Savannah Mills, Brick House

Willamette Valley’s Brick House has named Savannah Mills winemaker. Mills is the niece of founder Doug Tunnell and his wife Melissa Mills. Mills has been working at Brick House since 2013, most recently as associate winemaker.

“We’ll still be making fresh, food friendly wines in an increasingly warming climate,” Mills says. “I really look forward to getting more involved in the vineyard side and involved in the picking decisions.”

Mills was born in Colorado and spent time growing up in Utah, Texas, and Georgia. Her father’s side of the family is from the Pacific Northwest, and she frequently visited the area to see family.

“Oregon has always been a part of my life,” Mills says. “I didn’t grow up here, but it feels like I always had a foot here.”

When she was 13, Mills visited her aunt, Melissa, for a week by herself. It was her first time seeing the Brick House property.

After graduating from the University of Colorado, Boulder, Mills worked in event planning and project management. In 2011, Mills came out to Brick House for the winery’s Thanksgiving open house. As 2011 was a cold vintage, unlike most years, the winery still had fermentations going. It was Mills’ first opportunity to dig out fermentations and clean bins.

“I was absolutely hooked,” she says. “And I cried all the way to the airport about leaving.”

Come 2013, the winery’s long-time cellar master gave notice that he would be retiring in two years. Her family told her she could have a harvest position at the winery. Mills sold her condominium, quit her job, and moved out to Oregon to work at Brick House.

“Nobody really had a plan for me,” Mills says. “I think we all kind of hoped that it would work out.”

Mills worked at Brick House for a period and then spent March and April of 2014 in New Zealand working harvest at a large Sauvignon Blanc producer. She returned to Willamette Valley that May and worked in the tasting room at Soter Vineyards. She also started taking viticulture classes at Chemeketa Community College.

In 2015, Mills became cellar master at Brick House. In 2018, she was promoted to assistant winemaker, and then in 2024 associate winemaker. Mills says her experience as an event planner has helped at the winery.

“I plan as much as I can, and then I don’t worry about the rest,” she says. “I’m probably uniquely suited to this job due to my winery Tetris ability.”

Now Mills will take the winemaking reins from Doug Tunnell, who will remain at Brick House as vintner and president. Tunnell will oversee the winery’s 40-acre biodynamic-certified estate vineyard in Ribbon Ridge. (30 acres are under vine). Mills says the Brick House wines will remain more similar than different.

“I can’t make Doug’s wines because I’m not him, but we’re certainly going to stay in the same lane,” Mills says. “I don’t have any interest in stylistically swinging the pendulum.”

Mills also says that it makes a significant difference taking over a fully mature winery. Brick House was founded in 1990 and focuses on Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Gamay.

“I am stepping into this role at a very different place for the business than when [Doug] started it, than when it was 5 years old, when it was 15 years old, and when it was 25 years old,” she says. “I’m excited to finish working on these wines we’ve started and see what 2025 holds.”

Image of Savannah Mills courtesy of Brick House. 

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