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FEBRUARY NEWS Alpen Cellars Builds Its Own Grid Remote Northern California winery powered by creek waters T rinity Center, Calif.—Alpen Cellars, in the northern extreme of California near the Oregon border, is 10 rugged miles from the grid, but never without power. Winemaker Keith Groves, who owns the 4,500-case winery with his wife and parents, originally planned only to grow winegrapes on the 300-acre property. When he investigated bringing in power to start a winery in 1984, he was told it would cost him $6 million. "And after that, we'd then get power bills winesandvines.com every month," he commented. Learn more: Search keywords Yet the winery functions smoothly all year, "Alpen Cellars." thanks to China Creek, the east fork of the Trinity River. "We are above the dam, and it's still a wild river," Groves said. "We have an enormous amount of water. If we lived in Sonoma, we'd be very wealthy." After being priced off the grid, Groves, a graduate in enology from Fresno State University, consulted with a local alternative energy company. Its experts measured the amount of gallons flowing in the creek, and the amount of "fall" to determine what equipment he needed to power both the winery and the family's separate homes in the valley. The rushing creek water is diverted by a small 1-foot dam (or weir) through pipes to a turbine that generates 3-phase power. "At max, we get 3.5 kilowatts of power," Groves said. This is converted to DC stored in battery banks and 110-volt, Alpen Cellars harnesses energy from the nearby China Creek. 220-volt or 3-phase AC power accessed through regular sockets. Using the system does demand discipline and energy conservation. "We operate on what we produce," Groves said. "Water is the key, but to be off the grid, you have to use less energy.…We're 50 years behind the times—and 50 years ahead." —Jane Firstenfeld Great wines' silent partner Attention to detail is inherent to every great wine. We understand your effort, which is why we spend so much time crafting a barrel you can count on to complement your fruit. The T.W. Boswell collection embodies our commitment to excellence – it is defined by meticulous standards, full transparency and guaranteed consistency. This elevated standard of excellence honors four generations of coopering expertise while celebrating the passion of the wine world. Win es & Vin es F EB RUA RY 20 13 15