A dark substantial version of Willamette Valley pinot noir, with juicy finishing acidity, balanced tannins and a hint of oak. Earth and spice on the nose and dark berry character rounds out the palate. The multiple clones grown in the volcanic soils of small Chehalem Mountains and Eola Hills vineyards bring pleasing complexity.
Plowbuster is a classic Oregon pinot noir, emphasizing volcanic terroir and sustainable farming. Reasonably priced
for a great match with your Wednesday night chops on the grill, or a glass at the local bistro. The fruit sources vary with
the vintage, but the style is always approachable, soft, aromatic and above all . . . Pinot Noir.
Weather: Budbreak was rapid during a warm mid-April followed by bloom the first week of June. The 2021 Plowbuster Pinot Noir benefited from a warm, sunny summer, with some welcome light rain leading to a September 10th start to harvest. Clear skies soon returned, with harvest finishing on September 19th.
Vinification: The grapes were destemmed to small fermenters and punched down by hand. Most fermenters were pressed at dryness. No racking was necessary, with the wine aging sur lie and aged in French oak for 10 months.
About Plowbuster
Winemaker/Geologist Mike Hallock has always been fascinated by rocks. His love of wine and geology collided when he tasted the pinot noirs from the boulder strewn volcanic soils of the Willamette Valley. A move from Colorado and a career change led him to a rocky hillside in the Chehalem Mountains just southwest of Portland, planting a vineyard in 1996.
Thousands of years of weathering to Oregon’s lava flows yielded red, iron rich soils strewn with rounded basalt boulders. There the vine roots struggle deep into the fractured basalt, seeking out the complexity and vibrant fruit character that marks this wine. This treacherous earth is unyielding to our farming equipment. The Plowbuster story begins in the Carabella Vineyard, documented by yearly bills for equipment repairs caused by hidden basalt boulders. The most famous offender caused hidden carnage for years until one day the tractor totally hung up, revealing its lair. This boulder is the inspiration for the Plowbuster name and artwork for our label rendered by artist James Dowlen. Half a day of shovel work later, it now resides at the bottom of the vineyard, scarred but proud.
After making Carabella Estate wines from 1998-2005, the 2006 vintage offered a number of barrels that were very pleasing after only ten months in barrel. This was the good fortune that allowed him to craft the first vintage of Plowbuster
A dark substantial version of Willamette Valley pinot noir, with juicy finishing acidity, balanced tannins and a hint of oak. Earth and spice on the nose and dark berry character rounds out the palate. The multiple clones grown in the volcanic soils of small Chehalem Mountains and Eola Hills vineyards bring pleasing complexity.
Plowbuster is a classic Oregon pinot noir, emphasizing volcanic terroir and sustainable farming. Reasonably priced
for a great match with your Wednesday night chops on the grill, or a glass at the local bistro. The fruit sources vary with
the vintage, but the style is always approachable, soft, aromatic and above all . . . Pinot Noir.
Weather: Budbreak was rapid during a warm mid-April followed by bloom the first week of June. The 2021 Plowbuster Pinot Noir benefited from a warm, sunny summer, with some welcome light rain leading to a September 10th start to harvest. Clear skies soon returned, with harvest finishing on September 19th.
Vinification: The grapes were destemmed to small fermenters and punched down by hand. Most fermenters were pressed at dryness. No racking was necessary, with the wine aging sur lie and aged in French oak for 10 months.
About Plowbuster
Winemaker/Geologist Mike Hallock has always been fascinated by rocks. His love of wine and geology collided when he tasted the pinot noirs from the boulder strewn volcanic soils of the Willamette Valley. A move from Colorado and a career change led him to a rocky hillside in the Chehalem Mountains just southwest of Portland, planting a vineyard in 1996.
Thousands of years of weathering to Oregon’s lava flows yielded red, iron rich soils strewn with rounded basalt boulders. There the vine roots struggle deep into the fractured basalt, seeking out the complexity and vibrant fruit character that marks this wine. This treacherous earth is unyielding to our farming equipment. The Plowbuster story begins in the Carabella Vineyard, documented by yearly bills for equipment repairs caused by hidden basalt boulders. The most famous offender caused hidden carnage for years until one day the tractor totally hung up, revealing its lair. This boulder is the inspiration for the Plowbuster name and artwork for our label rendered by artist James Dowlen. Half a day of shovel work later, it now resides at the bottom of the vineyard, scarred but proud.
After making Carabella Estate wines from 1998-2005, the 2006 vintage offered a number of barrels that were very pleasing after only ten months in barrel. This was the good fortune that allowed him to craft the first vintage of Plowbuster
