David Hill Vineyard and Winery

History buffs unite!

David Hill Vineyard & Winery is a field trip into Oregon history taking visitors to a place first homesteaded in 1883. The name itself, David Hill, pays homage to two Oregon pioneers: A David Hill who served on the committee overseeing the Oregon territorial government, and Frederick David, from whom the hill gets its name. The owners of the property, Milan and Jean Stoyanov, restored the building and grounds, beginning in 1992 when they purchased the property. Choosing to preserve the exterior was smart, but renovating the interior to give it a nice flow and a contemporary feel was brilliant. It’s no accident that all the “touch points” of the winery reinforce its branding. From the color of the exterior to the labels on the bottles, the distinctive yellow, white and black colors remind you of the place and its wines.

Today, the property is on the Washington County Historical Register. David Hill Vineyard & Winery has the look and feel of a Southern plantation, only Pacific Northwest style. While visiting, stroll the grounds, perhaps uncork a bottle, and, weather permitting, break out the picnic basket. The farm itself is an expansive 140 acres, with 40 acres planted in pinot noir, pinot gris, riesling, chardonnay, gewürztraminer, pinot blanc, semillon, sylvaner, and muscat. Half the vineyard is planted in pinot noir.

If someone in the family is getting married and needs an idyllic setting for exchanging vows, you may have just stumbled on it. Or if your boss is asking if you know of a great place for the next corporate meeting, you just scored some points. To celebrate your find, you might just want to spring for a bottle of the estate pinot noir. Then go outside and enjoy the wine while soaking in the views of the Coast Range in the distance. It’s the same view the pioneers enjoyed in the 1800s. (WineTrail history note: Those same pioneers planted wine grapes throughout the Willamette Valley. Unfortunately, Prohibition came along in 1913 and the vineyards disappeared.)