CELESTIAL HILL WINERY
As owners and stewards of the vineyard, Chris and Melissa Thomas share a close relationship with the soil, the vines, and the wine that comes from this special place. It has been a truly amazing experience to get to know them and the vineyard they call home.
Visitors to Celestial Hill experience the relationship that the vineyard’s stewards share with the land and come away with an understanding of its unique character.
LOCATION | Carlton, OR
SCALE | 7,340 square feet
PROGRAM | Winery
COMPLETION | est. 2024
PROJECT TEAM
When we first walked the site with Chris and Melissa it felt as if we were being introduced to their family. In a way we were, since they named the four vineyards after their children - Benjamin, Kendall Grace, and Brady - and the previous property owner and planter of the vines Glenn Howard.
For Celestial Hill, their terroir-based wines are products of the place where the grapes are grown. Those who pay close attention will notice differences in the wine from one part of the vineyard to the next. The pinot noir and chardonnay grown here derive their character from the volcanic and oceanic soil and from the Pacific Ocean breeze.
Celestial Hill’s new production building was designed with the unique character of the site in mind. Built into the hillside, the design makes use of the ground’s natural ability to regulate temperature. The lower section is a cave specially designed for aging wines under ideal conditions.
The upper section features a crush pad for processing grapes, fermentation equipment, and cold storage.
Architectural rendering of the partially underground aging cellar.
Chris Thomas of Celestial Hill, Carol Depiante and Wes Simmons of O’Brien Design+Build, and Randi Lacy of Open Concept Architecture gather for a site walk.