Okay.  I'm on a bit of French kick this weekend.   

Be3 just looks awkward and seems to waste a tempo (can White afford this?).  Black's ideas of f6, Nh6, Nf7, etc. seem more plausible.  Is this really the best square for White's bishop?  If not, surely it's better to leave the bishop at home and develop "normally."   

It's curious but based upon Chessbase-online database, Kupreichik played his own name variation till 1996 and then all opponents played the alternative move Qb6 (rather than Nc6) avoiding the line.
One trick is: if Black played Qb6, then a3 (Paulsen's move) for White and Black must play old lines with c4 if he wants to close the queenside wing (in modern lines,b6 square is sometimes free for a knight) ; if White played Bd3 then a MillnerBarry's variation will occur and if Be2 then Black can play Bd7-Bd5 the subject of current update on Chesspublishing (or other lines like Topalov Bd7-ooo or classical: Nge7/Nh6-Nf5).
One other trick is: if White plays Be3, the Black can play Nh6 at some stage, because Bxh6 will lose a tempo and if White doesn't take the knight then Nf5 or Ng4, then Black can take the "bad bishop" after a further g4. 
It's only general ideas but they often appears mixed as in the Paulsen's line a3-b4-Be3-Bd3 (White secures the queenside wing with a3-b4 and  Be3).