Hillcrest Winery & Distillery

The wines were all fairly interesting. I was very surprised to learn that two of the wines we had were actually grown in Europe! One of them was from Sicily and another from somewhere in Germany. Their philosophy for including these was to refresh our taste buds so that we are exposed to different kinds of tastes. And I have to say it did work with me, I still don’t quite know what to make of it. It is like having the local milk from another part of the world: it tastes different than what you’re used to and often like something you never have had before. With that being said, I wasn’t enamored with the taste, although I wasn’t offended by it either. I like their attempts on trying something different and it kind of reminds me of how the nearby Girardet Winery also likes to experiment.
On another note, our server had some sass which made for a fun experience. We all felt welcomed and had a great time!

A must if you are tasting wine in this area. First, its historic, second, the setting is beautiful, the tasting room is quaint, and cozy. Most importantly, the wines were great and unique.
I highly recommend!

Such good wines and company. I recommend the Chardonnay (and I hate Chardonnay) this one was spot on like he knew what I was looking for. Going back tomorrow to try the Reds.

Quite honestly the best vineyard Ive ever been to. We were floored by the quality and integrity of their wines.

Great wine! They let you taste all of their wines for $ 5, which will be put towards a bottle if you chose to purchase one. The lady working (unfortunately I did not catch her name, she lived on the property though) was incredible! So friendly and funny. She gave us a ton of things to do in the area which was so helpful!

A great experience in wine tasting and enjoying the beautiful scenery!

We were in town for a wedding and looking for a fun way to spend our afternoon and found Hillcrest on the map. Janet and Susan were wonderfully friendly when we stopped in on a Saturday afternoon to taste some wines! Very pretty grounds, friendly folks, and great wine! Purchased two bottles, the Syrah and the Grenache blend. Would definitely visit again if we are ever in the Roseburg area!

Wonderful wines, friendly people, gorgeous scenery. We’ve been coming here for nine years and have so many great memories: of chatting with Dyson, buying cases for our wedding, Susan hand-​lettering a special bottle for us. I plan to be visiting for years to come.

My favorite Roseburg area vineyard by a long shot for one reason… they know how to produce AMAZING reds. Where other, newer area vineyards are falling flat on the red wine scene, Hillcrest is doing it right. They have the oldest vines in Oregon and it is evident in their wine. Complex, rich, vibrant and all around yummy. If you’re in the area, this place is a MUST.

Some old reviews on this page, which fills me with an outsized sense of responsibility for pegging the Hillcrest Experience.
…which is almost undoubtedly unnecessary.
However, here goes:
We loved the drive into the country, our pourer, the building, the grounds, the honesty, the fact that the wine isn’t sold anywhere else (because we like to feel special), the knowledge that this is the oldest vineyard in Oregon (although I’m sure that’s up for debate), and most of all, the wine.
How’d I do?

This review is mostly based on the experience of visiting the vineyard, rather than the wines per se. That’s because we’ve gotten used to California wines, and are especially fond of red wine. Although we’re working on it, we’re not yet able to perceive the charms of Oregon reds. Having said that, our favorite California region is Paso Robles, and a few years back visiting vineyards there felt intimate and small-​farmer real. Not so much in recent years, alas, although we continue to adore the actual wines. Visiting southern Oregon vineyards today is like the old days in Paso. And the whites and rosés are usually nice, sometimes lovely.
As noted by previous reviewers, this is a historic vineyard. The tiny tasting room reflects that, with ancient photos and memorabilia. The point of the visit, however, is the chance to chat with the winemaker. Or in our case, the winemaker’s wife and fellow farmer. From time to time she checked on her sons, who were working in the back room. This is a family farm, no kidding. We had an interesting and informative conversation; truly fun.
We ate our lunch at the picnic table in the front meadow. Very nice.
An artisan vodka is promised for sale in December. That’s the only evidence of the distillery. We wound up buying a couple bottles of rosé and a white which should be lovely with a light desert on a warm afternoon.

It was hot out there in the vineyards where we were driving around on the dusty dirt roads. This was the last stop in wineville for us and I do believe we saved the best for last.
I love wine tasting especially when my tastebuds are so enthralled. I thoroughly enjoyed every one of the reds they had me sample. These grapes just seem to be more grownup, more experienced, more at home in the dirt.
The building itself is old charm, rustic, warm. They had redone the top of the bar in an old nice copper metal and just made it all the more inviting.
I enjoyed their wines so much I was hoping they might also make a champagne someday. I asked and he answered no, but they have been experimenting with something that was made before champagne was invented. He even showed me a bottle of it!
I would have liked to buy cases of their reds if I only could.
This place has been here since 1961, the oldest in Oregon. These folks bought the winery some years back and seem to be taking pride in continuing the fine work that it takes to run one.

Oregon’s oldest estate winery.
2010 Fuder Reserve Riesling. Very nice, reminiscent of a Chas Krug Riesling. Yep, we got one!
2009 Late Harvest Riesling. Not overly sweet. A favorite of all the guests while we were there. We got two.
Then, there is that crazy fun pourer, Janet. Count your lucky stars if she is there. She will make you laugh.
Their funky garden with whimsical garden art will amuse you. In particular, you cannot miss the lifesized clay Indian heads surrounding the fire pit outside. Bring your peace pipe with you.
The winemaker will be dabbling in flavored spirits, soon. Something worth waiting for.

Oh wow. We are so impressed with this winery. The entire family works it. Dyson is full of passion and knowledge. Certainly loves his wines, and I love them too.
We stopped in for a taste and maybe a bottle or two, walked out with a case. Very very good wines. Very friendly people. Could not recommend this winery enough.
Even gave our car a jump start… what more could you ask for in such a friendly family.

Great quality wine from one of the oldest vineyards in the area. The owners are friendly and offer informative insight into their wines and wine making, which are made in the European style. Well worth a trip if you are looking for great tasting, low production wine!

As you probably know anyone can make wine these days. With all these mass produced wines coming out it’s nice to see a quality «Old World», «Dry-​Farmed» wine that has this much character. After visiting this family run winery I was blown away at the very distinct flavors.
Meeting Dyson (the winemaker) is also a huge benefit of visiting this winery. Yes I did say benefit. His enthusiasm and knowledge of the industry and history which is part of what makes you realize that wine is meant to make you feel and remember where it came from. This is truly an experience you will never forget. This place should not be kept a secret. I personally guarantee you will learn something from this guy. Most people have to pay for the knowledge that Dyson shared with us.
I just found this, Dyson explaining the history of Hillcrest.

Dyson truly carries on the pioneering tradition of Richard Sommer at his winery. The wines here are crafted with a true attitude of what the grape and the earth are. Each of his wines has it’s own personality. you can always look forward to the next release as something very special. not to be missed.

If you’re a fan of bold varietals then Hillcrest Winery located in Roseburg is a must stop! This charming family run winery is the oldest bonded winery in Oregon; it lends an exceptional experience to all that visit. The winemaker Dyson and wife Susan are very friendly and great hosts for your next wine tasting adventure. Whether you’re an enthusiast or just getting into wine their knowledge makes tasting fun and informative. In fact if you’re interested in wine production Dyson’s technical knowledge reads like a wine encyclopedia! Like me he is a man who loves to talk, especially about his passion — winemaking. He produces wine using many old world techniques which he learned from his travels to Europe. I recommend visiting the winery just to learn about his custom made concrete fermenters, a unique trait to Hillcrest and how their wines are produced. If you give him advance notice he is happy to show his production room to visitors and tour groups alike. Every time I speak with him I learn something new about wine and its production.
While I don’t go here for Pinot Hillcrest Vineyard was Oregon’s first producer of the wine. I like all their wines, each one shows a unique characteristic but of course I have my favorites too. Dyson actually produces several labels and I recommend you try each one. He makes one of the best Old Vine Zinfandels I’ve tried in Oregon, which are hard to find. This wine is produced with fruit that come from 70 year old vines! The combination of Umpqua Valley’s unique climate, terrior and his concrete fermenters produces wines with great complexity. Even though Zinfandel is considered a medium bodied wine this one has a luscious fruit profile with big, round fruits, accents of limestone and a finish with a punch of pepper. Some other stand outs are his Heydon Road Old vine Syrah, Hillcrest Right Bank (Merlot /​Cab Franc blend), Gabor Petite Sirah and Della Terra red blend. Oh and while pricy his San Roc Syrah produced by foot-​crushed fruit is not to be missed!

By far the best kept secret in oregon as far as wine goes! Amazing! The owners are friendly and full of information you can tell they do this because they love it! The passion that they have comes out in the wine. Everyone should try the wine here.

The tasting room experience is among the best we’ve had, the winemaker is always there and shares an enthusiasm for and knowledge of his craft that blows away everywhere else. This place is special because it was at the forefront of Oregon’s notable wine industry, but they’ve chosen to dry-​farm in the European style, which is very rare here in the U.S. It produces rich, tasty wines that we always look forward to. Although the Williamette Valley is better known for its pinot noir than Umpqua, Hillcrest’s pinot is exceptional.
I can’t do better than to unabashedly quote the website:
«Oregon’s oldest vineyard and winery, HillCrest Vineyard was established in 1961. Family owned and operated, we specialize in small lot wines handcrafted from the state’s oldest vineyards. These hillside vineyard sites, with their low yielding dry farmed vines, are naturally grown allowing each of our wines to develop their own unique personality and character. In the cellar we honor Old World traditions, employing gentle gravity flow winemaking techniques and a hands-​off approach that allows the perfume and supple texture of our wines to be captured in every glass.»
It’s true! And you can’t get these wines anywhere except the tasting room. It’s a little ways off the main road but well worth the diversion.