2010 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir The Beaux Frères Vineyard

BY ERIC GUIDO |&nbsp;OCTOBER 23, 2023The
2010 Pinot Noir The Beaux Frères Vineyard is a perfect example of how maturity
can propel a wine of humble beginnings beyond expectations. The 2010s are the product
of a cool and classic vintage that made producers question when the wines would
peak. Today, the wines are in the sweet spot.

For
Beaux Frères, 2010 was a period of evolution. Mike Etzel had already begun
dialing back on the new oak and was striving for a style based more on a
mixture of purity and power. At the time, the winery used about 40-50% new oak,
which today is reduced to 30-35%, along with shorter macerations. Mikey Etzel,
current generation owner and winemaker, explained, “In 2010, you couldn't get
peak ripeness. That was just the vintage. It was impossible.” This further
illustrates why the 2010 reminds me more of today's Beaux Frères than those of
the past. The winery has mastered a style of restrained power and classic
structure. In the end, this is a throwback to another time, but rest assured
that I expect the modern wines of Beaux Frères to age just as gracefully, if
not better.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1697820668606-CF_Oct232023_Final.jpg">Simply
spellbinding, the cool-vintage 2010 Pinot Noir The Beaux Frères Vineyard
wafts up with a mature bouquet of savory herbs, fall leaves, shaved cedar,
hints of green olive, flowery underbrush and red currants. It washes across the
palate, lifted and refined. Ripe red fruits take on a more tactile feel as
brisk acidity and sour citrus swirl under an air of rosy inner florals. It
finishes long and mineral in style, leaving a salty tinge and unbelievable
freshness. If you can find the 2010, don't pass up on the opportunity. This
wine is perfectly mature. 94/Drink 2023-2028. © 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.

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