By Emily Wood
 
August 13, 2009
 
APPLEGATE VALLEY, Ore. - A Southern Oregon winery has begun using kegs to sell and distribute its wine.
 
Wooldridge Creek Vineyard Owner Greg Paneitz says the kegs remove the necessity for bottles, corks, foils and labels. He says cutting down on those materials is less wasteful, saves money and allows the winery to sell its wine at a more affordable price.
 
"When I'm putting wine into kegs I can do something that you do at home, and I can decant the wine so when the wine comes out of my container, I can splash it into the kegs. I can give it a little bit of air, that air opens the wine up, makes it more ready to drink," Paneitz said.
 
Wooldridge Winery is already distributing its kegs to local restaurants like Standing Stone in Ashland and Kaleidoscope in Medford.