Beaux Freres Sold to Maisons & Domaines Henriot

WINE TALK
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From Beaux Freres today:

It is with humility and gratitude to our supporters, near and far, that today we announce an exciting new era in the Beaux Frères journey.

This month we celebrated the release of our 25th vintage, and this week our second-generation winery began a new partnership with eighth-generation French family-owned Maisons & Domaines Henriot.

Our new partners’ have been inspired by the authenticity, integrity, and character of our vineyard and winery. Michael’s role in guiding vineyard, winery, and administrative operations will continue, as will his partial ownership along with his brother-in-law, Robert Parker Jr. Michael’s son, Mike D. Etzel, continues as Winemaker. We believe we are in a better position than ever to create world-class wines of truly unique character and complexity.

A note from Michael: “Thirty-one years ago, my young family moved to Oregon with the dream of planting Pinot Noir. At the start of this journey, I never imagined that a partnership with one of the world’s most respected wine producers would be our destiny. I am so proud of the Beaux Frères team and the Oregon wine industry. Maisons & Domaines Henriot, which cultivates in Champagne and Burgundy more than 324 acres of some of the finest Pinot Noir vineyards in the world, is an ideal organization to share our next era.”

From our longstanding mailing list and club members around the country to our newest visitors, and of course our neighbors and wine friends here in Oregon - we are fortunate to have both deep roots and healthy growth. To this day, and in the years to come, it is the human element of our efforts, coupled with Mother Nature as our muse, that makes Beaux Frères wines distinct.

Please stay tuned for an invitation to our pre-Memorial weekend Open House on Saturday, May 20th from 10am to 3pm (as well as an official Champagne toast later this summer to celebrate our shared “Joie de vivre” with our new partners)!

Thank you for your friendship, enthusiasm, and support,

Michael G. Etzel, on behalf of the Beaux Frères team
President and Founding Owner
Beaux Frères

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Around 2000 or so Henriot purchased and then transformed Bouchard and Fevre in very positive ways IMO.

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Worst kept secret in the pacnw, good for them though, Mike is salt of the earth and it’s time for the next chapter of his life…

One of the highlights of last year was walking the vineyard with him when I was working harvest at Walter Scott waiting to call the pick. He was covered in dirt and had been up since 4, no matter what people think of the wines, the passion behind them is there.

Another memorable moment was when he was giving a staff training and when explaining how that plot of land changed his life, he started to choke up and had to wipe away a tear, mike wears his heart on his sleeve and is one of the most sincere people you will meet.

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Part of me grieves for one less completely independent but well-established voice out there making wines they believe in. I felt they had the ways and the means to follow a vision all the way through for generations.

This may improve or not, the wines. Yet the reduction in voices and independence is something I mourn a little bit. I suspect Mike and family had longer term hopes.

F

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Fred,
Remember mikes got his new vineyard planted and new label started…

This seemed like an inevitable break, the Roy family has their own winery, Parker gets paid out and Mike gets his own label that he can control into retirement. Seems like a win win for everyone.

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Agreed. I’m not sure what state Fevre was in at that time, but Bouchard was a disaster when Henriot bought them in the mid 90’s.

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We will be offering up PGC to a competing Champagne house so they can compete and joust across a fence line. Frantically contacting Tattinger, Veuve, Moët and a couple others. Pitching it as the Champagne houses’ Oregon hillside. Boom. Takers?

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So how many Burgundians now have projects/wineries in Oregon?
Jadot
Drouhin
Meo
Henriot/Bouchard
Chapter 24…Liger B


I drank a bottle of the 05 Upper Terrace with a Beaunois the other day. We agreed it could have passed for a grand cru.