About Willamette Wineworks
Willamette Wineworks, a microwinery, is a wine, blending and food experience created by Willamette Valley Vineyards. The unique hands-on wine-blending experience will allow our guests to learn more about the process of winemaking and enjoy their own wine creation.
Willamette Valley Vineyards and the Folsom Connection
Willamette Wineworks in Historic Folsom is a collaboration of two brothers, Jim, the Founder of Willamette Valley Vineyards in Oregon and Jerry, the local builder of Historic Folsom Station.
The roots of the acclaimed Oregon winery wound their way through Folsom when the Bernau brothers’ grandfather was asked by Warden Plummer in the late 1930s to build and operate an auto garage in the prison to help inmates develop marketable skills.
The Bernau brothers’ Dad, an attorney from Roseburg, Oregon, was hired by the first emigrating California winemaker to grow and make Pinot Noir in Oregon to help him acquire the first winery license post Prohibition. He allowed small tastes of Richard Sommer’s wines at the dinner table, lighting a path for Jim.
Willamette Valley Vineyards, since its founding by Jim in 1983, has become the leading producer of Pinot Noir designated from the Willamette Valley American Viticultural Area, resulting in the winery being named “One of America’s Great Pinot Noir Producers” by Wine Enthusiast magazine. Willamette Wineworks and the entire winery organization has benefited from the support of its over 20,000 wine enthusiast owners (NASDAQ: WVVI & WVVIP).
Natoma
Folsom's winemaking history dates back to the mid 1800s with the planting of the celebrated Natoma Vineyard along the American River. In the early 1900s, Natoma Vineyard boasted 2,000 acres and was one of the largest vineyards in the state when gold was discovered on the property — and the vines were replaced with dredgers. Our dream is to reestablish Natoma by crafting local wines and celebrating its place in California wine history.
The Roundhouse
The history of Historic Folsom Station began in the early Gold Rush days. Located on 4.9 acres of the original Valley Railroad depot grounds in Folsom, Historic Folsom Station was the site of the first passenger rail service west of the Mississippi linking Sacramento with the town of Folsom in 1856. The Roundhouse is modeled after the original building used to house train engines in the 1800s.
Ownership
Founder Jim Bernau believes among the healthiest forms of business are those owned by the community. Jim’s vision of organizing the support of wine enthusiasts to make world-class wines through shared ownership is unique in the wine industry.
Willamette Valley Vineyards became the first SEC-authorized community-funded business in the United States through the first successful Regulation A self-underwritten public offering in 1989. The winery has grown with the support of wine enthusiasts through Preferred Stock Ownership (NASDAQ: WVVIP) funding new vineyards, wineries and experiences.
Owners receive a variety of special benefits including:
- Discount of 25% off wine bottle purchases.
- An annual complimentary Blending Experience for up to four people at any of our locations that offer this experience.
- Access to Into the Woods Reservations (May - October).
- Complimentary wine tasting for up to four people at any of our locations (once per month, by reservation).
- Ability to take your annual dividend as wine credit with 15% more value (when taken in place of a dividend) and use it at any of our locations and in our online wine shop to purchase wine, food pairings and merchandise, as well as for room rentals, winery suite stays and admission to events. These credits never expire.
- Priority to purchase limited-production wines, new releases and wines with personalized labels.
- Discounted admissions to special events.
- Invitations to Owner-exclusive events.
- Regular email updates on winery developments.
- Opportunities to volunteer and increase your wine knowledge through the non-profit Oregon Wine Enthusiasts or support storytelling efforts as a Brand Ambassador.