2017 Beaux Freres Abbot Claim Pinot Noir

Beaux Freres is located in the northern Willamette Valley, one of Oregon’s prime Pinot Noir regions. The winery includes 23 acres of vineyards planted mostly to Pinot Noir though there is also some Grenache. Founded in 1991, the winery is one of Oregon’s most admired Pinot producers. It is also noteworthy because one of the owners is the influential wine critic Robert M. Parker Jr. Beaux Freres means “brothers-in-law” in French and the idea for the winery originally came from Parker’s brother-in-law Michael Etzel, who is the winemaker and managing partner. A third partner is Robert Roy. Though Parker’s Wine Advocate scrupulously does not review the wines or write about Beaux Freres, other reviewers give the wines excellent ratings.

Yamhill-Carlton AVA is located in Yamhill and Washington Counties, and it is entirely contained within the Willamette Valley AVA, Oregon’s most prestigious wine producing region. It has 1,200 vineyard acres and was awarded AVA status in 2004. The region grows Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Dolcetto, Muscat, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. Ken Wright Cellars, Elk Cove Vineyards and WillaKenzie Estate are among the district’s best-known producers. All focus on Pinot Noir.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.