New Justin Winery storage facility opens
The ribbon cutting ceremony for Wisteria 5.
Ribbon ceremony recently held
– Justin Vineyard & Winery’s newest storage facility had its official ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 29. The building, called Wisteria 5, is located at the Golden Hills Business Park in Paso Robles and measures 125,000 square feet. The building was first approved for construction in 2021.
“The building, the first-of-its-kind in Paso, was meticulously designed to push the boundaries of innovation, efficiency, and sustainability and helps to reinforce Paso Robles as one of the great winemaking regions…Justin has a rich history of winemaking excellence, and the commitment to innovation extends seamlessly to the bottling and storage facilities, which is essential for maintaining the premium quality of world-class wines. The custom-built facility is at the forefront of the wine industry and was designed to ensure consistent quality of each bottle – from the vineyard to table,” senior director of grower and community relations Molly Scott said.
The exterior of Justin Vineyard and Winery’s newest storage building.
Members from the Justin Vineyard & Winery team attended the event, including Scott, Senior Vice President of Capital Projects Eric Johnson, and Senior Vice President of Operations Damir Hlebec. In addition, members of the Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce, Lauren Bettencourt and Krista Carpenter, and Paso Robles Assistant City Manager Chris Huot were present.
California Polytechnic State University interns and student project managers for engineering and architecture were able to tour the facility, which Scott notes is “part of Justin’s commitment to investing in education and the next generation.”
The facility will contain space for storage of barrels, wines and goods, services for shipping, and 10,000 square feet of offices; between 12 to 15 full-time jobs related to the wine club can be created with this space. Scott said that Wisteria 5 will contain “storage racking, insulated concrete panels, electric forklifts, and an automated pallet mole retriever system that reduces the amount of driving in and out of the facility, allowing us to increase our storage capacity.” In addition, the wastewater plant located on the lot was expanded; the 100% recycled water is used for the landscaping.
The interior of Wisteria 5.
Local businesses that worked on the storage facility include Wallace Group, SSG, Pulls; the primary contractor was San Luis Obispo-based company Precision Construction Services, who had over 50 subcontractors for the project.
“Justin’s commitment to environmental sustainability is woven into the fabric of all winemaking operations. From energy-efficient systems and recycling initiatives to wastewater reduction measures, Wisteria 5 signifies great strides towards further reducing Justin’s carbon footprint. Justin is proud of its longstanding commitment to the Paso Robles community and responsible environmental stewardship…and, the Wonderful Company, which owns and operates Justin, has a long and deep commitment to environmental stewardship throughout California,” said Scott, adding that “by championing environmental sustainability initiatives, creating job opportunities, and fostering collaborative relationships, Justin aims to develop the next generation of engineers and architectural designers, which in turn contributes to the economic vibrancy of the Paso Robles community and beyond.”
For more information about Justin Vineyard and Winery, visit justinwine.com.
