. It is a cool concept when just starting out if you can't afford your own wine making facility. The staff here that works the tasting room, is very friendly! Cool spot to get your feet wet, but so many more options out there-

I work in the wine industry in Napa and have tasted at many places I was referred over to the studio last week and tasted there Nick was the one who served me and I really enjoyed it. He was very friendly and knowledgeable about the wines I do not join wine clubs as I have access to many wineries. However I ended up joining the club due to the fact that they support small local wineries, excellent wines and various price points that I feel were of great value, plus many choices. Also the small producers i feel really put their effort into making their wines. The entry point of the wine club for what I wanted was very reasonable I would highly recommend the studio as one the places to go tasting in Willamette and also take a look at the wine club

Just had the BEST of time visiting this winery!! Thank you Christine from Gypsy Dancer for recommending it.

I love this place. The staff is welcoming, knowledgeable and friendly. Great variety of wine and labels. So happy to be a member. Today we really Enjoyed the 00 VGW and VGR, though we loved the Cummins and Hyland labels as well. This is the only place I've enjoyed everything they pour!

I'll admit up front that I'm biased. Particularly towards Domaine Meriwether wines... and while they are in the Carlton Winemakers Studio (they will move by harvest next year), I'm gonna give this place the full 5.0. I get treated wonderfully there... the facilities are fun to tour, there are good wines there, and the people are pretty darn nice. Of course, top niceness award goes to Buzz, acting owner of DM - very generous, very kind, and very knowledgeable. I've learned more about sparkling wine from him than any other source. They make their sparkling in the Champage-style - it takes 5 years for them to make their entry-level sparkling... which is one of the best out there for the price (called Discovery - you can find it in most stores around Central OR). And they only get better from there (and of course, more pricey)... Anyway, if you haven't been to this place, you best get over there. Not too many places allow you to taste through so many good wines all in one location. Can't complain about that!

The Studio winebar is one of our favorite hidden spots in the area with friendly staff and beautiful setting, yet its really just a little bit off the main street in Carleton. The Studio's winemakers are an all-star cast and they produce some great wines. The building and tasting room are beautiful and modern, and the business model is fascinating. This is the first green cooperative winemaking facility, and many different winemakers use the facility for processing, allowing small producers to make high quality wines without intensive capital investment on equipment. As a result, you get to taste and purchase some lovely wines made by wine start-ups in a friendly, modern setting. There are many talented "graduates" of the Winemaker's Studio that have gone on to open their own larger production facilities and tasting rooms: Penner- Ash, Soter Vineyards, etc. so this is an opportunity to taste innovative winemaking at the ground floor.

This is a collective that is home to about 10 or so wineries that don't have their own tasting room, for whatever reason. Andrew Rich Wines, former employee of the famous Bonny Doon Vineyard in Santa Cruz, and Domaine Meriwether.. who make some nice sparkling wine. Just to name a couple. Although I wasn't completely captivated by all of the wines I tasted, I really liked being able to try so many under one roof. I think they are providing a great service and the staff was very friendly and helpful. Easy to get to and open most of the year, as well.

A must stop on your Willamette Valley wine tour! Stumbled upon the Studio by accident and was even more pleasantly surprised when we met one of the vineyard owners who shared her story while stopping off to check on her grapes. The Studio brings a fresh take on wine that shakes old conventions, giving the Pinot grape the attention it deserves.

Disappointed by the lack of atmosphere and conversation. Limited tasting options and nothing to see. Expensive way to buy wine.

This place is such an awesome and unique experience! The staff is fantastic and their wines are diverse. There is a reason the most quintessential wineries get their start here. It is unparalleled in showcasing small producers that are up and coming!

My boyfriend and I went on a last minute wine tasting trip this weekend and stopped by CWS because we enjoyed the wines last year when we went. Tracy was happy to answer our endless questions about all of the wines and winemakers. I should note that we remembered her from our last visit because we rolled in at about 5 minutes before closing and she was so gracious and welcoming. I love the entrepreneurial spirit of the studio and the seasoned mentors who collaborate with other talented winemakers. Besides Tracy being a great host, the wines we tried both visits were unique and enjoyable. Lucky me, my boyfriend joined the club.

Why have we not been here before now? Because we've never seen the signage or driven PAST Canas Feast Winery but TRUST ME, you need to. Drive past the parking lot of Canas Feast and follow street a few hundred feet and then hang a right. Hidden gem. Hidden charming flower filled patio and great seating. Bring a picnic. This place represents 14 different wineries so you aren't held hostage to just one vineyard or winemaker. TONS of affordable bottles of wine. Tuesday wines to special occasion wines. Hopefully Christina is working because she is delightful

Awesome winery. Great people...always a good time when visiting! We both enjoy the diversity that is part of their family of winemakers.

Everything is exceptional from caliber of winemakers and the quality and variety of wines being turned out - there is no other place like it. The wine club is on point with fun and different events and the best part is you are sharing them with a variety of winemakers. Highly recommend!

I'm so bummed to write this review. I've been waiting to try this place for several years, having been long time members/fans at Ponzi and being big fans of the Hamacher label. We popped in recently 15 min to close looking to taste and join the club, but were told there was really no time for a taste as they'd closed their books, but they could open them if we wanted to purchase. I understand wanting to get out the door, but in the interest of customer service this is a sad approach to turning away business. You missed out on loyal fans/members of the local wine community.

Excellent wine tasting with plenty of safety controls in place. You cannot beat the variety and quality of their winemakers. Love!!

I noticed that many of the reviews are slightly older for the Studio, so, thought I'd add mine while I'm in a reviewing mood! I've been going to the Carlton Winemaker's Studio off and on since moving to Oregon in 2006, however, it wasn't until this past year (2010) that I went several times throughout the year. For some reason driving down to wine country was the thing to do every 3-4 weeks from Spring 2010-Winter 2010! Go figure ;). I would guess that I have been to the Studio 5-6 times in the past 12 months--including to their wonderful tasting event on Thanksgiving weekend. I find many of the wines spectacular, and, the staff uniformly welcoming and enthusiastic. Not only is the Studio winebar one of my favorites in the Carlton area, but the wines are outstanding. I'd say that the Retour, Brittan, and Ayoub Pinots are amazingly good. The Studio's winemakers also produce some alluring whites as well. The building and tasting room are modern, "green," and pleasant. Parking and space are expansive. The Studio has recently(?) started crafting a few wines labeled with its own label--we tried the Red Blend--and they are good values and delicious. If you are in the Carlton area tasting wine; don't miss the studio.

I have to take exception with a previoius review that gave CWS a one-star review. My wife and I visited over the labor Day weekend and were served by the young lady described in said review and we found her both pleasant and knowledgeable. I should also point out that we are regular wine tasters and I have yet to visit a tasting room where they change glasses with every pour. that just wouldn't be practicle. so I have to suggest that when you read Yelp reviews, you try to consider the perspective of the poster. That said, this is a great place if you're looking for a variety of high quality "boutique" wines. The price range is good and the selection is great because there are wines that you probably will never see anywhere else. Instead of getting a lot of variety under one label, you get even more variety with equally divierse brands. We are part time residents of the area and I can assure you that we'll be making return visits...and we look forward to picking up shipments from this wine club and subsequent visits. I think we may have even already picked out a wine for Christmas dinner. I would highly recommend Carlton Winemakers Studio to anyone who's genuinely interested in wines and is looking for variety and hard-to-find gems. Thanks Catherine!

We thought we'd like this place based on many of the reviews on this site and in travel magazines. Sadly, we did not. We can't help but wonder if it's the day we went. We were disappointed to find out that while there are up to 12 wineries represented there, when you have a tasting it only represented 3 on the day we went. We didn't like any of our pours and were really disappointed. It's one of the few wineries that we went to all weekend where we walked out without any bottle of wine. Perhaps it was that particular sampling of wineries? The space was very modern and the tasting room was a large size to accomodate the larger weekend crowds. However, I'm not sure I'l return again. There are too many other, better tasting rooms in Carlton.

So it's really hard to get to every winery in the area you want, in fact impossible. So this is an amazing little cooperative that helps get newer winemakers some exposure and can give you a sampling of the best Willamette Valley has to offer. James was one of the friendliest, approachable pourers we've had.

Funky, modern, eco-friendly winery with a great concept: 10 artisan wineries share equipment and a tasting room to produce and pour some seriously good wines. Small lots of high end Pinot Noir and some more unusual stuff for Oregon; Bubbly, Tempranillo, Viognier, Alsatian and Rhone style blends... Full disclosure: I may be biased - they do sign my paycheck. On the other hand, if I've spent 50hrs a week there for the last year and STILL think it's great, that might be saying something too!

The Winemaker's Studio is definitely the best start in this wonderful wine region! We felt so fortunate to meet Whitney as our Sommelier! She is so informed about the wine culture and process and the wonderful asset the Winemaker's Studio is to the entire local industry. We sampled a fabulous variety of wines with her, met a very accomplished winemaker that creates in the Studio, and, of course, became a 12 bottle member (even after many declarations of my Husband leading up to this trip that we "CAN'T JOIN ANOTHER CLUB! We don't have enough room to store more wine") Couldn't resist, you get access to such unique offerings! No regrets, can't wait to host tasting parties every shipment! We'll visit the Studio every trip West in the future! So much to learn!

Great little spot to taste wines for 13 different wineries under one roof. We were greeted at the exterior entrance with a sample of Sav Blanc which was excellent. Then we proceeded to the patio to taste whites and roses. It was a quaint comfortable patio area. Then we went inside into the large cellar warehouse area for a taste of reds and ended in the front tasting room for our last red.

so much potential for this studio. it failed me for a few reasons. many different wines are sold here by several winemakers. only few are showcased at a time on the tasting menu - and the tasting fees are $10-15 for 3-4 tastes.

This is one of those "hidden gems" of wine country you only hope to find. Based on a friend's recommendation, we added this to our list of "must-sees" on our Oregon wine tour this summer -- and I'm thrilled we did. The tasting room at CWS offers bottles from a number of very small wineries (when we were there, they represented 12 wineries), and tastings featuring even fewer sources. In this one stop, we tasted eight wines, including the expected Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Chardonnay, but also a Roussane, which was a nice departure from the other stops on our tour. Of course, your mileage may vary; the advertised tasting flights ($10-15) offer three to four wines each. But I don't think we did a tasting at any point along our tour that stuck to the advertised flight. As an added bonus, the hostess served our tasting outdoors on the patio, taking advantage of a glorious, low-80s, sunny summer day. This is absolutely a place I will return to. No where else I've found in the area provides this kind of one-stop variety and access to one-of-a-kind small producers.

I had a chance to do a tasting with four of the winemakers and hear the details of the heart and chemistry that goes into their craft that results in the impressive wines we tasted. This was the third event I've attended at Carlton Winemaker's Studio and the best yet! The staff onsite are knowledgeable and helpful, adding to a great overall experience. I know of nowhere else where we can access this many wines from so many winemakers in a single tasting room, which among all the other benefits, has an awesome ambiance and beautiful patio area. Love this place!

Attended The Carlton Winemakers end of the harvest wine festival this last Saturday and it was fantastic! We sampled 12 wines with the winemakers present to talk about their wines, all wines were paired with delicious foods served at Thanksgiving by an outstandung caterer, live band played and they were awesome, and we got to experience tasting a futures wine! Fantastic staff, super friendly and efficient , and the whole 4 hr event was simply fun and affordable Definitely coming back next year.

We visited this tasting room as part of a day of Willamette Valley tastings, and it was the most disappointing of our trip. We chose it because we had had a lovely glass of an Andrew Rich wine in a wine bar, and this is where you can taste his wines. Unfortunately, they only had a tiny selection of wines on to taste, from across their various producers, for a flat fee which was very high compared to pretty much everywhere else I visited (I think it was $15 for the four whites I tasted), the wines were not impressive, and the person pouring didn't pay us any attention at all or tell us anything about the wines. The whole experience left me irritated and unimpressed.

We have now been here twice in 3 years. Both times have been surprising In a very positive way. Every wine we tasted on both occasions we have both liked. Whites, reds or rose's, we've liked them all. Highly recommend making this a stop on any trip to the area. Also had great time speaking with their manager Jason about their wines. Once he knew more about our preferences he was very open to our trying tastings not on the menu. It was a win-win for everyone. We found more wines to our liking and joined their wine club too! Can't wait for those shipments.

Carlton Winemakers Studio was a great glimpse into what the Willamette Valley has to offer. Amazing green Leed Certification building. Carly helped us and was very thorough and fun. The great thing about this tasting room is that their offerings always vary and you get to try small batches from various vintners. Some of the biggest winemakers in the valley started here, such as Lynn penner-ash, as this facility serves as an incubator for many people who are transitioning into having their own facilities. It seems that the community is so great there that some people might not even want to leave. This place is a must. Thanks Carly!

Loved this place due to the fact that you could sample many different wines. Jeff was most helpful and had much knowledge on each different winery. We learned a lot and found some new favorites to add to our list. This should be a must stop when in the Carlton area.

We had a great time at the Carlton Winemakers' Studio. Sampled some great pinots, talked with the friendly staff...and of course went home with 1.5 cases of great Andrew Rich wine!

I suspect there are some very good wines here because there were some professionals here with a table spread with glasses and spitoons. There are multiple tasting lists. We only tried a few reds. As is want to happen, the conversation stales a bit upon finding you are yet another visitor from the SF Bay. He made an effort, as did we, but it just didn't come together. I guess that's how I felt about my tastings too, but I could be conflating things.

Yes the place has multiple wines to look @ but to taste them they only open four @ a time. Until one of them runs out then they will open one more. Meaning 15 wines only 4 to try unless you drink the hole bottle to have another opened.