In 1858 Swiss-German John Thomann arrived in California and, by 1874, had built this winery. He built his family home next to the winery in 1884. The Sutter family purchased a small vineyard nearby in 1891 to supply their wine and spirits business in San Francisco and after the earthquake of 1906, decided to move to the Napa Valley. They purchased the Thomann holdings for $10.00 in gold according to county records and named the house after their canton in Switzerland. Closed by Prohibition, the winery produced no wine until 1947 when it was sold to the Trinchero family. In 1986 Sutter Home Winery purchased Chalet Bernensis, reuniting the historic home and winery.

Plaque Erected By
Sam Brannan Chapter #1004
E Clampus Vitus
March 15, 1997