The new appointment underscores the winery’s confidence in its future and the Willamette Valley.
DALLAS, Oregon — October 20, 2026 — The Thoma family announces the appointment of Rebecca Oliver as Vice President, adding more than 25 years of wine industry experience to the family-owned winery’s leadership team. Oliver’s arrival caps a year of investment in the estate and its people, including key hires, a new tasting room in Dundee and a renovation of the Dallas estate tasting room.
Oliver will oversee all sales operations, including wholesale and direct-to-consumer, and serve as Van Duzer’s primary point of contact for the trade. She will focus on growing sales and strengthening connections with customers and distributor partners.
“This is a challenging moment across the wine industry, but our confidence in Van Duzer and the Willamette Valley is as strong as ever,” said proprietor Carl Thoma. “We’ve never made better wines, and we’re investing in the people and places that bring them to market. Rebecca’s appointment is an important part of that commitment.”
Earlier this year, the winery opened a second tasting room in Dundee, led by General Manager Tyler Bender, bringing Van Duzer to the heart of the Dundee Hills. The Dallas, OR estate was recently renovated and now features rotating exhibitions from the Thoma Foundation’s art collection, uniting the Thomas’ decades of winemaking with their passion for the arts. The winery also added Marketing Manager Vanessa Hadick to expand the brand’s reach and visibility.
Drawing from four generations of agriculture, and nearly 30 years in the Willamette Valley, Carl and Marilynn Thoma see this moment as one to build. The investments of the past year reflect the same pioneering conviction that first drew them to Van Duzer’s unconventional vineyard site, and with Oliver on board, the winery is well positioned to bring its wines to a wider audience.
About Van Duzer Vineyards
Carl and Marilynn Thoma were first drawn to Van Duzer’s wild, windswept and unproven site in Oregon’s Willamette Valley in 1998. Their family-owned 82-acre estate is perched on a knoll in the direct path of the cool Pacific winds that funnel through the Van Duzer Corridor. Recently, the Thomas expanded their winemaking tradition to Thoma Vineyards in the Dundee Hills, and together the estates produce approximately 12,000 cases of pinot noir, pinot gris and chardonnay. Today they welcome visitors to tasting rooms at the Dallas estate and Dundee to experience their distinctive wines and the places that inspire them.
Visit Van Duzer Vineyards
Estate Tasting Room
11975 Smithfield Road, Dallas, Oregon
Open daily, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
Dundee Tasting Room
130 SW 7th Street, Dundee, Oregon 97115
Open Thursday–Monday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
For more information, visit vanduzer.com.
