Beaux Freres 2021 Chardonnay Willamette Valley, Oregon

Rare Chardonnay release from Beaux-Freres owner Mike Etzel. Tiny production.

94 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "Pouring a ripe yellow hue, the 2021 Chardonnay Willamette Valley is ripe and floral, with lifted notes of jasmine, honeyed lemon, golden pineapple, and a delicate touch of flinty reduction. Full-bodied without weight, it has a rounded and lightly creamy mid-palate, a ripe, pithy texture, and a long finish. It offers a great match of decadence and freshness that should do well to improve over the next 6-8 years...

...Michael Etzel founded Beaux Freres in 1991 in Ribbon Ridge alongside his brother-in-law Robert Parker. In 2017, Parker and another investor sold their shares and Michael became partners with the Champagne and Burgundy house of Maison & Domaines Henriot. Today, Michael’s son Mikey has taken over the wine production. Michael purchased an adjacent property, Sequitur, which is a 12-acre vineyard he farms and where he produces wines today. Both Beaux Freres and Sequitur are farmed biodynamically."

The Beaux Freres Willamette Valley Chardonnay comes from the Star Mooring vineyard (planted by Mike D. Etzel in 2014), along with a few carefully selected parcels tucked in other ideal corners of the Willamette Valley. As if directed by Leonard Bernstein, this harmonious wine delivers orchestral balance despite its youth. An Old World-esque depth of flavor and low alcohol ensure graceful aging for 7 - 10 more years. Just 268 cases produced.