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2018 Nicolas-Jay Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

Not Currently In Auction

Latest Sale Price

June 4, 2023 - $32

Estimate

RATINGS

94Wine Spectator

Silky, savory and well-knit, with polished raspberry, spiced cinnamon and orange peel accents that build tension toward refined tannins.

93James Suckling

The nose offers a sophisticated impression of deep and gently earthy blueberries and cherries with a fresh-herb flush, too. The palate is built around blueberry and red-cherry flavors with a very convincing texture and tannin style that holds depth and focus into the finish.

92Vinous / IWC

...expansive bouquet evokes ripe red and blue fruits, mocha, candied flowers and licorice, and a spicy nuance builds in the glass. Sappy cherry and blueberry flavors are underscored by a vein of juicy acidity that adds back-end lift and focus. Supple, even tannins frame the long, spicy finish, which echoes the blue fruit and floral notes.

REGION

United States, Oregon, Willamette Valley

Willamette Valley AVA was established in 1983, and it is the oldest appellation in Oregon. Oregon’s modern wine industry began in the Willamette Valley in the 1960s when artists, vagabond winemakers, and U.C. Davis oenology graduates looking for new territory started their own, small, off-the-grid wineries. The appellation is the state’s largest, and it extends 175 miles from Columbia River on the Washington/Oregon border to just south of Eugene, near central Oregon. The Willamette River runs through the area, helping to give the appellation a mild year-round climate. There are six smaller sub-appellations within this AVA, but altogether the Willamette Valley has the largest concentration of wineries in Oregon, as well as the majority of the state’s most famous producers. Pinot Noir is king here, followed by Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Riesling. To most admirers of Oregon Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley offers the most distinctive wine choices in the state.

TYPE

Red Wine, Pinot Noir

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.