Michael Etzel.

By any measure, Michael Etzel’s impact on Oregon wine is indelible. The founding force behind Beaux Frères, one of the most respected Pinot Noir producers in the Willamette Valley and a winery that helped put Oregon on the global fine wine map, Etzel is the sort of restless visionary who can’t quite sit still, even in “retirement.”

Now, with his son Mikey at the helm of Beaux Frères and another son, Jared, forging his own impressive path with Rodeo Hill and other projects, Michael and his wife Carey have turned their energy toward a deeply personal endeavor: Sequitur Wines, a 12-acre biodynamically farmed vineyard and boutique winery on their serene Chehalem Valley property known as Etzel Farm.

The refurbished barn that houses the winery.

The Latin term sequitur translates to “it follows”, an apt expression for a project that seems both a continuation and evolution of everything Etzel has built over nearly four decades in Oregon wine. “It follows” the rhythm of the seasons, the logic of the land, and the arc of a winemaking life dedicated to respect for nature and purity of expression.

Etzel’s story has already taken on mythic proportions in Oregon wine lore. In 1986, the former construction worker from Colorado, along with his brother-in-law, the then up-and-coming wine critic Robert Parker, purchased an old pig farm outside Newberg. What began as a plan simply to grow grapes became Beaux Frères, and by the early 1990s, Etzel’s elegant, site-driven Pinot Noirs were drawing international acclaim for their grace and authenticity.

“I’ve always loved wines with energy and tension,” he says, noting his affection for the tart, high-toned Nebbiolos of northern Italy. “When you have one that’s all singing high notes with Italian food, I’m in heaven.”

Beaux Frères Vineyard.

While Beaux Frères evolved into a globally recognized estate, Etzel’s personal philosophy remained grounded, quite literally, in the soil. He became one of the earliest advocates for biodynamic farming in Oregon, following Rudolf Steiner’s principles long before they were fashionable. “We don’t use chemicals, we don’t irrigate, and we make only two sprays a year—one of dandelion, one of stinging nettle,” he says. “It’s all about trust in the ecosystem.”

One of the Nubian goats at Etzel Farm.

At Etzel Farm, those principles thrive in full expression. The 60-acre property includes forest, ponds, a vegetable and flower garden, a greenhouse, and a lively mix of chickens and Nubian goats. Twelve acres are devoted to vines,mostly Pinot Noir with a half-acre of Chardonnay, planted between 2011 and 2012. The first vintage debuted in 2014.

Sequitur’s vineyard sits adjacent to Beaux Frères’ Upper Terrace, but the wines speak with their own clear voice. Sixteen Pinot Noir clones are interplanted across the site, yet Etzel chooses to blend them all each year into a single bottling: “a reflection of time and weather more than clonal distinction.” Each vintage carries its own name, a poetic nod to the personality of the season.

The 2023 vintage “Blue” label.

In 2017, for instance, Totality commemorated a cool, damp year under the path of the solar eclipse. Sun Dog (2021) paid homage to a rare rainbow halo around the sun during Oregon’s record-breaking heat dome. The 2022 vintage, Triple 7, referenced the near-miraculous luck of surviving a late frost that killed primary buds but spared the secondaries. The current release, Blue (2023), evokes tranquility and the shimmering sky reflected in the farm’s pond.

It’s an understated but meaningful touch—the only element of the label that changes from year to year is the colour of a single square.

Sequitur’s wines are made in one of the most remarkable winery spaces in the Willamette Valley—a stunningly reimagined dairy barn first built in 1937.

Award-winning design.

The renovation, which took two and a half years, involved lifting the entire structure to pour a new foundation, transforming what was once a working farm into an architectural gem. The old milking hut is now a restroom, the former grain silo holds a spiral staircase leading down to the barrel cellar, and what was once the manure pit now cradles rows of Pinot barrels.

The result is both functional and reverent; a modern winery with soul. The space recently earned a 2025 International Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design, recognizing its inspired blend of heritage and innovation.

From the upper level looking into the winery.

Upstairs, offices and a small apartment host harvest interns; a long farmhouse table hints at the convivial dinners that no doubt accompany harvest season.

Unsurprisingly, the wines themselves are superb—eloquent testaments to both site and stewardship. The Pinot Noirs display remarkable precision and depth, weaving vibrant red fruit, fine minerality, and that signature Etzel tension into long, graceful finishes. The small-production Chardonnay is equally compelling, taut yet textured, with a quiet power that unfolds in layers. Each vintage reveals its own subtle narrative, yet all share a common thread of purity and poise that unmistakably speaks to Michael Etzel’s unwavering pursuit of excellence.

Wines that live up to their reputation.

Indeed, the wines are a direct reflection of Etzel’s life philosophy—honest, expressive, and deeply connected to place.

Visitors to Sequitur find an experience that mirrors the wines themselves: intimate, thoughtful, and quietly transcendent. Tastings take place in a serene, minimalist space that feels more like a retreat than a tasting room. A few tables, a wall of seating, and a small Japanese-inspired room create a setting of calm focus.

Michael’s stepdaughter, Adriane, often guides guests through the wines. “Michael lives and breathes winemaking,” she says. “Being around someone so passionate is a beautiful thing. You can’t help but learn.”

Michael and Chris.

In many ways, Sequitur is less a retirement project than a spiritual continuation of the journey that began nearly four decades ago. For Etzel, there’s always more to learn, more to refine, more to explore in the endless dialogue between soil and vine.

“It follows,” indeed, the logic of a life well lived among the vines, and the natural evolution of one of Oregon’s most influential winemakers.

And for those fortunate enough to visit the tranquil barn at Etzel Farm, Sequitur offers not just a glimpse into the next chapter of Oregon wine, but a masterclass in the harmony that comes when passion, purpose, and place align.

Sequitur Wines

14865 NE North Valley Rd
Newberg, Oregon 97132

T: (971) 901-2250

Tasting Room Reservations: Visit – Sequitur Wine