Remarkably and seamlessly complex, with a polished and refined core wrapped in silky raspberry and blueberry flavors, accented by savory spice and orange zest hints. The long finish builds toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2025.
A wine of presence and expression, impeccably structured yet elegantly layered, with evocative raspberry, rose petal and brown baking spice notes that pick up richness and tension toward fine-grained tannins.
Beaux Frères has helped set the standard for modern Pinot Noir in Oregon since its founding in the late 1980s, part of the second generation of Willamette Valley wineries. Founder Mike Etzel is not hands-on in the cellar these days, but son Mike D. Etzel and his team haven’t lost a beat. This 2018 is the wine of the vintage to date, from a year that had its challenges. The 24-acre Beaux Frères Vineyard is planted to a mixture of Pommard, Wädenswil and newer Dijon clones on a steep south-facing slope on Ribbon Ridge, a sweet spot in the Chehalem Mountains AVA.
The medium ruby-purple colored 2018 Pinot Noir The Beaux Frères Vineyard opens to lush rhubarb, cranberries and loamy earth with layers of blood orange, tea leaves, charcuterie and flowers. The medium-bodied palate offers broody, concentrated fruits with fine earth and spice accents, with a seamless, silky frame and lifted finish.
Impeccably polished and structured, with gracefully expressive cherry and blueberry flavors, laced with black tea, spice and orange peel notes, taking on richness toward refined tannins.
Harmonious yet dynamic, with fervent violet and raspberry notes that pick up orange peel and black tea accents along the way to a polished, structured finish.
Medium ruby in color, the 2018 Pinot Noir The Belles Soeurs has pure scents of cranberry, dusty earth and charcuterie with top notes of citrus peel and iodine. The medium-bodied palate is pure and expressive, lifted and fresh, with a silky texture and long, ethereal finish
Distinctive, and tight at first, but blooms in the glass, rich yet delicate, with lemon verbena, apricot blossom and minerally lime notes that play out on the long, supple finish. — TF
The Beaux Frères Vineyard track record (Vintages 1991-2018)
Combines structure with verve, offering richly expressive raspberry, violet and orange peel flavors that take on polish and complexity toward well-buffed tannins.
