Rex Hill

Rex Hill was established in 1982 when Paul Hart and his wife Jan Jacobsen discovered a derelict fruit and nut drying facility on Rex Hill outside Newberg, Oregon. The property had passed through several incarnations, including a pig farm and a commune, before they fell in love with the hillside and its potential for viticulture. They purchased the land in 1982, began planting Pinot Noir in 1983, and opened the winery in 1985. Built around an early 20th-century drying barn, the winery sits approximately 22 miles south of Portland at the gateway to Willamette Valley wine country. Over the following two decades, Hart and Jacobsen steadily expanded the estate. In 2007, when they were ready to retire, they chose to sell to the two families behind A to Z Wineworks rather than a large conglomerate, passing stewardship to Bill Hatcher, Deb Hatcher, Cheryl Francis, and Sam Tannahill.

• Land purchased in 1982, vineyards first planted in 1983, winery opened 1985; built around an early 20th-century fruit and nut drying barn
• Located at 30835 N Hwy 99W, Newberg, Oregon, approximately 22 miles south of Portland at the gateway to Willamette Valley wine country
• Sold in 2007 by founders Hart and Jacobsen to the two families of A to Z Wineworks rather than a large wine conglomerate
• Tasting room underwent a multi-million dollar renovation in 2020 and reopened on January 15, 2021 with expansive floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking estate vineyards

When A to Z Wineworks acquired Rex Hill in 2007, the new owners immediately repositioned the brand from a high-volume operation into a focused, quality-first boutique label. The winery facility, capable of producing 40,000 cases, was scaled back to approximately 9,000 cases annually under the Rex Hill label, a reduction of roughly 80%. Cheryl Francis and Sam Tannahill, alongside Executive Winemaker Michael Davies, led the winemaking transition, while Deb Hatcher engineered the brand and commercial turnaround. In September 2022, A to Z Wineworks and Rex Hill were acquired by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. When Sycamore Partners subsequently sold the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates name and Washington assets to the Wyckoff family in December 2025, the Oregon brands, including Rex Hill, A to Z Wineworks, and Erath, were retained by Sycamore Partners as a standalone company, A to Z Wineworks LLC, with Ste. Michelle continuing as national sales agent.

• Production reduced roughly 80% post-acquisition, from 40,000-case capacity to approximately 9,000 cases annually under the Rex Hill label
• Executive Winemaker Michael Davies, a New Zealand-trained enologist, leads day-to-day winemaking alongside founders Cheryl Francis and Sam Tannahill
• Acquired by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates in September 2022 alongside A to Z Wineworks
• As of December 2025, Rex Hill is owned by Sycamore Partners as part of A to Z Wineworks LLC, a standalone Oregon wine company, after Sycamore sold SMWE's Washington assets to the Wyckoff family

Rex Hill's winemaking philosophy centers on honest expression of site, vintage, and climate, with minimal intervention in both vineyard and cellar. All Rex Hill wines are 100% Willamette Valley sourced. Grapes are hand-picked, hand-sorted, and fermented in small lots to preserve the complexity of individual vineyard sites. The winery uses French oak barrels alongside other vessels, including a large cement egg, which allows the wine to breathe without imparting oak character. The house style across Pinot Noir and Chardonnay emphasizes bright acidity, refined tannin structure, and restrained ripeness, prioritizing food compatibility and cellar worthiness over extraction or fruit-forward density. Biodynamic farming principles across the estate vineyards reinforce this commitment to transparency of terroir.

• All wines are 100% Willamette Valley sourced; grapes are hand-picked and hand-sorted, fermented in small lots to preserve site character
• Cellar vessels include French oak barrels and a large cement egg fermentation container, which allows wine to breathe without oak influence
• House style favors bright acidity, fine tannin structure, and restrained ripeness rather than extraction or fruit-forward density
• Biodynamic farming across estate vineyards underpins the winery's philosophy of honest terroir expression

The Rex Hill estate encompasses 280 acres of vines, including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris, spread across several Willamette Valley sites near Newberg, in Dundee Hills, and in the Chehalem Mountains. The winery sits within the Laurelwood sub-AVA of the Willamette Valley. The flagship Jacob-Hart Vineyard, purchased by the founders in 1987 and named after Jan Jacobsen and Paul Hart, sits on a warm southeast-facing slope of the Chehalem Ridge. It is notable for containing at least 13 soil types, with both volcanic and sedimentary soils on a single property, an exceptional rarity in the Willamette Valley. The winery also holds a long-term contract with Maresh Vineyard in Dundee Hills, one of Oregon's oldest vineyard sites, managed by Oregon Grape Management, the affiliated vineyard management company acquired with Rex Hill in 2007 and responsible for approximately 500 acres of contracted land.

• 280 acres of estate vines across Willamette Valley sites near Newberg, Dundee Hills, and Chehalem Mountains; winery sits within the Laurelwood sub-AVA
• Jacob-Hart Vineyard, purchased 1987 and named after founders Jacobsen and Hart, features at least 13 soil types including both volcanic and sedimentary soils on one property
• Long-term contract with Maresh Vineyard in Dundee Hills, one of Oregon's oldest vine sites, managed by affiliated Oregon Grape Management
• Estate vineyards are dry-farmed under Biodynamic principles; Demeter-certified blocks exist alongside LIVE-certified and Salmon Safe vineyard sites

Rex Hill holds LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) certification and is a certified B Corporation. A to Z Wineworks became a certified B Corp in 2014 and has been recognized as a Best for the World B Corp every year since. In 2017, Rex Hill was named Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Extraordinary 'Under the Radar' Winery for the Americas, recognizing a decade of quality-focused transformation under A to Z stewardship. The winery has also been recognized multiple times as Wine and Spirits Winery of the Year. The core Rex Hill portfolio centers on Willamette Valley Pinot Noir blends and single-vineyard expressions, particularly from Jacob-Hart Vineyard. Chardonnay bottlings, including the Willamette Valley Seven Soils Chardonnay and single-vineyard expressions, round out the range, all produced in limited quantities. Rex Hill wines compose approximately 3% of the combined A to Z Wineworks production volume.

• LIVE certified and B Corporation certified; A to Z Wineworks became a certified B Corp in 2014, named Best for the World B Corp every year since
• Named Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Extraordinary 'Under the Radar' Winery for the Americas in 2017
• Multiple recognition as Wine and Spirits Winery of the Year
• Core portfolio: Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, Jacob-Hart Vineyard single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Maresh Vineyard Pinot Noir, and limited Chardonnay bottlings; all 100% Willamette Valley sourced

Rex Hill Pinot Noirs are stylistically positioned at the elegant, restrained end of the Oregon spectrum. The wines prioritize acidity and mineral expression over ripe fruit weight, making them readily distinguishable from extraction-driven Oregon styles. The Jacob-Hart Vineyard bottlings highlight the complexity that comes from having both volcanic and sedimentary soils in a single site, producing wines with a layered, savory character. The Maresh Vineyard expressions, sourced from Dundee Hills volcanic Jory soil, tend toward classic red fruit and minerality. Organoleptically, expect fine-grained tannins, lively natural acidity, and restrained alcohol. Secondary development with bottle age brings earthy, mushroom, and dried fruit notes while retaining freshness. For WSET and CMS students, Rex Hill is a model example of how Oregon Pinot Noir can be positioned as a cool-climate, terroir-expressive wine prioritizing food compatibility over power.

• Stylistically restrained Oregon Pinot Noir: high natural acidity, fine tannins, mineral-forward rather than fruit-dominant, lower alcohol
• Jacob-Hart Vineyard: volcanic and sedimentary soils on one site produce layered, complex, savory Pinot Noir distinct from pure Jory-soil expressions
• Maresh Vineyard Dundee Hills: volcanic Jory soil; classic red fruit, spice, and mineral character typical of the Dundee Hills sub-appellation
• All wines 100% Willamette Valley sourced; look for LIVE certification, B Corp logo, and biodynamic farming designations on labels as quality markers