Luke McCollom believes in getting the most out of his vineyards.

It's why he started using solar power. And growing truffles. And growing seed to be used for biodiesel. And trapping bees.

Maybe he's just a control enthusiast.

"I'm hoping to get the whole winery certified as carbon neutral sometime next year. If it happens, we'll be one of just a handful in the world," said McCollom, vineyard manager and winemaker at Rickreall's Left Coast Cellars.

Modern practices tend to dictate that vineyard manager and winemaker duties are performed by two different individuals. It's a set-up that can create a lot of friction as the grower tries to beat the weather and the winemaker plies for more hang time on the vine.

McCollom might be something of a throwback, but he doesn't avoid such fights. They're simply all internal.

"It's sort of like having the devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other," he said. "The toughest part is living with whatever decision I make in the moment and knowing I've got no one to blame but myself."

As long as he knows he made the best decision in pursuit of a great wine, he usually sleeps fine.

"I'm a fan of vintage variation. Some wineries feel the need to make certain their wine tastes the same from year to year, but I'd rather have each taste as good as it possibly can for that harvest - whatever that is," he said.

McCollom's been a something of a grape connoisseur from a young age.

"I loved grape bubble gum and for me there wasn't anything better than a grape Crush," he said.

He started making wine in college, but while his friends pursued merlot, McCollom was drawn to pinot noir.

"And Oregon was the place to be for pinot," he said.

He traveled to the Willamette Valley after spending time as a grower in Napa Valley and fell in love with the land and its rolling contours on sight.

In addition to recent releases that include a 2006 Heritage pinot noir that was aged in French oak for three years and 2008 pinot blanc, Left Coast Cellars bottles pinot gris and chardonnay, the quality of which McCollom feels is often overshadowed by the area's pinot.

Acting as both the vineyard manager and winemaker has advantages throughout the process no matter the type of wine.

"By the end of the summer, I'm able to draw some firm conclusions about what we'll have to do once the grapes are in the winery. Then I can prepare the winery crew for what will be needed when they get started," McCollom said. "But if we're getting good fruit, we shouldn't have to do much to it anyway. It should be about letting the grape express itself."

McCollom's constant presence has spread to other employees of the winery - field crews often return to assist with bottling - and if there's ever a need to stay late he's there on the line with them.

At the end of the day he's not at all averse to getting his hands dirty.

"Lately, I've really enjoyed working with the syrah grapes because they ripen later than the others and that's an opportunity for me to pull out a shovel and work them into the fermenter," he said.