2017 Beaux Freres Pinot Noir Zena Crown

2017 Beaux Freres Pinot Noir Zena Crown

2017 Beaux Freres Pinot Noir Zena Crown, From Eola-Amity Hills,Willamette Valley,Oregon.

Vibrantly faceted, this wine from a spectacular Eola-Amity Hills site is a rarity in their lineup thanks to a volcanic red clay Jory soil foundation. Candied red cherries and whispering floral notes precede a palate of blue fruit, finishing with a burst of fresh citrus zest.

Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”

Running north to south, adjacent to the Willamette River, the Eola-Amity Hills AVA has shallow and well-drained soils created from ancient lava flows (called Jory), marine sediments, rocks and alluvial deposits. These soils force vine roots to dig deep, producing small grapes with great concentration

Beaux Frères is one of the earliest and now leading wineries in Oregon, founded by Michael G. Etzel, and brother-in-law (“Beaux Frères” in French) wine critic Robert M. Parker Jr in 1986. Located on an 88-acre farm, Beaux Frères resides on the most prestigious terroirs of Willamette Valley. Since their first vintage in 1991, the Beaux Frères philosophy remains the same; to produce a world-class Pinot Noir from small, well-balanced yields and ripe, healthy fruit that represent the essence of the vineyard. Beaux Frères has had biodynamic and organic practices since 2002.