2010 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir The Beaux Frères Vineyard

BY ERIC GUIDO | OCTOBER 23, 2023

The 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.