Our Winery was built in 5 months

Janie Brooks Heuck and Chris Williams breaking ground building the Brooks tasting room.

This week marks the 8 year anniversary since we broke ground on our current winery building and tasting room. It was April 1, 2014, when a group of us gathered, and Chris and I got to get on the big equipment and move the first dirt.

For 6 years, we had been a quarter of a mile up the hill in a 3,000 square foot space. When Chris was nicknamed the “space master” everyone thought he had keen Tetrus skills. He spent about 70% of his time moving equipment around so he could actually make wine. It was time for a new building.

My husband and Heather’s husband, Doug, picked out the site. It was on our farmhouse property adjacent to the Estate Vineyard. We all agreed that the spot was perfect as Brooks would have the best view of any winery and tasting room in the Willamette Valley.

The view from Brooks tasting room of the Estate Vineyard and mountains.

After 18 months of planning, we finally broke ground on April 1, 2014. We put a tough deadline on Perlo Construction…..opening day needed to be the anniversary of Jimi’s passing, September 4, 2014. With contractors on top of each other for the span of 5 short months, they did it, and here is how!