About Wines Visit Wine Club Shop Winemaking. Established, trusted and highly acclaimed year after year, the Waterbrook winemaking philosophy underscores fruit-forward, varietally correct wines at an exceptional value. Meet John Freeman. Waterbrook Winemaker Raised in Napa Valley, California, John Freeman began a lifelong wine career with seven years at Franciscan Vineyards and five years as cellar master at Miner Family. Intrigued by the growth of Washington state, John joined the Waterbrook winemaking team in 2003 and was promoted to lead winemaker in 2005; the second lead winemaker in Waterbrook history. From vine to bottle, John carefully manages every step of the winemaking process to ensure overall complexity, balance and consistent quality. John’s passion is evident with his ever-present smile and optimism, and his winemaking philosophy is simple: Make the best wine possible. To that end, John has been deeply involved in designing and furnishing his “dream winery” since the construction of our new facility in 2008. With his years of experience and natural talent, John masterfully approaches the unique qualities of each vineyard and vintage to produce highly acclaimed wines year after year. Inside the Winery. In 2008, Waterbrook constructed a brand new winery facility, and in the process winemaker John Freeman was given the latitude to appoint it with the best possible tools of the trade. Every luxury – from cross-flow filtration, a small lot basket press, to open-top fermenters – was afforded for long-term growth and continued high-quality, cellar-worthy wine. Within the winery is an enviable barrel program. Our winemaker views oak as his “spice rack” intended to enhance the fruit, but never overpower it. American oak is primarily used for the Columbia Valley tier, where extended time in French oak is the preferred complement to the Reserve tier. What remains over the years is an impressive, award-winning winemaking team creating outstanding wine with every vintage. Our talented and experienced winemaking team has an average of 10 years of service to Waterbrook, ensuring quality and consistency from crush to bottle. Waterbrook Winery 10518 West Highway 12 Walla Walla, WA 99362 (509) 522-1262 Questions? Email us at info@waterbrook.com. Sign up for our Newsletter Sign up to be the first to hear about special offers, new releases, and exclusive events. We do not share or sell your information and you can unsubscribe at any time. Subscribe ©2020 Waterbrook Winery Privacy Policy Terms of Use Please enjoy responsibly.