Rex Hill Vineyards

When you show up unannounced at a winery armed with a camera and writer’s notebook, you often need serendipity to capture the story. Sometimes you luck out and stumble on a treasure trove of information. Such was the case when we visited Rex Hill Vineyards on a hot July day. Following the usual “I’m writing a guidebook,” introductions, we shook Rick Toyota’s hand. He left the wine bar to give us a quick tour of the tasting room. Turns out that Rick knew volumes about the Willamette Valley, and its many appellations and subappellations. I wrote furiously, trying to capture soil types, climate, clones, specific appellations and subappellations.

I finally stopped Rick to ask, “Are you an educator by background?” Not surprisingly, we learned that Rick is the director of wine education for Rex Hill. He teaches in-depth classes that take your palate on a world tour of wine regions. If you really want to cure that newly acquired wine bug or if you have an upcoming trip to France, this is just what the doctor ordered.

Paul Hart and his wife Jan Jacobsen fell in love with this property in 1982 when they saw its potential for growing grapes on the hillside, and so they converted this former nut-drying facility into a winery. Success followed hard work, and eventually they were managing more than 250 acres of vineyards in the Willamette Valley, and in the process, positioning Rex Hill Vineyards as a leader in the fledging Oregon wine industry.

The tasting room itself features engaging art and antiques, and visitors can still see remnants of its nut-drying origins. Outside, the landscaping is nothing short of spectacular. The gardens and amphitheater beckon all to relax and enjoy the scenery.

In 2007, A to Z Wineworks acquired Rex Hill Vineyards with the intention of keeping the label and operations separate from A to Z. The wines offered for tasting at Rex Hill Vineyards focus on its Burgundian offerings: chardonnay, pinot gris, and pinot noir. It is refreshing to find a winery that concentrates on a few varietals. After all, you’re in the heart of the Willamette Valley’s Yamhill County; you might as well enjoy what the land has to offer. Evidently Wine & Spirits magazine did. In 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2006, Wine & Spirits chose Rex Hill Vineyards as “Winery of the Year.” ’Nuff said.