FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 21, 2023
Phillips Hill Winery to Close After 20 Years Moved To tobyhill.com
PHILO, California – Phillips Hill Winery, an Anderson Valley institution for 20 years, plans to close by the end of the year.
“Though the decision was incredibly difficult, after producing its final 2022 vintage last year, Phillips Hill Winery will close with the completion of its 20th and final season,” said founder Toby Hill.
A native Californian and grandson of a grape grower, Hill earned a BFA from the California College of the Arts – San Francisco. After several years of pursuing the visual arts, he developed a newfound obsession with Pinot Noir. In 1997, he purchased land in the Mendocino Ridge appellation, overlooking the Anderson Valley. Trusting in his sense of balance and composition, and with support from local winemakers, he made his first wine using 2002 Pinot Noir grapes grown on Oppenlander Vineyard, nearby in Mendocino’s Comptche.
Combining old world winemaking practices inspired by Burgundian winemakers with grapes from new world vineyards, Phillips Hill wines are terroir driven and aim to offer a genuine expression of the land.
“Phillips Hill Winery was born out of the natural obsession for any artist to create—my first efforts involved harvesting and nurturing two tons of grapes on the concrete floor of what was initially built as an art studio. Since then, it has evolved into a two-decade expression of our coastal wine region in a bottle,” said Hill. “Our gratitude for the community is tremendous. From the winegrowers, winemakers, Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association, tasting room landlords, and all the customers who enjoyed our wine—we appreciate everyone who supported us along the way.”
When the doors of the Phillips Hill Tasting Room on Highway 128 close, Hill will return his home winery on Greenwood Ridge Road back to an art studio and begin pursuing his lifelong ambition to be a full-time artist. Phillips Hill partner Natacha Durandet, WSET 3, who has a wealth of worldwide wine knowledge and a lifelong passion for wine, will pursue a new path in the wine industry.
“After twenty seasons of discovery, exploration, passion, and hard work, it is time for us to continue our evolution and embrace new undiscovered territory. We hope our customers continue to support local family-owned wineries and businesses in Anderson Valley,” Hill said.