2023 Nicolas-Jay Affinites Chardonnay, Oregon

Pear, flint, pine and thyme blossom aromas. A very flavorful wine with a medium to full body, a sweet and savory woodsy character, vibrant acidity and a long finish with a pleasing, honey-like note. A wine you want to revisit. Drink or hold.

94 points jamessuckling.com

From select cool climate vineyard sites across Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Nicolas Jay Affinités Chardonnay reflects the project’s elegant fusion of Burgundian sensibility and New World precision. Founded by Burgundian icon Jean Nicolas Méo of Domaine Méo Camuzet and music entrepreneur Jay Boberg, the winery has quickly become a cult favourite for wines that emphasise finesse, purity and site expression. The Affinités cuvée is crafted as a harmonious blend that showcases regional freshness, careful barrel work and refined texture.

A pale lemon gold with soft green reflections shimmers in the glass. Aromas unfold with white peach, ripe pear and lemon curd layered with hazelnut, subtle flint and a gentle touch of vanilla spice. There is a poised generosity to the bouquet balanced by cool climate lift and clarity.

The palate is medium bodied and beautifully textured, delivering citrus and stone fruit flavours framed by vibrant acidity and a fine mineral backbone. Nuances of brioche, almond and saline freshness build through the mid palate, leading to a long, polished finish that feels both creamy and precise. Delicious in its youth, this Chardonnay will continue to evolve over eight to twelve years, gaining savoury complexity and nutty depth.

Imagine roast chicken with thyme and golden skin, grilled lobster brushed with butter, or a mushroom tart shared as conversation drifts into the night. A record like Steely Dan Aja or something mellow from Phoebe Bridgers spinning softly, the wine settling into a moment that feels quietly luxurious and deeply satisfying.