Willamette Winner - Wine & Spirits Magazine

Willamette Winner


Nicolas-Jay co-founder and winemaker, Jean-Nicolas Meo, associate winemaker, Tracy Kendall, and co-founder, Jay Boberg (Courtesy of Nicolas-Jay)

Nicolas-Jay, the partnership between Burgundy winemaker Jean-Nicolas Méo and music entrepreneur Jay Boberg, has made huge strides in its last few years, opening a winery last year after seven vintages in others’ cellars. They’ve also perfected the art of the blend, as with L’Ensemble, the first release of this reserve selection from the best barrels in the cellar, which happens to bring together lots from four Willamette Valley appellations, aged an additional six months in barrel. Jean-Nicolas Méo has crafted a gorgeous assemblage here, elegant and yet packed with flavor. It smells like a handful of ripe berries, the dark fruit elements framed by foresty scents. The wine’s texture is concentrated, focused and pure; its reined-in richness and succulence finishes with remarkable poise. Impressive on its own, it would pair beautifully with game, like quail or Cornish hen roasted with fresh thyme.

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Nicolas-Jay 2018 Willamette Valley L’Ensemble Pinot Noir

Every week, our editors highlight a wine that intrigued them in our blind panel tastings, expanding on their tasting note in this space. These are entirely editorial choices; there are no paid placements. Subscribers can also access the original tasting note by searching here.

Patrick J. Comiskey covers US wines for Wine & Spirits magazine, focusing on the Pacific Northwest, California’s Central Coast and New York’s Finger Lakes.


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