American Canyon’s sole wine tasting room is scaling back, opening by appointment instead of seven days a week.

Both Tony Cartlidge, president of Cartlidge and Browne, and Robert Babbe, director of sales and marketing at Cartlidge and Browne, said too few visitors to the winery forced the change. One problem for the winery, which is on Jim Oswald Way at the western end of Green Island Road, was the lack of signage on Highway 29.

“People don’t associate the area with tasting rooms,” Babbe said. “We decided it was a distraction from our core business.”

The company is laying off its one tasting room employee and will remain at the 115,000 square-foot site. Sonoma Wine Co. has taken over the winery’s custom-crush business.

Babbe stressed the economic downturn has been good to Cartlidge and Browne because their wines, mostly California blends, are affordable. Their Lot 205 blend retails for $10.

“Truthfully, the economy has been good to us,” he said.

In the meantime, Cartlidge and Browne continues to sell worldwide. While grapes are sourced from all over Northern California, particularly Lake County, crush is done entirely at the winery on Oswalt Way.