To Plow Or Not To Plow – What Is The Impact Of Horsepower?

Reviews: Arenness, EIEIO, Horsepower, Ponzi, Winter’s Hill, Wine of the Week

In the spring of 2009 I got an email from Randall Grahm who was interested in meeting with Christophe Baron to see a new vineyard being plowed with draft horses. The three of us met that May to check out what would become the Sur Echalas vineyard, the first of four sites being worked exclusively by Belgian draft horses. As is true of many once-discarded practices, plowing by draft horse has since made a comeback, not only here but also in France.

Following a walk around the winery we headed out to see the proposed new vineyard. Christophe was his usual ebullient self as he showed off one of his new ‘employees’.

Randall being a hands-on guy insisted on putting shoulder to plow himself.

The new vineyard, named Sur Echalas after a particular kind of vine spacing, was soon joined by three others over the next few years. Altogether the four vineyards employ five Belgian and Percheron draft horses who cultivate the densely-planted sites (3,555 to 4,840 vines per acre with as little as 3’ x 3’ spacing). The website provides further details:

Sur Echalas Vineyard—Planted in 2008 with 3-foot by 3-foot spacing and 4,840 vines per acre. This two-acre vineyard of Syrah and Grenache is the highest density planting in the Walla Walla Valley, and one of the highest in North America.

The Tribe Vineyard—Planted in 2009, this three acre Syrah vineyard has one vine per stake. Spacing is 3.5 feet by 3.5 feet, totaling 3,555 vines per acre.

High Contrast Vineyard—Planted in 2013 this vineyard includes three acres of Syrah and one third acre of Viognier. It follows the contour of what long ago was the Walla Walla River. There are 3,555 vines per acre, planted one vine per stake.

Fiddleneck Vineyard—Named for a curled yellow flower which grows abundantly in the area, this vineyard, planted in 2015, includes three acres of Grenache and one acre of Tempranillo. The vines are spaced 3.5 feet by 3.5 feet, planted one vine per stake for a total of 3,555 vines per acre.

Although the quality of the Horsepower wines is unquestionably superb, I was curious to get a more detailed analysis of the impact on the actual growing of grapes and making of wines that a horse-plowed vineyard might provide. I turned to my Substack friend George Nordahl, whose site – Down the Rabbit Hole – is a gold mine for essays offering complex soil and viticultural chemical analysis. George, who does pop-up wine sales in the U.K and is currently developing a small vineyard of his own on some hardscrabble land in Greece, was kind enough to share these thoughts.

“Those wines sound superb, and I’m particularly interested in hearing more about the Sur Echalas Vineyard,” he writes. “This will be the same trellising that I’m targeting in my little Syrah vineyard project at around the same planting density (1m by 1m, possibly 1m by 1.2m).”

He apologized for being a bit constrained on time, but offered a few quick impressions (brief notes from George are worth a month’s research from me).

“There are some clear pros and cons when it comes to using horses in the vineyard, particularly when viewed through a regenerative farming lens. First off, as you mention, there is the cost of keeping horses. They need highly skilled labour to avoid damaging vines, significant space and care when they are not being worked in the vineyard and they are substantially slower than tractors. That said, while a male Belgian draft horse will weigh in at 900kg, they tend to have a much lighter footprint than tractors, leading to less deep compaction which is associated with reduced pore space in the soil, reduced oxygen diffusion and water infiltration and over time encourages shallower root systems with more anaerobic microbial activity. Horses don’t eliminate all compaction issues however and need to be used with care, but their lighter footprint and the fact that it is so much more time consuming to operate horses compared to a tractor will tend to mean less (and less damaging) passes overall.”

PG: George went on to point out that farmers spend more time in the vineyards when operating horses, which may allow them to catch potential disease issues and stresses earlier than they might have otherwise been able to.

GN: “There is also no doubt that a horse can work land which a tractor can’t, and for narrow echalas-trained vines it may well be the only option. The question is of course whether tillage is required in the first place. Horses, though pretty, are after all a part of a cultivation-heavy farming approach, and can be overdone. Repeated tillage carries with it undesirable consequences for soil health regardless of the engine pulling the implement, with the oxidisation of organic matter, disruption of fungal networks and accelerated moisture loss being examples of what damage can be done. A permanent cover crop and a no-till approach may still be better for building soils and creating a resilient vineyard in the long term.”

PG: Important point, as no-till farming is becoming more and more common in Oregon, using a variety of cover crops. But that’s a topic for another day.

GN: “I should add that any vineyard that cares enough (and has the funds) to employ horses, and does it well, will also likely not skip corners elsewhere in their farming or winemaking. Horses don’t contribute much in and of themselves to quality, but are emblematic of a mindset that can result in some of the finest wines in the world. It is a wonderful marketing strategy, and in the right context and with thoughtful management, horses definitely have a place in high value vineyards.”

PG: Thank you George for sharing your expertise. While not a resounding endorsement of plowing with draft horses, I think it’s fair to say you are not a neigh-sayer.

On a different topic: M. Baron has a bone (or more accurately a stone) to pick with the official name of the AVA in which his vineyards are located. He prefers to use the Walla Walla Valley AVA rather than the smaller Rocks District AVA. Were it named the Stones District that might be a different story. By any name, these are great wines.

Horsepower Vineyards

Horsepower 2023 Fiddleneck Vineyard Grenache – Aromatically intense, instantly identifiable as a Christophe Baron wine, this is young, chewy and compact. The density approaches Osmium, at least in my mouth, amplifying the impact of the black fruits, black tea, granular tannins, espresso grounds, toasted walnuts, charred wood and just about anything else that contributes s a dark flavor to wine. And yet the abv is moderate, the fruit shines through and the wine shows even more of the minerality that is evident in the Cayuse GOK Grenache. 264 cases; 13.6%; $175 (Walla Walla Valley) 97/100

Horsepower 2023 Sur Echalas Vineyard Grenache – Decidedly different from the Fiddleneck, this comes from older vines and shows red as well as black fruits. The many details and highlights include various herbal teas, sesame oil, tobacco and chicory, lemon verbena and tarragon. Well, there is too much happening here for one insufficient tasting note. Splendid from start to finish – especially the long, evanescent finish – this is a magical wine. If you have acquired a three-bottle case, I suggest you open the first one now. Not that it won’t age, just that it is already sensational. 284 cases; 13.6%; $175 (Walla Walla Valley) 98/100

Horsepower 2023 Sur Echalas Vineyard Syrah – Leading with bloody, earthy, herbal and meaty scents, this is dense with flavor yet shows pinpoint balance at the same time. The texture – a weave of earth and stone and fruit that tastes like meat – tells you it’s a Christophe Baron wine. Blackberry and black cherry and black tea and tobacco are all in play, dancing on the palate and adding subtle notes of butter and bread, then tomato paste (after being open awhile) as it fades away. The powerful terroir and biodynamic winemaking tends to make both these Sur Echalas wines more similar than different, though they showcase two different grape varieties. 341 cases; 13.5%; $175 (Walla Walla Valley) 97/100

Horsepower 2023 High Contrast Vineyard Syrah – Subtle details differentiate the Horsepower Syrahs. This wine resonates with high tones that approach citrus and that linger atop the salty, earthy, herbal, cured meat and other delicate and nuanced flavors that make this unique. Excellent balance and superb length, along with aromatics that can be enjoyed long after the glass has been emptied. 465 cases; 13.5%; $175 (Walla Walla Valley) 97/100

Horsepower 2023 The Tribe Vineyard Syrah – Wonderfully precise, from the first sip on, this is like Cayuse viewed through a microscope - the details are magnified and it changes the entire landscape of the palate. It’s unlike the rest of the Horsepower quintet, more focused and dialed in on black fruits with the earthy mineral components in more of a supporting role. Yes there is the notable ‘funk’ timestamp on all of these wines, but here it’s perhaps more of an accent and a bit less of a dominating force. No way can I pick a favorite among these Horsepower Syrahs, but if I had to this would be a contender. 514 cases; 14.1%; $175 (Walla Walla Valley) 97/100

More Reviews

Arenness Cellars

This micro-winery is located in the Port of Walla Walla’s incubator cluster.

Arenness Cellars 2024 Viognier – This is 100% varietal, sourced from two different sites. Although the finished alcohol is not terribly high, there is some heat to the palate, giving it a gin-like character with interesting botanical highlights. Bottled about a year ago, it’s ready to go, and will show best when chilled a little below cellar temperature. 39 cases; 14.1%; $30 (Walla Walla Valley) 90/100

Arenness Cellars 2023 Pinot Noir – This one barrel wine is made up of mixed clones from a Ribbon Ridge vineyard. Aged 15 months in neutral wood, then bottled in December of 2024, it’s already showing signs of strawberry pastry rather than just-picked berries. Nothing wrong with that, but I’d drink this over the next couple of years. It’s balanced and lightly spicy, with subtle hints of the seashell minerality of Ribbon Ridge. 25 cases; 13.8%; $39 (Willamette Valley) 91/100

EIEIO & Company

This was my biggest tasting of the week, a comprehensive look at the 2023s from Jay McDonald. I’ve had the chance to visit the winery recently and it’s amazing how much really good wine gets made in such a small, unassuming space. The White Pinot is particularly interesting; other highlights are the 333 wines, the EBA and the Art Label trio. Here are the informative back labels on two of the best.

EIEIO 2023 White Pinot Noir – Much darker than the 2022, it’s a glorious copper gold, a bit lower in alcohol, with full-bodied, mouthcoating flavors. There’s beeswax and candied fruits, brioche and tart apple cruller, a dry wine that feels sweet simply due to the luscious fruit. Try it with your apple pastry as a sneaky dessert wine. 92 cases; 12.7%; $50 (Yamhill Carlton) 94/100

EIEIO 2023 Cuvée ‘E’ Chardonnay – Clean and fresh, light enough for apps and picnics, best when chilled. This is sourced from La Belle Promenade vineyard in the Chehalem Mountain AVA, It’s juicy and tart, with citrus fruit and skins, green apple and a hint of wintergreen. Fermented in once used puncheons and neutral cigar barrels. Ready to go. 168 cases; 12.9%; $50 (Willamette Valley) 93/100

EIEIO 2023 Cuvée ‘X’ Chardonnay – Sourced from Yates Conwill, though different from the designated wine from that vineyard. Good concentration with the emphasis on flavors of tart citrus and fresh picked garden herbs. It was fermented in once-used Billon cigar barrels. It’s a can’t miss dinner wine with poultry and pork, not dominating but nicely complementing any preparation with lots of fresh herbs. 67 cases; 13.5%; $75 (Willamette Valley) 93/100

EIEIO 2023 Yates Conwill Vineyard Chardonnay – Rich and layered, the kind of wine that invites a deep dive. It opens with scents of sea breeze and lemon curd, builds into a powerful mid-palate with apple, Asian pear, green honeydew melon, a touch of pineapple. Impressive length that keeps expanding with hints of caramel and lemon pie. 92 cases; 13.7%; $75 (Yamhill Carlton) 94/100

EIEIO 2023 Three Thirty-Three Chardonnay – Jay McDonald calls this “an interesting outlier” which is saying something from a winery where every offering seems to break some rule or other - in a good way. Made in a single neutral barrel, it was untouched for almost two years. There’s a feral note to the flavors, with a lightly chalky accent. It shows the dryness in a way that some bone dry Rieslings also do, with muted fruit in favor of linen or sand. It has the flavor complexity of natural wine, while keeping a grip on excess and maintaining a restrained balance. A wine worth exploring for sure. 25 cases; 13.3%; $125 (Willamette Valley) 94/100

EIEIO 2023 Cuvée E Pinot Noir – E stands for Every vineyard in the portfolio, blended together to showcase the vintage. All neutral oak, this stands as a template for Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. Compact raspberry and cherry fruit, a dash of root beer, nice texture with a mineral base. 297 cases; 14.1%; $50 (Willamette Valley) 92/100

EIEIO 2023 Saffron Fields Vineyard Art Label Pinot Noir – A multi-clone field blend, principally Pommard (the label depicts the specific blocks sourced), this luscious and layered wine brings brambly strawberry and marionberry fruit into a wonderfully spicy core. It’s smooth and balanced, with well-matched acidity and expressive spice box highlights from aging in one quarter new French oak. 148 cases; 14.2%; $75 (Yamhill Carlton) 94/100

EIEIO 2023 Wind Hill Vineyard Art Label Pinot Noir – Lovely just to look at, a burnt umber sunset hue, this pumps up complex aromas of toast and berry, root beer and tobacco. It’s far enough along the aging curve to be supple and detailed, with light touches of spice and char, black tea and smoke. This wine should be decanted and given plenty of attention as it has many subtle layers that slowly open. It spent 11 months in one quarter new French oak. 72 cases; 13.9%; $75 (Willamette Valley) 95/100

EIEIO 2023 Yates Conwill Vineyard Art Label Pinot Noir – Right next to Résonance, this has long been a much-sought after vineyard by those fortunate enough to acquire grapes. Aromatically challenging, as every sniff brings new and changed information. It’s tart and seems younger than the other Art Label wines, with blood orange and hard cherry candy, a dusting of chalky earth, and a dash of spice to close. Among the several Yates Conwill wines in this portfolio this one has more focus and good concentration. 97 cases; 14.4%; $75 (Yamhill Carlton) 93/100

EIEIO 2023 Yates Conwill Vineyard 777 Pinot Noir – Well-balanced on a plinth of acid, this well-defined wine has pinpoint purple fruits, a thin streak of forest floor flavors of composted earth, and a wave of barrel spice. Firm in the middle, it trails away with savory herbs, lemony acids and more of those earthy tannins. 71 cases; 14.3%; $75 (Willamette Valley) 92/100

EIEIO 2023 Saffron Fields Vineyard Whole Cluster Pinot Noir – This is 100% whole cluster Pommard fermented with full body foot-stomping pigeage (“good dirty fun” says the winemaker). It’s picked and finished on the lighter side, with red currant and almost-ripe strawberry fruit. A good sipping wine, contemplative, elegant but not at all (as the Thurber cartoon puts it) “presumptuous”. 72 cases; 12.9%; $75 (Willamette Valley) 93/100

EIEIO 2023 White Cloud Vineyard Pinot Noir – Jay McDonald notes that this is a “Greek-style, bush-planted vineyard, with numerous cuttings gleaned from all over the western U.S.” Intriguing. It strikes me as earthy and a bit diffuse, wrangling its mixed clones into the center ring still bucking and twisting. Brambly berry, tangy lemony acids, a burst of the barnyard and a bit of chocolate all come into view as you scroll down through the finish. As with all EIEIO wines, there is nothing at all boring about this wine. It may or may not ring your bell, but you’ll be entertained. 95 cases; 14%; $75 (Willamette Valley) 92/100

EIEIO 2022 333 Pinot Noir – Same vintage, but bottled from a different barrel than last year’s release of the 333. I don’t have the previous release to compare it with. But 2022 seems to be a more delicious vintage than the ‘23s, or maybe the extra year in barrel has made a difference, whatever the reason, this is aromatically inviting, beautifully orchestrated, detailed and layered with phenolic highlights and brambly berries and sassy citrus and barrel toast. It’s a pleasure start to finish. 43 cases; 13.2%; $125 (Willamette Valley) 95/100

EIEIO 2023 EBA Pinot Noir – Extended Barrel Aged – given an extra year prior to bottling to soften some unruly tannins. This has dark fruits, black cherry, cassis and a streak of cola. Further accents of cut tobacco, lemon peel and a twist of red licorice come out in the trailing finish. The tannins are still substantial, but the overall balance works well. 100 cases; 13.3%; $75 (Willamette Valley) 94/100

Ponzi Vineyards

Ponzi 2024 Pinot Gris – This is a solid, fruity and clean Pinot Gris, sourced from around the Willamette Valley. Apple and pear fruit carries it, finishing with a nice burst of cinnamon-topped pastry. 5308 cases; 13.2%; $22 (Willamette Valley) 92/100

Ponzi 2024 Tavola Pinot Noir – This is one of the better editions of Tavola from the past decade. About 60% estate, 40% purchased grapes, it’s a big production (for Oregon) and affordable every day Willamette Valley Pinot, well-rounded with pretty, sassy red fruits. It runs the gamut from red currant to raspberry to white cherries, with supporting acids and clean, understated tannins that fade out with a touch of black pepper. 10761 cases; 13.6%; $30 (Willamette Valley) 92/100

Ponzi 2022 Reserve Pinot Noir – Estate grown grapes from Ponzi’s best and oldest vineyards go into this reserve. In ’22 whole clusters were 45% of the ferment, and 47% of the barrels were new. No fining or filtration, gravity racked and bottled, clean and supple with the luscious fruit showing star quality. It sails through a smooth, lingering finish with a mix of red and purple berries, trailing out with an unmistakable taste of blueberry pie. 2413 (6-pack) cases; 13.9%; $75 (Laurelwood District) 94/100

Winter’s Hill

Winter’s Hill 2022 González Chardonnay – A block and clone selection, made in a single new oak puncheon, this is a focused expression of Chardonnay in the style that now defines the Willamette valley’s stamp on the variety. Tart, sweetly juicy orchard fruits hold the center, with accents of butterscotch and salted caramel. 52 cases; 13.2%; $89 (Dundee Hills) 92/100

Winter’s Hill 2023 Chardonnay – Thick, viscous and loaded with juicy fruit flavor. It ranges from Meyer lemon to pink grapefruit to pear and peach, gliding along on a leesy, textured foundation. This is a lively, vibrant, inviting wine, perfectly balanced and immediately in prime drinking condition. 168 cases; 13.2%; $49 (Dundee Hills) 93/100

Winter’s Hill 2025 Rosé of Pinot Noir – All Pommard fruit colored a bright copper rose after a 12 hour cold soak prior to pressing. The tannins bring a flavor of herbal tea along with lightly-ripened strawberry fruit. A gentle, even delicate style that is perfect for sipping on a warm spring afternoon. 195 cases; 12.5%; $31 (Dundee Hills) 91/100

Winter’s Hill 2022 Single Block Series – Block 8 Pinot Noir – This features the Wadenswil clone, here lightly ripened with fruit flavors of strawberry and finishing with a lick of chocolate. There are some chewy tannins lurking behind the fruit, and this trails away with hints of composted herbs. It may be at its best drinking window already, so drink up. 77 cases; 13.2%; $65 (Dundee Hills) 90/100

Winter’s Hill 2022 Reserve Pinot Noir – Just about a year ago I tasted and reviewed the 2019 Reserve, so if there have been any from 2020 or 2021 I’ve missed them. This is one of close to a dozen single clone, special selection 2022 Pinots from Winter’s Hill. It’s a barrel selection, tannic, chewy, and moving quickly along the aging curve. Done in an elegant style, with pretty red berries, currants and a touch of rhubarb. 161 cases; 13.6%; $70 (Dundee Hills) 91/100

Winter’s Hill 2022 González Pinot Noir – With more color, fruit and freshness than the other late-breaking 2022s, this brings pretty cherry candy fruit, wrapped in some grainy tannins. Accents of orange pekoe tea fill out the finish. 50 cases; 13.6%; $109 (Dundee Hills) 91/100

NEW! Wine of the Week – spotlighting the most interesting wine I’ve tasted during the week, this new feature debuts here as a paid subscriber bonus. These featured wines may be standouts from a larger tasting, occasionally from outside the Pacific Northwest, or something special I’ve pulled from my cellar.