96pts International Wine Report

A stunning example of a well-crafted Pinot Noir from Oregon, it explodes with notes of crushed red berries, Bing cherries, toasted cinnamon stick, blood orange zest, and dried violet flowers with just a smidgeon of earthy notes that keep things interesting. Perfect levels of acidity, spice, and fruit complete this decandent and phenomenal wine. Highly recommended.

95pts Jeb Dunnuck

A jeweled ruby hue, the 2021 Pinot Noir L'Ensemble needs a little time to open in the glass before revealing aromas of fresh pine, ripe cherry liqueur, and toasted spice. Supple and medium to full-bodied, with ripe tannins, it delivers elegant freshness and wonderful purity through its long, mouthwatering, seamless finish.

94pts Wine Spectator

Seduction meets elegant structure in this Pinot, which offers graceful raspberry and cherry flavors accented by rose petal and savory spice notes before finishing with polished tannins.

93pts Wine Enthusiast

This multi-AVA blend's aromas of blackcap raspberries and sweet/spicy peony flowers are a wondrous perfume accented by notes of rich Indonesian coffee and wet clover. Its bittersweet dark chocolate, lemon and smoked black tea flavors encircle a ball of black-and-blueberries. Silky tannins, bright acidity and a brisk mouthfeel.

93pts Decanter

Aromatically forward, the L'ensemble is a blend of sites Nicolas Jay works with across the Willamette Valley. This wine captures so well what makes people excited about Oregon's Pinot Noir. Fresh fruit, savoury minerality and umami character. Aromas of strawberry fruit roll-up, savoury clove notes, dusty gravel road and a touch of forest floor. The palate is bright and high-toned fruit.

Winemaker Notes

Our first vintage made entirely here at the Nicolas-Jay Estate.

A bright, magenta color with pinkish red edges shows intensity, youthfulness and concentration. Aroma sequences immediately leap from the glass with freshness and vigor. There are red berries, freshly cut straw, rhubard and elegantly perfumed red flowers. A blood orange zest inermixes with herbes de provence, cranberries, and tigh-grained French barrique. The structure of the wine is medium-plus at first, but as the wine unfolds in the mid-palate it begins to tighten and constrict. Acid levels are earnest in this wine, but there is a broad density that seems to take a combative stance to its brightness as the finish expands into chalky minerality, tangerine spice and an underlayment of crushed river rock. An argument can be made that this is the most impressive bottling that Jean-Nicolas Méo has achieved yet.

Organic

Biodynamic