Andrew Brown of Watermill Winery
The Walla Walla Valley AVA is typically associated with Washington state, but, in fact, roughly one-third of the wine region is in NE Oregon. Some of Washington’s most exciting wines are now made with fruit from the Rocks District of Milton Freewater AVA, which is in the Walla Walla Valley AVA, but entirely in Oregon. Wineries are springing up in this southern part of the Walla Walla Valley, and one is Watermill Winery in the town of Milton- Freewater, OR. Founded in 2005 by Brown family members who have been apple farmers in the area for decades, the winery is housed in the 1940s Watermill building that was once home to a fruit packing plant for Watermill Food Company. The winery building also houses a tap room for the family’s Blue Mountain Cider Company, as well as a game room. Across a patio from the winery is a wine tasting facility, complete with full kitchen, conference rooms and a wine vault.
Today the Browns have 1500 acres of apples and 140 acres of vines in the Walla Walla Valley and Rocks District AVAs. Andrew Brown, who is both wine and cider maker, crafts Watermill wines from the family’s seven estate vineyards. There are three wine brands, or labels, including Hallowed Stones highlighting the Rock District terroir, the Blue label highlighting the Walla Walla Valley outside of the Rocks, and a low price point brand, ChancesR, offering a Chardonnay and red blend at $15 per bottle. He also makes a range of hard ciders using all estate apples. During “normal” opening times with no virus restrictions, Watermill offers vineyard tours, winery tours, and formal tastings in the Vault Room, in addition to regular wine and cider tastings.
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