Alma Rosa Tasting Room Interior

This commercial remodel “brings the ranch to town” by transforming a former warehouse space into a new, upscale wine tasting room for Alma Rosa.

A 10’x10’ glass and steel rolling door maintains openness within the larger volume while dividing the 1,600 square foot, 18’ high space into the main front room and intimate back tasting space. Four 12’ tall glass pocket doors replaced the roll-up warehouse door, and two large skylights flood the space with daylight. Local craftsmen fabricated custom tasting tables, which feature salvaged wood, steel, and stone. Pneumatic air casters underneath each 600-pound table allow easy reconfiguration. An array of tiled digital monitors displays time-lapse videos of the Alma Rosa ranch and vineyards by artist Blakeney Sanford.

Simple and beautiful finishes include reclaimed Douglas fir originally harvested in 1912, local stone, blackened steel, and honed concrete. An olive tree weighing over three tons – nicknamed “Olivia” – thrives in and enlivens the main tasting room.

  • Location

    Buellton, CA

  • Awards

    National Remodelers’ Association Chrysalis Adaptive Re-use Awards, Commercial Remodel
    Qualified Remodeler: Master Design Awards, Judge’s Vision Award


Blackbird Team | Adam Sharkey, Avi Rubin, James Kyle, Ken Radtkey, Ray Twyford, Sam Ridge, Zahra Safaverdi
Landscape Architect | VAI Van Atta Associates Inc.
Structural Engineer | T&S Structural
Mechanical Engineer | Mechanical Engineering Consultants
Electrical Engineer | Alan Noelle Engineering
Contractor | Allen Construction
Photography | Patrick Price