History

Stephen and Gloria Reustle moved to California from the greater New York city area to spend a year exploring wine regions that could grow world-class wine. Focusing first on the Sonoma Coast. In 2001, Stephen ended up purchasing 200 acres in the Umpqua Valley of Oregon for its climate, right soils, water access, and steep south-facing slopes... at first sight, it reminded him of the Burgundian hillsides in France.

Winemaking began in 2004 using only fruit grown from the estate. At first, winemaking began in the "carriage house" aka three-car garage. But soon the operation grew to need its own facility and in 2008 the new winery and wine cave were built. All of the hard work and expense paid off big in 2017 when WinePress NW Magazine awarded Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards as the 2017 Northwest Winery of the Year!