DOMAINE NICOLAS-JAY, Willamette Valley
A collaboration between Jean-Nicolas Méo (Domaine Méo-Camuzet) and Jay Boberg (former President of MCA Music and co-founder with Miles Copeland of IRS Records), this is not such an odd couple as it may first appear.
Jean-Nicolas is one of Burgundy's most esteemed vignerons, mentored by Henri Jayer, and Jay has been a serious student of wine for 3 decades. They met in Philedelphia in the late '80s, through Jay's sister who was a college friend of Jean-Nicolas. In the '90s Jay owned a vineyard in Napa, selling most of the fruit, but also making a little wine. Jean-Nicolas has been at the helm of his family's estate since 1989. Tracy Kendall is associate winemaker, scoring perhaps the most coveted job in the Oregon wine industry. A Washington native, she has experience in New Zealand & Australia in addition to leading Oregon wineries.
Fast forward to 2012, and the partners chose Oregon for a project together. In 2014, they purchased the Bishop Creek Vineyard, near Yamhill, as the heart of Nicolas-Jay. Planted in 1988-89, the 13.5 acre vineyard is farmed organically, and impressively, the vines are own-rooted (ungrafted). They also have access to small blocks of the biodynamically-farmed Momtazi Vineyard near McMinnville, and the low-yiedling, own-rooted Pommard clones of the Nysa Vineyard in the Dundee Hlls. In all, a half dozen of the most prestigious vineyards in the Willamette Valley contribute fruit to Nicolas-Jay. The single-vineyard bottlings are made in excruciatingly small quantites (<100 cases). Total production has not yet reached 3,000 cases, and the ultimate goal is 5,000 of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
These are very early days for Nicolas-Jay. 2014 was the first vintage, made at Adelsheim, and in 2017 they moved production to Sokol Blossor, where they had more room. At both wineries they maintained complete control over their winemaking, however…
Jay & Jean-Nicolas announced in June 2019 that they had purchased a 50 acre property at 450 feet elevation at the top of the Dundee Hills. There is a barn on site, and a plan to plant 25 acres to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Jean-Nicolas hopes to be able to bring some vines from Meo-Camuzet in Vosne Romanée. The vineyard will be farmed organically from the start. And perhaps most exciting, a winery is under construction, expected to be ready for the 2020 harvest
The attention and accolades have been impressive for a new project – perhaps not surprising given the pedigree here – including Steven Spurrier in Decanter, Josh Raynolds on Vinous, James Suckling, The World of Fine Wine, Wine Spectator, Slow Food, Food & Wine, The Telegraph…
Dr. Jamie Goode introduced his feature on wineanorak.com by commenting ‘Jay Boberg and Jean-Nicolas Méo’s collaboration has already established itself among the Willamette Valley’s finest’.
