Nicolas-Jay Wines
Nicolas Jay produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the old-vines of our Bishop Creek Vineyard, and sources fruit from uniquely expressive sites in the north Willamette Valley. Shop our selection of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay below. For further reference, please see our vintage guide and recommendations for proper care and storage of your wine.
L’Ensemble Pinot Noir
The best blocks and barrels of each vintage; after 5 years of learning intimate, detailed character about our vineyards we have assembled this wine as a showcase to Oregon’s best vineyards and unique terroir
Although just our second interpretation of this cuvee, we have been envisioning this wines construction since our very first vintage. This really is the collection of the best blocks and barrels of everything we farm. The 2019 L’Ensemble showcases Christmas spice, currants, blueberries and sweet forest floor notes. The front end brings strawberries, then chalky granite complexities, and subsequently shifts back to a fresh cranberry and hood river cherry. A framing of gentle vanilla weight from extra aging in French oak completes the palate. The fruit is cascading in effect, it forms in waves, with precise integration and symmetry that supports the wine’s finesse and power Learn more>
L’Ensemble is truly a cuvée comprised of the most expressive barrels from each vineyard. Blended for extraordinary depth, complexity, ageability, and finesse. Harvested in small cherry bins, native yeast fermentation and bottled unfined and unfiltered. This wine receives an additional 6 months in barrel to escalate structure and lengthen its aging potential. This blend is comprised of either Bio-dynamic, organic or LIVE certified vineyards only. Learn More>
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95 pts. Vinous, 95 pts. Decanter, 95 pts. WineAnorak, 94 pts. & Cellar Selection Wine Enthusiast, 94 pts. Wine Spectator
Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Our broadest, most diverse blend of each vintage harnesses the power, grace and intensity of the Willamette Valley into one single cuvée
The 2017 Willamette Valley is a pure and vibrant ruby in the glass, with aromatics of tart cherry and crushed strawberry, alongside hints of dried rose petal and lavender. The cool vintage reveals a wine which is lithe and ethereal on the palate, a bit shy in its youth, but with fine texture and tannin. A very pretty wine, already well-balanced and approachable. Seductive, with an elegant lightness that makes it very drinkable and enjoyable. From 2020 to 2025. Learn More>
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93 pts. Wine Spectator, 93 pts. Decanter, 93 pts. Vinous, 93 pts. International Wine Report
In the glass, the 2016 Willamette Valley is a focused wine, revealing a darker nose than the previous vintage, with black cherry and plum accented by hints of violet, dried herb and bay laurel. The palate is supported by a backbone of racy acidity which lingers long into the finish, and offers bright red fruit along with savory herbs, olive, and a saline edge. The wine will benefit from decanting in the short-term, and will mature in bottle for 10-15 years. Learn More>
Library Release
94 pts. Wine Spectator, 93 pts. James Suckling, 92 pts. Vinous
The 2015 Willamette Valley is a rich, tight and expansive red with remarkable balance. It starts on the nose, with black cherry fruit aromas underscored by hints of smoke, fresh loamy soil, violet and cassis. On the palate, bright, almost juicy fruit is supported by intense minerality and phenomenal length. It is structural and fine, with resolved tannins and subdued density resulting in a great complexity. If consumed in the next few years, the wine will benefit from a gentle decanting one or two hours before serving. This wine will also age beautifully for 15-20 years in bottle. Learn More>
Limited Library Release
17/20 Jancis Robinson, 94 pts. James Suckling, 93 pts. Wine Enthusiast
The 2014 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir opens up with luxurious layers of blackberry and raspberry jam, underscored by rich tannins. Beneath the bright expression of fruit lies sophisticated notes of fresh loamy soil, black tea, dried cherries and the sweetness of fresh herbs. Although rich and expressive on the palate, the wine’s structural elements provide lovely tension throughout, drawing the wine to an elegant and nuanced conclusion. If consumed within the next few years, the wine will benefit from a gentle decanting one or two hours before serving. Serving Temperature: 18°C/64.4°F. Learn More>
Limited Quantity. Please contact Galen@Nicolas-Jay.com to purchase
94 pts. Wine Enthusiast, 93 pts. Wine Spectator & Top 100 Wine
Bishop Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir
Our Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs are currently only available to our wine club members. Please log in to your account first for the ability to add to cart. You can join our wine club here.
Now over 30 years old, this vineyard is just now reaching its stride in producing hauntingly unique wines that few vineyards can parallel. The 2019 Bishop Creek opens up with wet stone, crushed granite and generous brambly blackberry. Underlying the fruit and minerality are subtle roasted meat and game aroma, toasted nut and a general savory essence as the wine begins to crack open in the glass. There is an exotic middle eastern spice, a sweet bark and resin nuance with a by-line of black cap blackberry that pulls the flavors upward with strong tannins and a long, dramatic, tight-knit finish that carries for several minutes. This wine will age for years to come as the tannins integrate and the fruit fleshes out in the bottle. Learn More>
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19/20 Matthew Jukes, 95 pts. WineAnorak, 94 pts. James Suckling, 93 pts. Wine Spectator
Our Yamhill-Carlton estate consistently produces fruit of unparalleled power and intensity, and this 2018 vintage does not disappoint. Black cap blackberry, roasted meat, toasted nut and blueberry fruit on the nose. Broad and powerful up front as tannins generate to expose chalky-sweet, dark berry fruits with snaps of refreshing citrus, tobacco leaf and limestone flashes. Impressive balance between strength and focused intensity is sure to impress Pinot Noir loyalists. Learn More>
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95 pts. Vinous, 95 pts. International Wine Report, 94 pts. Decanter, 94 pts. James Suckling, 93 pts. Wine Spectator
Momtazi Vineyard Pinot Noir
Our Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs are currently only available to our wine club members. Please log in to your account first for the ability to add to cart. You can join our wine club here.
This bio-dynamically farmed 153 acre site in the McMinnville AVA has been producing beguiling wines for years. The 2019 Momtazi opens with dark, saturated color in the glass denoting an exotic dense wine. There is a brooding mulberry fruit entry that spins around a plum, ocean breeze and roasted oak core. A second pass and there’s Christmas spice, prickly raspberry and a squirt of Meyer Lemon. Hints of pink grapefruit are followed by an expanding granite and chalky tannin. The structure and tension of this wine shows that it will continue to evolve and expand with age. Learn More>
18.5/20 Matthew Jukes, 97 pts. WineAnorak, 97 pts. James Suckling, 95 pts. Wine Spectator
The Momtazi vineyard produces expressive and characterful wines vintage to vintage. This 2018 version has vivid aromas of crushed sugared blackberry, passionfruit, pine sap, and pomegranate with snaps of orange peel and zest. A beautiful “ocean shore” salinity to this wine, bramble-berry and cinnamon merge together in a savory, intense core of luscious fruits. Immediate urgency on the pallet with minerality, sweet tannins and black fruits that stretch out into a stunning and remarkable mouth-feel that will continue to unfold in the months to come. Learn More>
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94 pts. Vinous, 94 pts. International Wine Report, 93 pts. Wine Spectator
Nysa Vineyard Pinot Noir
Our Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs are currently only available to our wine club members. Please log in to your account first for the ability to add to cart. You can join our wine club here.
The Nysa Vineyard is truly a remarkable place. Perched above the Willamette Valley with line of sight to numerous mountain formations across the pacific northwest is dazzling to behold. It produces an exquisite, ethereal, and captivating wine. This 2019 edition of the Nysa Vineyard Pinot Noir boasts of fresh cranberry and pomegranate perfume right at the onset. Notes of cedar, black cherry and English tea flavors blend together into a juicy, high-toned fruit forward palate. A sensation of wetness to the wine is framed by ripe plums, vanilla cigar box and chalky-sweet tannins. The bright acid and beautiful precision suggest a wine with a terrifically bright future and long aging potential. Learn More>
18.5/20 Matthew Jukes, 95 pts. WineAnorak, 95 pts. James Suckling, 94 pts. Wine Spectator
Always a complex, textural wine with a hauntingly ethereal personality. The Nysa vineyard is one of the most alluring sites in the state. Flint, candy cane, grapefruit and crushed raspberry converge and rise at first pass. Granite and slate push against sweet cloves and sandalwood with charm and generosity. A core of acids, graininess and a tightening sensation as it pushes to the outside of the tongue. Snappy precision and focus generates dusty earth and crisp red fruits that sharpen inside a tightly wound core of citrus, red fruits and rose petals. Learn More>
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94 pts. Vinous, 93 pts James Suckling, 93 pts. Wine Spectator, 93 pts. International Wine Report
Own-Rooted Pinot Noir
This special bottling showcases three legacy Willamette Valley vineyards planted “on their own roots”, or on non-grafted rootstock. These three sites have some of Oregon’s rarest and oldest vines.
3 vineyards, 100 years of life…1 wine. This is our 3rd interpretation of the fruit from these spectacular ungrafted old-vines and it’s impossible to predict how unique each vintage will be. Right away, wafting out of this dark, brooding wine comes sweet earth and roasted oak. It’s savory, like always, but this vintage is forcing imagery of holiday spices, cinnamon and oatmeal. On the palate there is sweet, dried tea leaves lifted with a brightness of ripe strawberry, candied raspberries and notes of herbs similar to rosemary and thyme. The own rooted vines bring an incredible energy to the wine, allowing for a unique rusticity combined with beautiful elegance. Cherry cordial and pretty fruit on entry, then quickly shifts into roasted nuts and strong savory attributes. Learn more >
Our “Own-Rooted” Pinot Noir showcases several old-vine sites in the Willamette Valley, each at least 30 years old, and planted at a time when rootstock was relatively rare in Oregon viticulture. Our own Bishop Creek Vineyard supplies a portion of the blend, showing off its characteristic black fruit. Hyland Vineyard, the oldest in the McMinnville AVA, sits atop a hillside looking over the Van Duzer Corridor, and its 45 year old vines supply tension in this wine. 1990-planted Pommard from Nysa Vineyard completes this wine, supplying elegant red fruit and spice.
After a stunning inaugural launch of this wine in 2017, this 2018 edition proves old-vine, ungrafted rootstock produce explosive, breathtaking wines. Stones, fresh strawberry, lavender and clove aromas rise effortlessly to the nose. Savory elements on the palate: olive, roasted meat, cherry cordial, cocoa spice intertwined with an intriguing coastal saline edge. Almost overwhelming intensity, with a wetness and zippiness component on the palate that ignites a curiousness about what beauty the human senses might consume over time. Learn More >
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97 pts. International Wine Reports, 96 pts. Decanter, 95 pts. Vinous, 94 pts. James Suckling, 94 pts. Vinous, 93 pts. Wine Spectator
Affinités Chardonnay
The 2021 Affinités Chardonnay pops with citrus blossom, lemon curd and quince. These lovely aromatics then give way to hints river rock, fresh rain and baked apples. Minerality and wet stone on the palate unfold to reveal flavors of lemon zest and tart candied apples. Tightly grained French oak nuance and fruit driven intensity add weight and power as the wine continues to drive forward. This impressive chardonnay is defined by its linear precision and consistent tension. There is a remarkable purity here, an electricity of bound energy that cannot be mistaken for anything other than a wine of significance and ageability.
Release Date: April 1, 2023
The 2020 Affinités Chardonnay opens with citrus blossom, lemon curd and quince. These seductive aromatics then give way to hints river rock, fresh rain and baked apples. Minerality and wet stone on the palate unfold to reveal flavors of lemon zest and tart candied apples. Tightly grained French oak nuance and fruit driven intensity add weight and power as the wine continues to drive forward. This impressive chardonnay is defined by its linear precision and consistent tension. There is a remarkable purity here, an electricity of bound energy that cannot be mistaken for anything other than a wine of significance and ageability. Learn more >
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This beautiful, delicately straw-colored Chardonnay bursts from the glass with lemon verbena, white flowers and citrusy perfume, then swings toward orange zest and Galia melon. Precise and focused upon entry, but the tension escalates quickly with tangerines, white stone minerality and crisp peach flavors that push and elongate into a long, elevated and textured finish. This wine shows stunning detail and persistence throughout. Learn More >
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18/20 Matthew Jukes, 94 pts. WineAnorak, 92 Points James Suckling
The 2018 Affinités Chardonnnay is a new member of the Nicolas-Jay family, and represents Jean-Nicolas’ interest in Willamette Valley Chardonnay. This Willamette Valley cuvee showcases complimentary sites, blended with our own estate vineyard Bishop Creek. The result of these deep connections is a wine that is complex yet balanced and embodies the singularity of Willamette Valley Chardonnay.
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92 pts. Wine Enthusiast, 92 pts. International Wine Report
Bishop Creek Chardonnay
Beautiful, pale-straw color immediately reveals a cool-climate directed Chardonnay. But aromatics are not without weight and style; apple blossoms, sugar lemon, sweet herbaceous notes and Kaffir lime leaves are enmeshed around a crushed granite and limestone core. Chalky river rock minerality befalls orange zest and a dollop of cream as this wine picks up its pace toward the mid-palette. The finish is long, expanding and focused and is certainly a wine that will reward the patient. Learn More >
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Fleur Blanche White Pinot Noir
In this exclusive vintage of White Pinot noir, red pinot grapes from our oldest vines at Bishop Creek were direct pressed off their skins and fermented on lees in barrel, just like a reserve chardonnay. After almost 2 years of aging, this wine is complex and intriguing. Pale salmon color in the glass, the heady aroma of golden quince emerges first, followed by a torrent of crisp apricot, preserved lemon and honey suckle aromas. Another swirl unlocks a Crenshaw melon with sliced Meyer lemons and white stone chalk with a subtle flint element from barrel aging. The flavors are bright, persistent and dry but draw images of sweet peaches, grapefruits and honeydew melons woven around a cord of wet stone and chalky-sweet acidity. A complex and intriguing wine today, the Fleur Blanche will also age beautifully over the next 10+ years. Learn more >
Note: The below is the design from Commerce7. It is likely to be phased out in favor of the custom design above.