A love of horses, that’s how we met.

Accomplished winemakers, that’s what we’ve become.

Each mothers of three, that’s our pride.

Véronique Drouhin & Isabelle Dutartre

Our Story

Caballus was born from friendship, horses, and a shared love of wine.

In the early 1980s, in the heart of Burgundy, a young Véronique Drouhin met Isabelle Dutartre at the local riding club in Beaune. What began as afternoons spent on horseback soon grew into a lasting friendship, rooted in laughter, curiosity, and a deepening passion for wine.

Their paths intertwined for decades, first in Burgundy at Maison Joseph Drouhin, then across the ocean in Oregon at Domaine Drouhin Oregon, before each followed her own winemaking journey. Isabelle became head winemaker at DePonte Cellars, just down the road from her lifelong friend. Through the decades of friendship, one dream remained: to someday make a wine together. In 2013, the dream became a reality with the first vintage of Caballus, named for the Latin word for horse, a tribute to the passion that first brought them together.

Caballus is more than Pinot Noir. It is a story captured in a bottle, one of friendship, trust, humility, and the joy of making something beautiful together. Crafted from cherished vineyards in Oregon’s Dundee and Eola-Amity Hills, each vintage carries the quiet confidence and heartfelt dedication that define Véronique and Isabelle.

For them, Caballus is not just a wine. It is a reflection of a friendship that has endured time, distance, and change, and continues to thrive vintage after vintage.

Veronique Drouhin

Born and raised in Beaune, Burgundy, Véronique decided early on that winemaking would be her life’s work. Inspired by her family and the few pioneering women in wine at the time, she went on to become one of the most respected winemakers of her generation.

Today, Véronique crafts every wine for Domaine Drouhin Oregon, founded by her family in 1987, and oversees the Drouhin style in Burgundy as “Guardian of the Drouhin Palate.” With almost 40 vintages in each region, her wines are admired worldwide for their elegance and precision. In 2019 , she was awarded the Légion d’Honneur, France’s highest distinction—an honor she meets with characteristic humility.

“Oregon offered Isabelle and me the chance to fulfill a dream: to bring our longtime experience together and craft a Pinot Noir with the same quiet strength and elegance that first connected us on horseback.” -Veronique

Isabelle Dutartre

Isabelle Dutartre began her winemaking journey at Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune, working alongside Robert Drouhin and her lifelong friend Véronique. After a decade in Burgundy, she crossed the Atlantic to join Domaine Drouhin Oregon, when she deepened her understanding of Oregon’s unique terroirs.

Over the years, Isabelle became known for her elegant, intuitive approach to winemaking—and for her kindness and simplicity. After serving as head winemaker at DePonte Cellars for many years, she rejoined the Drouhin family in 2024 to help launch the Roserock winery.

“Though Caballus was first released in 2013, its origins lie in years of shared work and parallel journeys —Burgundy, Oregon, and the conviction that together we could create something singular, refined, and true.” -Isabelle