-Beaux Freres Pinot noir Willamette Valley 07

October, 2011 - I've been up to Beaux Freres twice in the last couple months, each time tasting through a half-dozen bottles from 2007, 2008, and 2009. Each time I've left the winery with same conclusion: I want to drink a bottle of Beaux Freres Willamette Valley TONIGHT! When winemaker Mike Etzel was at Avalon last week pouring six wines, Andy and i went gaga over the 2007 Willamette Valley.

It's so pretty and expressive - I swear I could hear "pick me! pick me!" coming from the glass. Silky crushed raspberry dances with a transportive fir forest note, perfectly enmeshed with a kiss of Beaux Freres oak.

A note on 2007: Everyone makes mistakes, even wine critics. Such was the case with Oregon's 2007 vintage, when critics dismissed it before there was a Pinot noir in the bottle. To be sure, 2007 was nothing like 2006, a super-hot year that produced huge Pinots. But that's no reason to dismiss it, especially if you like elegant Pinot noir that doesn't club you over the head.

New York Times
"Top Oregon Pinot noirs" 9-2-09

"Floral aromas, supple but intense fruit flavors." - Eric Asimov

The most approachable and ready to drink of the three Beaux Freres wines, the 2007 Willamette Valley is succulent and juicy. Sweet red raspberry and blackberry scents mingle with hints of dried flowers and fruit. Flavors reiterate the scent - there's a youthful lilt to the red cherry and berry flavors. Raspberry and sweet red cherry flavors are accentuated by pie spice, and a soft creaminess underlies all. We found the wine uplifting, lithe, and refreshing. -Avalon

The 2007 Willamette Valley consists of wine made from the following vineyards: Beaux Frères, Shea, Upper Terrace, Zena Crown, Amalie Robert and Carabella. This wine is already delicious to drink now and showing complexity which makes us think that it will be a wine to drink within the first 5-7 years of its life. The balance which is always so critical is there. The tannins are unobtrusive and extremely silky.

"Our 2007 Willamette Valley wine shows a delicate medium ruby color and very expressive aromas consisting of sweet cherries, a walk through the woods and a splash of white flowers. It consists of wine made from the following vineyards: Beaux Frères, Shea, Upper Terrace, Zena Crown, Amalie Robert and Carabella. The wine represents one of the silkiest and most feminine styles we have made to date.

There is no lack of concentration but the equilibrium of all the elements seems to be the hallmark of this very successful vintage. This wine is already delicious to drink now and showing complexity which makes us think that it will be a wine to drink within the first 5-7 years of its life. The balance which is always so critical is there. The tannins are unobtrusive and extremely silky. This is a real crowd pleaser, a very lush and beautifully supple Pinot Noir for the fan of instant gratification." - the winery