Wine for the Curious & the Conscious
Civic Winery & Wines is a multi-faceted urban wine project in the heart of Eugene, Oregon — a fully functioning winery, natural wine bar, bottle shop, private event space, and restaurant housed in a restored 1930s building with exposed beams, high ceilings, and rustic amphora vessels. [^402^] [^411^] Founded and led by winemaker Craig Weicker, Civic is a mecca for natural wine lovers — producing its own low-intervention wines in Oregon-crafted terracotta amphora, while curating a selection of over 500 natural wines from small growers and producers around the world. [^413^] [^402^] The name evokes the Latin "civis" (citizen) and "civitas" — the social body with rights and responsibilities that connect members of a community. [^402^] Civic celebrates Oregon and the Willamette Valley, its rich agricultural history, and Eugene's place within this ecosystem. [^402^]
From Civic Stadium to Civic Winery
Civic Winery & Wines is housed in a newly renovated historic building in downtown Eugene, originally constructed in 1937 with some connection to Eugene Civic Stadium. [^402^] The renovations exposed high ceilings, beams, and trusses that previous tenants had covered — revealing the industrial bones of a structure that has served the community for nearly a century. [^402^] The building now contains multiple interrelated elements: a fully functioning winery with amphora fermentation and ageing, a custom crush facility, a wine bar and bottle shop, a private event space for up to 250 guests, and Lion & Owl — a restaurant celebrating the flora and fauna of the Pacific Northwest. [^402^]
Craig Weicker founded Civic as a celebration of community — the name deliberately evokes citizenship, civic duty, and the interconnectedness of people within a place. [^402^] "Civic evokes the Latin civis, citizen, and civitas — the social body with the rights and responsibilities that connect members of a community," the winery explains. "We want to celebrate Oregon and the Willamette Valley, its rich agricultural history, and Eugene's place within this ecosystem." [^402^] This is not just marketing language — it is the philosophical foundation of everything Civic does, from the wines it makes to the producers it supports to the events it hosts.
Craig's winemaking focuses on organic and biodynamic grape growing and processing, with a particular emphasis on amphora — terracotta vessels that harken back thousands of years to the earliest days of winemaking. [^402^] The amphorae are crafted in Oregon, supporting local artisans while connecting the winery to ancient traditions. [^407^] This combination of old and new — ancient vessels in a 1930s building in a modern Oregon city — defines the Civic aesthetic: rooted in history, engaged with the present, and open to the future.
The project is Eugene's newest urban winery, restaurant, wine bar, and bottle shop — a 10,000 square foot space that has quickly become a destination for natural wine lovers from across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. [^411^] It represents a new model for urban wineries: not just a production facility with a tasting room, but a fully integrated community hub where wine, food, commerce, and culture converge.
"Civic evokes the Latin civis, citizen, and civitas — the social body with the rights and responsibilities that connect members of a community."
— Civic Winery Philosophy
Amphora, Indigenous Yeasts & Gentle Extractions
Civic Winery's production focuses on organic and biodynamic grape growing and processing, with a signature emphasis on amphora fermentation and ageing. [^407^] The terracotta vessels — crafted in Oregon — provide a neutral, porous environment that allows wines to develop naturally without the influence of oak or stainless steel. [^402^] Amphora winemaking is among the oldest techniques in the world, predating barrels by millennia, and Craig Weicker has embraced it as a way to create wines of pure terroir expression — honest, unadorned, and deeply connected to their source.
The wines are made with indigenous yeasts, gentle extractions, minimal intervention, and low sulphur — hallmarks of the natural wine movement that Civic champions. [^402^] Grapes are sourced from organic or sustainable vineyards at a minimum, with absolutely no glyphosate used. [^404^] The portfolio includes Pinot Noir (including a pét-nat made with both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay), sparkling Dolcetto rosé, still red Dolcetto, and a skin-contact white wine made with Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Riesling. [^413^] This eclectic range reflects Craig's curiosity and his belief that the Willamette Valley can support far more than just Pinot Noir.
The bar and bottle shop celebrates natural wines made by small growers and producers who share Civic's values — organic and biodynamic farming, gentle extractions with indigenous yeasts, minimal intervention, and low sulphur. [^402^] With over 500 different wines available, the selection is geared toward the curious and conscious consumer — wines for pleasure, for the table, and for the cellar. [^413^] Some are fairly unique, like the $500 Italian Montepulciano that Craig has been known to pour for adventurous guests. [^413^]
Civic also operates as a custom crush facility, offering production space and expertise to other small producers in the region. [^402^] The winery's cellar and barrel room — among Eugene's most unique settings — can be rented for private parties, weddings, social events, and networking gatherings. [^402^] The space accommodates groups from intimate gatherings to large affairs with seating for up to 250, with plenty of parking, free high-speed fibre internet, and a quality sound system for live music, dancing, or presentations. [^402^]
Terracotta vessels crafted in Oregon for fermentation and ageing. [^407^] Neutral, porous, and ancient — allowing wines to develop without oak influence. A connection to 8,000 years of winemaking tradition, right here in the Willamette Valley.
Grapes from organic or sustainable vineyards at minimum. [^404^] Absolutely no glyphosate. Indigenous yeasts, gentle extractions, minimal intervention, low sulphur. [^402^] A commitment to clean farming and honest winemaking.
"We have about 500 different wines that people can buy off the shelf to enjoy with a meal here or at home." [^413^] From $20 pét-nats to $500 Italian rarities. A curated selection for the curious and conscious consumer.
Production space for other small producers. [^402^] Private event space for up to 250 guests in a restored 1930s building with amphora vessels, natural light, and rustic charm. [^402^] Weddings, parties, networking — all with natural wine.
Lion & Owl, The Snack Bar & Eugene's Wine Culture
Civic Winery is more than a winery — it is a community hub. The project includes Lion & Owl, a restaurant that celebrates the flora and fauna of the Pacific Northwest with a menu designed to pair with natural wines. [^402^] The wine bar serves Civic's own wines alongside the 500+ bottle shop selection, with snacks from the snack bar and the option to enjoy wines on the street-facing outdoor patio. [^413^] Tastings take place inside the shop or on the patio — casual, welcoming, and unpretentious.
Craig Weicker has become a central figure in Eugene's emerging wine culture. When Oregon Wine Press profiled the city's urban tasting rooms in 2022, Civic was highlighted as a destination for "people looking for something different — both in geography and wine types." [^413^] While most Oregon tasting rooms pour Pinot Noir, Civic offers tremendous variety: Dolcetto, Gewürztraminer, skin-contact whites, pét-nats, and more. [^413^] This diversity reflects Craig's belief that the Willamette Valley is capable of far more than its reputation suggests.
The Civic community extends through the natural wine world. The winery is a member of RAW WINE — the world's largest community of organic, biodynamic, and natural wine producers and drinkers. [^410^] It is listed on Raisin, the natural wine discovery app, and appears in travel guides from Travel Oregon and Oregon Wine. [^411^] [^407^] The project has put Eugene on the map for wine tourists who might otherwise bypass the city for McMinnville or Portland — proving that great natural wine can flourish anywhere there is curiosity, commitment, and community.
The future of Civic Winery is rooted in the same principles that have defined it since its founding: organic and biodynamic farming, amphora fermentation, minimal intervention, low sulphur, and a deep commitment to community. As Craig's relationships with growers deepen and his understanding of amphora winemaking evolves, the wines will only become more expressive. The goal is not to scale or franchise but to strengthen the civic fabric — to make Eugene a place where natural wine is not a niche interest but a shared culture, accessible to everyone who walks through the door.
Amber Blend Amphora — Pale Gold, Stone Fruit & Lime
"This wine is pale gold with a slight green tinge. On the nose are aromas of stone fruit and lime. The palate is light and fresh with notes of citrus and white flowers." [^412^] The Amber Blend is Civic's signature amphora wine — a skin-contact white that captures the purity and freshness of amphora fermentation. Made from organically grown grapes and fermented in Oregon-crafted terracotta, it is a wine that bridges ancient tradition and modern sensibility. The slight skin contact gives it texture and tannin; the amphora gives it a mineral, saline quality that stainless steel or oak cannot replicate. It is a wine for the curious — for those who want to taste what winemaking was like before barrels, before technology, before industrial agriculture. And at around $25, it is a wine that proves natural amphora wine can be both extraordinary and accessible.
The Civic Range
Civic Winery produces a focused portfolio of low-intervention wines from organic and biodynamic vineyards across Oregon, with a signature emphasis on amphora fermentation and ageing. [^407^] The range centres on Pinot Noir, Dolcetto, and skin-contact white blends — varieties that thrive in the Willamette Valley and express themselves beautifully in terracotta. [^413^] All wines are made with indigenous yeasts, gentle extractions, minimal sulphur, and no glyphosate-exposed fruit. [^404^] The bottle shop extends this philosophy to over 500 natural wines from small producers around the world. [^413^] Prices are approximate and in USD.