2020 Vintners Circle
Beaux Frères
2019 ¡Salud! Cuvée Pinot Noir
Four 12-Bottle Cases | Sold By The Case | $800 Starting Bid
Lot 1 & 2 Open Monday, November 9 at 8 am PST
Lot 1 Closes Wednesday, November 11 at 7 pm PST | Lot 2 Closes Wednesday, November 11 at 8 pm PST
Vintage Notes:
The 2019 vintage was the first in six years to truly test the chops of Oregon’s Willamette Valley winemakers. The kind of weather we saw around harvest made for a Burgundian-like challenge, and the wines that are emerging are showcasing the kind of complexity that can only be drawn from adversity. I’m so excited about this vintage and these wines. – Mike Etzel, Jr., winemaker
Vineyards:
The Beaux Frères Vineyard, The Upper Terrace Vineyard
Aging:
We do not practice the typical racking process of transferring a wine from barrel to barrel to aerate. Our only racking occurs when we transfer to a settling tank before bottling. Aging on lees in our cold cellar, and the fact that there is no movement of the wine (racking) until bottling, results in a buildup of CO2 – a by-product of the secondary/malolactic fermentation. This serves as a natural preservative and allows us to use far less Sulphur than most wine producers. All of this is aimed at preserving the character of our terroir, the personality of the vintage, and the quality of the wine.
Winemaking:
Our technique is characterized by minimal handling. Fermentation is allowed to occur spontaneously, relying on “wild” indigenous yeast, and tended to the old-fashioned way with punch downs and pump overs by hand throughout the day (and night). We empty the tank into our press and the new wine is then moved into French oak barrels. The proportion of new barrels vs. neutral ones varies according to the strength and concentration of the vintage. Secondary fermentation occurs naturally at a rather relaxed pace by comparison with the ‘norm’ in our very cool barrel cellar. We feel that a long, slow process gives greater complexity of flavor, transforming raw young wine into a thing of liquid beauty.
Release Date:
December 2020
