Just shy of the township of Lowden on Highway 12, Waterbrook Winery appears like a miniature resort. Double wooden doors with handles the size of cupboards are hard to miss as you approach the tasting room. The open space is peppered with a variety of chairs and tables in what feels like an elaborate lodge—even more inviting and less assuming after you step inside.
Beyond the massive and airy tasting room, Waterbrook retains its contemporary style and trendy amenities. In front of the outside patio is a large man-made pond where children chase frogs. A bocce ball court tempts visitors to slow down and play a game. Across the pond visitors can’t help but notice a building reminiscent of a modern convention center. It’s inside this production facility where more than half a million cases of Precept wine are produced annually, with Waterbrook anchoring the winery.
Building a Presence
When Precept Wine’s Andrew Browne and Dan Baty purchased the celebrated label in 2006, winemaker John Freeman admits he had reservations. He had joined Waterbrook just three years earlier, and the new owners had promised to expand vineyard sources, upgrade equipment and build a production facility where they could consolidate winemaking across the 40 Precept labels.
“They followed through,” says Freeman. “We were very lucky we could build the winery from the ground up. We spend of lot of time working on processing and equipment, and moving things around from point A to point B. We built it logistically.”
Despite the equipment and state-of-the-art facility, the character of Waterbrook wines stayed the same though the transition of owners, retaining Freeman’s approachable winemaking style.
Laid Back Style
It would be natural to assume that Freeman’s pedigree of being raised in the Napa Valley somehow influenced his career choice as a winemaker. In reality it started with a small jump in pay—just 50 cents—and one particular perk the job offered.
“I took my first wine job in Napa on the bottling line and what really stuck was that at the end of my shift they gave me a bottle of Chardonnay,” Freeman recalls. “That was really cool.”
The son of parents who abstained from drinking eventually landed a position as a cellar master at a winery that also housed a custom crush facility, giving him a front row seat as up-and-coming winemakers created blends. “You couldn’t pay for an experience like that. That’s where I really learned to make wine,” says Freeman.
The ex-Californian, who brings his dog Duncan to work with him daily, says his uniform of choice consists of a T-shirt, shorts and sneakers. “I’ve never worn anything fashionable, as far as I know. I’m not a slacker, but I don’t enjoy dressing up,” he laughs. “We’re not a pretentious winery by any means. All of Waterbrook, even the wines, are laid back. I’d like to think they’re reflective of the winemaker.”
Test Limits
As relaxed as he appears, Freeman’s mind stays active, crunching numbers and predicting what the alcohol level is going to be on a wine. Grape varietals from Precept’s considerable vineyard acreage throughout Washington, Oregon and Idaho are each fermented separately. After the first six or seven months, he starts looking at basic, tiered blends. Only then are samples from different oak programs combined until Freeman is satisfied with the amalgamation.
“It’s done over a very long period of time, in phases,” he says, enjoying the process as much as the finished product. “It feels right in your mouth, the color is right, and it all comes together.”
The smallest production of Waterbrook wines are the Icon label, which are limited to around 200 cases for each wine, and as small as 90 for the Barbera. Available for purchase only through the Waterbrook Wine Club, these small lot wines offer the winery a fortuitous opportunity to test wine that might eventually go into distribution. For example, the Icon Malbec started out exclusively for wine club members. Distributors tasted it, liked it, and requests boosted production to 2,500 cases.
“Icons are some of the most fun wines to make,” says Freeman, who soon hopes to create a Zinfandel Icon. “They’re a small production and they get a lot of love.”
More to Taste
Spilling out from the tasting room, the cozy patio setting with outdoor fireplace and stage subtly convinces travelers to linger. And, if they catch the aroma from Chef Maria Carmona’s kitchen, oftentimes they’ll stay.
On Fridays and Saturdays, her popular Mexican cuisine consists of everything from tortillas to salsas, with meals made from scratch and costing less than $10.
“Her tacos are to die for,” Freeman admits. “As often as she’s cooking I’m over there eating.” The farm to table experience carries over into dessert, with homemade vanilla bean ice cream topped with Cabernet wild berry sauce and a sprig of fresh mint.
It’s not uncommon for the chef and her team to create a six-course wine-paired dinner to complement the wines. Menus cross the culinary spectrum and include favorites such as a recipe for Sicilian Caponata made with roasted eggplant, zucchini, onions, raisins, pine nuts, wine and balsamic vinegar. Once a flavor profile is established, Carmona will blend favorites to create approachable entrées customers enjoy. Nothing is set in stone which gives the winery the fluidity to adapt and go off script.
Opportunity Awaits
There are over a dozen and a half wines in the Waterbrook portfolio. Chardonnay, Riesling and Mélange Noir make up the majority of the case production. Other wines (many of which are rated 90 points or above and priced less than $25) include the extremely popular Sangiovese Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, and Reserve Merlot.
Waterbrook has yet to produce an official estate wine. “We’re looking for something that says Waterbrook,” Freeman explains, hinting that it could happen in the near future as grapes from the new Waterbrook Estate Vineyard in Walla Walla Valley’s Spring Valley area are considered for the role.
In the meantime he considers himself fortunate to work in an industry where wine continues to be part of the benefits package. “I’m super fortunate that I get to make wine that I want to drink. Waterbrook is my passion; it’s what I drink at home.”
Written by Jessica Hoefer