TN: 1997 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir Beaux Frères Vineyard

WINE TALK
1

A soil-inflected nose here, more prominent than the black & red fruit - really attractive nose with a lot going on.

Not a hard edge to be found on the palate; quite nice, and fully mature. I’ve got a strip steak with my name on it that’s going to be hitting the grill in about 45 minutes, and I think this will be a great match.

Posted from CellarTracker

2

So I just found this rooting through the cellar a week or so ago. Rich Trimpi, acknowledged by many (okay, by me) as the world’s leading expert on Oregonian Pinot Noir, thought this would be drinking well, and he was spot on. No discernible oak; perhaps the only tell-tale sign of the elevage is a slight “creaminess” to the fruit, but this should be a very nice match with some grilled cow.

3

BTW, under the heading of “random bottles found in the cellar”, I also unearthed a 1995 Georges Duboeuf Morgon Jean Descombes.

While certainly not anything revelatory, it did surprise me by still being drinkable. Probaly illustrative of the fact that wine geeks obsess a little too much about drinking windows, as I’m sure this bottle is way past the time when anyone would willingly drink it (and it was better years ago), but even Beaujolais can have a reasonably extended time frame where you can still consume it before it reverts to sherry/vinegar.

4

Thanks for the note Bob, I noticed a couple of these the other day and will move one into the on deck circle [cheers.gif]

5

Thanks for the note. I’ve been buying since 1994, but no longer have anything older than 1999. Darn!

6

That would be “resident expert” Bob, i.e.: within a familiar group of people you see regularly. Glad the Beaux Freres delivered. Your fine cellar conditions certainly help…if you can actually find what you’re looking for… neener

RT

7

Thanks for the note on the 97. Not the greatest vintage in the valley, obviously, but some nice wines here and there.

Had the good fortune of tasting at Beaux Freres last weekend. The 09 was open and friendly, with a great nose of earth and fruit, with a real gravitas. One of the best wines I’ve tasted from the vintage. The 11 BF was a knockout and a barrel sample of the 12 WV was delicious and promising as well. A funky bottle of 99 was open–not nearly as good as a fine bottle we drank last month.

IMO, the wines at BF are better than ever. I’m not the only one who shares this opinion. Perhaps it is the confluence of the maturity of the vineyard, the quality of the farming, and the experience and wisdom of Mike Etzel … and more … but the wines show that rare combination of intensity and grace, with alcohols in check. Love what’s happening there.

Doug

8

I have had three bottles of 1999 BF in the past 18 months and all were fantastic. Last month I was judging a NW wine competition down in the Hood River area of OR. I opened one of these '99s while many OR winemakers were opening their own current vintage PN’s and the Beaux Freres at 14 showed its grace , balance, and ability to live for many years. It still had 3-5 years of good drinking ahead of it too.