The Vineyards. The Beaux Frères vineyards are located on an
86-acre farm in Yamhill County's Willamette Valley. Majestic Douglas fir trees
comprise just under 50 acres of the farm, with the homestead and barns occupying
another six acres. The vineyard is situated on 30 acres of steep contiguous hillsides
that enjoy an exceptional south/southwest exposure.
The property, purchased in 1987 by Michael Etzel and the noted wine critic Robert
M. Parker, Jr., was named Beaux Frères (the brothers-in-law). A few years later
Robert Roy, a Pinot Noir and red burgundy enthusiast from Quebec, became the third
member of the Beaux Frères partnership.
Plantings of Pinot Noir began in 1988 with seven different clones regimented into
tightly spaced rows that provide approximately four time the density found in
other Oregon and California Pinot Noir vineyards. In 2000 we begin planting approximately
eight acres of vines nearly adjacent to Beaux Frères. Only the new Dijon clones
will be utilized in this tightly spaced vineyard that has a perfect south/southeasterly
exposure. We have not yet chosen a name for this new parcel, which resembles the
famous dome in France's renowned Hermitage appellation. Our first vintage from
what promises to be a potentially superb site will be 2003.
Beaux Frères strives to produce world-class Pinot Noir following classical Burgundian
viticultural and winemaking techniques. We seek to exploit the extraordinary fruit
quality that Oregon can attain where physiological maturity is combined with exceptionally
low yields.
Beaux Frères / 15155 NE North Valley Road / Newberg, OR 97132 / 503-537-1137
