The Etzel Legacy: How Beaux Frères is Redefining Oregon Pinot
Pour yourself a cup for this one: Michael D Etzel’s family cellar is a time capsule of Burgundy’s golden age, but his vision for Beaux Frères is rewriting Oregon’s wine map. The winery, now a Willamette Valley icon, is shedding its Parker-era DNA to embrace a terroir-driven philosophy that’s as bold as it is nuanced. Etzel’s journey—from a Colorado salesman turned winemaker to CEO of this 61-hectare estate—is a masterclass in reinvention, balancing heritage with the urgency of climate change. Etzel’s roots run deep. His uncle, Robert Parker, once a gatekeeper of Burgundy’s elite, indirectly shaped the estate’s early days…