2023 Nicolas-Jay Willamette Valley L’Ensemble Pinot Noir, Oregon

Intense violets mark the aromatics of this top Pinot Noir bottling from Nicolas Jay, an assemblage of sites from the Willamette Valley. Blue fruits combine with dark florals, and a flourish of forest pine and turned earth. The palate is beautifully textured and classically Oregon, with taut blue and black fruits, sweet Oregon blackberry, pomegranate pulp, and a silken, fruited finish with just a dash of forest-floor minerality. Drink 2025 - 2035

95 points decanter.com

Born from a transatlantic friendship between Burgundy’s Jean Nicolas Méo of Domaine Méo Camuzet and Oregon music entrepreneur Jay Boberg, Nicolas Jay has become one of Willamette Valley’s most compelling modern producers. L’Ensemble Pinot Noir reflects the house philosophy beautifully, blending fruit from carefully chosen vineyard sites across the valley to create a wine that captures both regional character and Burgundian sensibility. The cool 2023 vintage has delivered Pinot Noir of brightness, perfume and finely tuned structure, highlighting the estate’s commitment to thoughtful viticulture and restrained cellar work.

A vivid ruby crimson shimmers in the glass with lifted aromatic energy. Notes of wild strawberry, red cherry and raspberry unfold alongside rose petal, sweet baking spice and a subtle forest floor nuance. There is an inviting elegance to the bouquet, balancing vibrant fruit with savoury complexity and a gentle earthy undertone.

The palate is supple and flowing, delivering juicy red berry fruit, cranberry and pomegranate framed by silky tannins and lively acidity. Subtle hints of tea leaf, orange peel and mineral freshness add dimension through the mid palate before a long, graceful finish that feels both pure and persistent. While immediately appealing, this Pinot Noir will evolve beautifully over the next eight to twelve years as deeper layers of dried herbs, mushroom and spice emerge.

A natural partner for flavourful yet refined dishes, it shines with roast duck, grilled salmon, mushroom risotto or herb roasted chicken. Nicolas Jay L’Ensemble Pinot Noir captures the spirit of Willamette Valley Pinot at its most harmonious, perfect for long autumn lunches, relaxed dinner tables and moments where balance and atmosphere matter just as much as the wine itself.