Prestigious Beaux Freres Vineyard Joins Maisons & Domaines Henriot

PORTLAND, OR and NEW YORK, NY and PARIS, FRANCE--(Marketwired - April 18, 2017) - The French family-owned wine group Maisons & Domaines Henriot today announced it has acquired, through its American subsidiary, Maisons & Domaines Henriot America, majority ownership in Oregon-based Beaux Frères Vineyard, a leading producer of Oregon Pinot Noir. Maisons & Domaines Henriot has joined with founding partners Michael G. Etzel and Robert Parker Jr.

Beaux Frères will continue to be managed by Michael Etzel, now President, with his son Mike D. Etzel as Co-Head Winemaker. Richard Moreau, CEO of Maisons & Domaines Henriot, has been named Chairman.

Beaux Frères, one of the early established wineries in Oregon, is among the most iconic Willamette Valley estates. The 88 acre property in the esteemed American Viticultural Area (AVA) Ribbon Ridge, was purchased in 1986 by Etzel and his brother-in-law, Robert Parker Jr. In 1988, Etzel and Parker planted five acres of Pinot Noir and the estate has since expanded to 25 vineyard acres. Beaux Frères' third partner, Robert Roy, joined in 1991. The winery was built around the site's historic barn to accommodate Beaux Frères' inaugural wine production one year later. The Upper Terrace Vineyard, a second estate in the Ribbon Ridge AVA, was planted in 2000, adding another nine acres of vines. Ribbon Ridge has become the most sought-after sub-AVA in the Willamette Valley. Both estates have south-facing slopes and are farmed according to organic and biodynamic principles.

"The addition of the Beaux-Frères Winery is a perfect fit with the traditions and values of my family built over many generations," said Gilles de Larouzière, President of Maisons & Domaines Henriot. "Our unflinching standards, combined with the extraordinary wine-making talent of Michael Etzel, enriches our group tremendously. It is with great pleasure that we welcome Beaux Frères and its highly talented team. In the warmth that we immediately felt in our discussions with the Etzel family, I sensed a meeting of the minds and the flame of shared artistic passion and know-how."

Michael Etzel, founder of Beaux Frères and now President commented, "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 of the Oregon wine industry. The proven quality and recognition of our wines is such that a family group like 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 ready to invest in Oregon."

Richard Moreau, CEO of the Maisons & Domaines Henriot group, shared his enthusiasm: "Beaux Frères will magnificently enrich the group's already exceptional portfolio and is a perfect complement to Bouchard Père et Fils, producer of outstanding Burgundy wines. With Champagne Henriot, Bouchard Père & Fils, William Fèvre, Château de Poncié and now Beaux Frères, we will be able to offer our customers a collection of some of the most exclusive and sought after wines in the world."

About Maisons & Domaines Henriot

Maisons & Domaines Henriot

Maisons & Domaines Henriot, is one of France's leading family-owned and family-managed estate wine companies. The companies in the group include Champagne Henriot, Bouchard Père et Fils, William Fèvre Chablis, Château de Poncié Beaujolais and Lejay-Lagoute liqueurs. The family group already owns four estates and one liqueur factory:

• Champagne Henriot: A vineyard founded in 1808 by Apolline and Nicolas Henriot, it has pursued its standards of excellence for over 200 years, selecting the best vintages and producing Champagnes that distinguish themselves by their exceptional finesse and elegance. www.champagnehenriot.com
• Bouchard Père & Fils: A vineyard founded in 1731, residing in the Château de Beaune, it is one of the oldest and most prestigious vineyards in Burgundy, cultivating a single parcel of over 130 hectares of côtes de Beaune and côtes de Nuits vines, of which 12 are grands crus and 74 premiers crus. www.bouchard-pereetfils.com
• William Fèvre: One of the most recognized vineyards in Chablis, it cultivates nearly 80 hectares of vines of which 15 are classed Grand Cru (Bougros, Les Clos, Les Preuses, Bougros Clos Bouguerots, Valmure, Vaudésir, etc.) and 16 Premier Cru (Beauroy, Fourchaume, Montmains, Montée de Tonnerre, Vaillons, Les Lys, Mont de Milieu, Vaulorent, etc.). www.williamfevre.com
• Château de Poncié: The thousand-year history in Fleurie of this vineyard, on the hills of Poncié and Montgenas, around the Château de Poncié is a land of cristalline, porous, poor and demanding rocky slopes that have resulted in just the conditions to make the exceptional reputation of the greatest Fleurie wines. www.villaponciago.fr
• Lejay-Lagoute: Founded by Auguste-Denis Lagoute in 1841 in Dijon, Lejay-Lagoute was the first liqueur-maker, creating the ground-breaking recipe for Crème de Cassis. The vineyard has since been nurtured by constant research in quality and innovation, it owns the trademarks Kir^© and Kir Royal^©, carrying on its pursuit of excellence by developing its expertise around a singular respect for fruit of select origins. www.lejay-lagoute.com

Maisons & Domaines Henriot America (formerly Henriot Inc.) has since 2004 been the sole importer in the U.S. of wines from the Maisons & Domaines Henriot and other fine wines from family-run vineyards (Tenuta di Ghizzano, Château des Bertrands). Maisons & Domaines Henriot America has offices in New York and manages sales and marketing in the United States.

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