
Willamette Valley Vineyards

Willamette Valley Vineyards is an American winery located in Turner, Oregon. Named after Oregon's Willamette Valley, the winery is one of the leading producers of Pinot noir in Oregon, and also produces Dijon clone Chardonnay and Pinot gris. In 2016, the winery was the largest producer of Riesling wine in the Willamette Valley.
History.
Willamette Valley Vineyards was founded by Jim Bernau and Don Voorhies. In 1997 Willamette Valley Vineyards merged with Tualatin Estate Vineyards, which was established by Bill Fuller in 1973.
Jim Bernau conducted the first crowdfunding in the U.S. to establish his winery, which was performed in 1988 after permission was obtained to do so from the Securities and Exchange Commission. The winery has expanded, and is listed on the NASDAQ under the symbol WVVI. Most recently, a successful campaign to expand the company was conducted to fund two new wineries. Shares of preferred stock listed on the NASDAQ at WVVIP were made available to those interested in becoming owners in this expansion.
Oregon Estate Vineyards.
The Oregon Estate Vineyards division was founded in 2015 by Jim Bernau and Winery Director Christine Clair. The Elton and Pambrun winery is located in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA at Elton Vineyards and in the Walla Walla Valley AVA at Pambrun Vineyards. The wines at Elton Vineyards will focus on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Pambrun Vineyard is named for Bernau's fifth great grandfather, Pierre Pambrun, a Walla Walla pioneer. The site was scheduled to be planted to Cabernet Sauvignon along with other Bordeaux varieties in spring 2016.
Accolades.
Wine Enthusiast Magazine recently included Willamette Valley Vineyards' Whole Cluster Pinot Noir as one of America's Best Value Pinot Noirs.
Great Northwest Wines named 2012 O'Brien Pinot Noir in their "Best Northwest Wines of 2015."