One of the illustrious Oregon estates located in the Ribbon Ridge AVA, Beaux Frères was founded by Michael Etzel more than twenty years ago. While on vacation in 1986 Michael came across an 88 acre pig farm and after some consideration he decided to purchase the land with his brother in law, Robert Parker — and the rest became Oregon wine history. Michael focused on his job as vineyard manager by planting Pinot Noir in the Ribbon Ridge AVA and while planting his vineyard he interned at Ponzi Winery. In 1990, He harvested his first estate fruit and sold the grapes winemakers Ken Wright and Dick Ponzi. Michael decided there was something special with his vineyard and began making focused, mineral-driven Pinot Noirs from this special site. The wines were subsequently reviewed with incredible acclaim.
Over the years I have had the chance to sample these beautiful wines and have been incredibly impressed with their overall quality and purity of red fruit character. There is also a continuous vein of pretty red floral character that runs through these wines. Over the years I have had a chance to sample some of the great examples of these, including more recently vintages 2002 as well as 2005. Today Michael’s son, Mike Etzel, serves as head winemaker. My good friend and Oregon wine collector, Jason Wehling, graciously shared some of his Beaux Frères wines with me a week ago, as we tasted wines from the 2001, 2005 and 2008 vintages together.
2001 is somewhat of an overlooked vintage with 2002 being arguably the best vintage of the decade. 2001 saw moderate temperatures, with no heat spikes, throughout the growing season, with a touch of rain prior to harvest, which led to wines that showed good balance, but maybe not embodying the depth and concentration of 2002. The 2005 vintage was known for cooler temperatures throughout the growing season, as well as a wet spring that caused some bloom issues. Pinot Noirs were typically more classically styled, with lower alcohol, as I saw this vintage as a producer vintage and thought at the time of release that the top producers performed really well. 2008 on the other hand was a goldilocks vintage of sorts, producing wines with immense aging potential that certainly needed some time to get out of the starting blocks. Upon release these wines were very well-structured, with good tannin quality and finesse, but really needed some time to find themselves in terms of flavor development. The vintage saw very moderate growing conditions with a harvest that extended into late October.
Tasting through these wines I was immediately surprised with how the 2001 Beaux Frères ‘The Beaux Frères Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 95) had held. This was an utterly sensational wine that was immediately gratifying once in the glass. This wine is now getting into the exciting tertiary realm of earthy undertones, so I would open this beauty now. I won’t lie that the 2005 Beaux Frères ‘The Beaux Frères Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 99) is quite possibly the finest Oregon wine that I have ever tasted. This wine was simply mesmerizing in the glass, as we quite simply could not believe what we were tasting, with head-turning depth, complexity, finesse and flavor range. Over the next hour the wine became even more mind-bending and pretty, with serious verve intact. What an utterly fabulous wine that I will not soon forget. Learn more about this great historic Oregon estate at https://www.beauxfreres.com/ Here are my tasting notes from what was a night to remember, tasting vintages 2001, 2005 and 2008 of ‘The Beaux Frères Vineyard’ Pinot Noir.
2001 Beaux Frères ‘The Beaux Frères Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The astonishingly good 2001 ‘The Beaux Frères Vineyard’ Pinot Noir reveals a remarkable level of freshness considering its age. Once on the nose this takes on generous Yakima cherry and red raspberry notes laced with baking spices. Light tannins frame a core of tangerine zest with bright red fruits alongside wet stone, peat moss and suggestions of bergamot. Showing considerable finesse, this beautiful Pinot Noir is peaking now so consume sometime soon. Drink 2022-2025- 95
2005 Beaux Frères ‘The Beaux Frères Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Now at nearly twenty years of age, the scintillating 2005 The Beaux Frères Vineyard’ Pinot Noir is truly one of the finest examples of Oregon Pinot Noir that I have ever consumed. Immediately gratifying once in the glass, the bouquet is nothing short of intoxicating, revealing the very classic Beaux Frères red rose petal tones alongside tremendous nerve and concentration. With more air the wine revels in shades of Nori, black truffle and cran-pomegranate flavors, alongside suggestions of menthol, flint and garrigue. This sinfully good Pinot Noir comes exceedingly close to perfection in a bottle. Absolutely singing its high octave now, this has at least another decade of life in front of it. Drink 2022-2032- 99
2008 Beaux Frères ‘The Beaux Frères Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Needing an hour in the decanter to fully come together, the 2008 Beaux Frères ‘The Beaux Frères Vineyard’ Pinot Noir is a wine that showcases this very classic and age-worthy Oregon vintage. Once aroused this slowly unveils layers of cranberry and peat moss alongside cardamom and forest floor accents that take shape in the glass. The flavor density expressed is absolutely marvelous particularly after extended air time. Silky soft once on the mouth, with refined tannins, the Pinot Noir displays good verve alongside layers of damp basement, orange peel, black raspberry and shades of white truffle. With brilliant length and viscosity, this surely has both the astringency and stuffing to savor over the next ten to twelve years. Drink 2022-2034- 95