Red Hill Douglas County, Oregon AVA facts for kids
| Wine region | |
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 2005 |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | Oregon, Southern Oregon AVA, Umpqua Valley AVA |
| Climate region | Maritime |
| Total area | 5,500 acres (2,226 ha) |
The Red Hill Douglas County, Oregon AVA is a special area in Douglas County, Oregon where grapes are grown to make wine. It's near a town called Yoncalla, Oregon. An AVA stands for American Viticultural Area, which is a special wine region with unique soil and climate perfect for growing grapes. This area is part of a bigger region called the Umpqua Valley AVA, which is also inside the even larger Southern Oregon AVA.
Why the Name Changed
When this wine region was first suggested in 2002, it was going to be called "Red Hill AVA." However, winemakers from another area in Oregon called the Willamette Valley AVA already had a place known as Red Hill.
Also, another wine region in California, the Red Hills Lake County AVA, got its official name in 2004 and sounded very similar. To avoid confusing people who buy wine, the name was changed to "Red Hill Douglas County, Oregon." This new name was officially approved in 2005.
The Main Vineyard
This special wine region is home to just one vineyard, called the Red Hill Vineyard. It was started in 1991 by Wayne Hitchings. Even after he passed away, the Red Hill Vineyard continues to grow grapes. These grapes are sold to different winemakers across Oregon.
Special Wines from This Area
Some special wines are made using grapes from the Red Hill Douglas County, Oregon AVA. For example, the 2011 Art Brut Outsider Cuvée is a sparkling wine. Sparkling wine is bubbly, like soda, but it's wine! This particular wine uses pinot noir and chardonnay grapes from Red Hill. It was even chosen as a special wine by an Oregon wine club in 2016.
