CARLTON, Ore. -- A Willamette Valley wine tasting room may be closing, and the owner says the Oregon Liquor Control Commission is to blame.

The owner of Agri-Vino near Carlton said the OLCC allowed him to develop the self-pour wine room only to later tell him that his self-dispensing wine machine wasn't allowed.

The owner of Agri-Vino said he developed the wine room to promote Oregon wines, but it seems that the whole endeavor may have been a waste of time and money.

John Stuart said 18 months ago he had several talks with the OLCC regarding his business idea and that the state agency seemed to have no problem with him installing a $125,000 state-of-the-art self-wine dispenser.

Stuart has 56 Oregon wines on display at any one time in the machine and, for a fee, wine tasters can push buttons and dispense one ounce of wine to taste. The machine only allows 10 ounces to any one person in a two-hour period.

But after buying and installing the machine and developing the business, Stuart said the OLCC recently let him know they were not going to allow the self-pour system.

He said trying to fight the OLCC would be a losing battle and would cost him more attorney fees than he's willing to spend.

So for now, his idea of creating a wine room to promote wine culture, history and local wineries is over.

He said in his talks with the OLCC he told them they have not treated him fairly, and he said they won't tell him why.

"It's just that you knew all of these protocols and business plans. I came to you and openly advised what I wanted to do. I would have assumed that as an agency protecting the public interest if there was any issue at all you would have said to me, 'here's the problem' or you might have put something in writing or handed me, as I've requested subsequently and even to date still do not have, a definition of where the offense lies," Stuart said.

Stuart said his self-pour system is designed to pour small amounts over a long period of time, which ends up being less than is allowed to be poured in most Portland restaurants.

Wine Shop Owner Says Liquor Commission Ruling Unfair