Peace Water Winery, Sharing the Love
Peace Water Winery is one of the newest additions to the growing business list on Main Street in Carmel. Unassuming from the outside, its inside tasting room is a welcome departure from the hectic world around us and offers many wines that delight.
The owners are Scott and Laura Burton, longtime Central Indiana residents. Scott is a former corporate attorney, founder of the Fieldhouse in Fishers and one of the initial investors on the Monon Trail (he purchased and redeveloped the Bubs Burgers property on Main Street). He decided years ago to leave his crowded legal schedule behind to spend family time with his wife and eight children, now aged 12-26. And last fall, he and his wife decided to open a winery because they love wine, including the experience around it that brings people together.
Keeping family in the forefront of their minds, the Burtons decided to incorporate their children into many facets of the new business. The top of all wine bottles have eight hands flashing a peace sign, which are actual Photoshopped line drawings of their children’s hands with their initials hidden in the artwork. And each of the family members played a large role in rebuilding and designing the entire space from the ground up using reclaimed wood and zen-like décor for a cozy feel. The family affair continues as son Jordan, a recent architecture graduate, runs the business alongside his father. Jordan loves the art of wine and wants to incorporate more of his designs into the business; he created the logo and the bottle art.
But back to that round number eight again, which is most obvious from the moment you step in the door and see Peace Water’s “Giving Wall.” It features eight nonprofit organizations, each chosen by one of the Burtons’ children, and the winery donates 50% of all profits to these charities throughout the year. They even feature sponsored events at the winery and donate 10% of the evening’s sales directly back to that organization, and if you join the Peace Posse wine club they will donate a portion of your discount back to a charity of your choosing.
And let us not forget the wine. It is overseen by a winemaker in California—where they share a bottling facility—and is made using Sonoma and Napa grapes. It’s then barreled and stored before being bottled and shipped to the Carmel location. Peace Water features a wide variety of wines, including award winners at the World Wine Championship sponsored by the Beverage Tasting Institute in Chicago: “Bliss” 2013 Sauvignon Blanc, “Best White Wine”; “Sublime” 2012 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, Gold Medal (91 points) and “Nirvana” 2011 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, Gold Medal (93 points).
Whether you’re a wine lover or simply revel in the thought of giving back, Peace Water Winery should be on your must-visit list. Look for a patio addition to the rear of the building later this year.
Peace Water Winery is located at 37 W. Main St., Carmel, and can be contacted at 317.810.1330 or PeaceWaterWinery.com.
