Nicolas-Jay was founded by two longtime friends: Jean-Nicolas Méo, the renowned Burgundian winemaker behind Domaine Méo-Camuzet, and Jay Boberg, a former music industry executive and co-founder of I.R.S. Records. Drawn together by a shared admiration for Oregon Pinot Noir, they launched the project in 2012 in the Willamette Valley. The estate reflects Méo’s deep winemaking pedigree and Boberg’s entrepreneurial vision, combining Burgundian know-how with a strong belief in Oregon’s potential. Robert Parker (90) The 2016 Pinot Noir is pale to medium ruby-purple in color with a nose of warm red and black cherries and cranberry plus touches of crushed blueberries, cinnamon stick, charcuterie and underbrush. Light to medium-bodied, it has good concentration of warm red and black fruits in the mouth with earthy and spicy layers, soft, grainy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long. 3,000 cases produced. Winespectator (94) Precise, deeply structured yet graceful, with expressive black cherry, river stone and black tea accents that build richness toward refined tannins. James Suckling (93) Really lovely cherries and brambly raspberries, graphite and red flowers on the nose, leading to a rich and dark, deep, plush and spicy palate that has a very pure core of satiny, silky fruit flavor.