2019 Nicolas-Jay l'Ensemble Pinot Noir (750ml)

Pinot Noir from Willamette, Oregon

B-21 Top Recommendation
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A “best of the best” blend of the most outstanding barrels from top Willamette Valley parcels, Burgundy superstar winemaker Jean-Nicolas Meo’s alluring 94 pt. 2019 Nicolas-Jay Pinot Noir l’Ensemble offers lush earthy aromas of rich, bright red fruit with refined, velvety tannins, meticulously crafted by a “winemaker at the top of his art” according to the Wine Spectator’s Per-Henrik Mansson and a terrific value certain to appeal to fans of classically styled Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and lovers of Red Burgundy alike.

Perched high in the Dundee Hills west of Newberg in Willamette’s Yamhill-Carlton AVA, the 53 acre Nicolas-Jay estate boasts a contemporary state-of-the-art gravity winemaking facility and intimate tasting room in a restored cattle barn bordered by towering fir trees and Oregon white oaks, its newly planted vineyards situated on a natural amphitheater with breathtaking views of the Chehalem Mountains. A culmination of a three-decade long friendship founded on a shared love of Pinot Noir, Nicolas-Jay was established by music producer Jay Boberg and renowned Burgundy winemaker Jean-Nicolas Meo in 2012, the co-owner of Domaine Meo-Camuzet known for his 30 year legacy of producing exceptional red Burgundy from Grand Cru vineyards including Richebourg, Clos de Vougeot and Echezeaux. Employing techniques that mirror his vineyard-focused approach at Meo-Camuzet, Jean-Nicolas’ expertise influences all aspects of the winemaking at Nicolas-Jay, his meticulous attention to detail including strictly limiting yields, harvesting earlier than many neighboring producers and placing the fruit in small cherry bins to prevent bruising. After separating the 100% destemmed Pinot Noir grapes into up to 30 individual native yeast fermentations to focus on the purity of the fruit, Jean-Nicolas utilizes gentle pump-overs to keep the berries intact before switching to the more common punch-downs to build tannic structure. Blending the most exceptional barrels sourced from their top parcels from a range of AVA’s across the Valley, Jean-Nicolas and associate winemaker Tracy Kendall aged the elegant 2019 Nicolas-Jay Pinot Noir l’Ensemble in 35% new French oak barrels crafted by the same coopers used for the Meo-Camuzet wines for 16 months before bottling it unfiltered and unfined, yielding a polished and silky Pinot Noir reminiscent of red Burgundy with fresh earthy fruit and a lengthy spiced finish hinting of chalky minerality that reflects its Willamette Valley origins.

From a classic Oregon vintage producing “epic Pinot Noirs of noteworthy elegance and energy” according to Vinous critic Josh Raynolds, Jean-Nicolas Meo’s fresh and vibrant 94 pt. 2019 Nicolas-Jay Pinot Noir l’Ensemble is a harmonious, terroir-expressive blend of exceptional Pinot Noir crafted by a masterful Burgundy winemaker and structured to continue to evolve in the glass and in the cellar, offering a unique opportunity to enjoy an elegant and finessed Burgundy-style Pinot Noir at a seriously non-Burgundy price.

94WS

93JS

92WE

A wine with grace and tension, this opens with pretty violet aromas that lead to vibrant, steely raspberry and guava flavors accented by forest floor and spices. Ends with refined, mineral-tinged tannins. Drink now through 2020. 1,329 cases made.

94 points, Tim Fish, Wine Spectator (Feb 2023)

Aromas of strawberries, spices and flowers follow through to a medium body with a firm and slightly chewy mouth-feel and a delicious finish. Give it time to come together and open. Unfined and unfiltered. Drink after 2025.

93 points, James Suckling (Aug 2022)

The aromas smell like a big bowl of fruit, with notes of raspberries and strawberries still on the vine. Peppermint and dried herb add accents. Medium-bodied flavors follow, coating the palate from end to end, with powdered cinnamon tannins and black-tea flavors. It's completely captivating.

92 points, Sean P. Sullivan, Wine Enthusiast (Sep 2022)

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$64.99

59 bottles in stock. Ships in 1 to 2 business days.

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