Chardonnay Affinités Willamette Valley

Nicolas-Jay
United States
Oregon
2021

A portion of this wine is sourced from Nicolas-Jay’s estate vineyard, Bishop Creek, located in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, along with three outstanding Eola-Amity appellation vineyards: Lone Star, Von Oehsen and Spirit Hill. Each of these sites contributes an array of aromatics and textures and, equally important, high natural acidity which the AVA is known for. Lastly, the biodynamically farmed fruit from their neighbor, the L’Angolo Estate; a northeast facing plot on Jory soil that also produced phenomenal fruit in 2021. 100% barrel fermented with native yeasts, and matured for 12 months in French oak (25% new) before bottling.

93 points
"A blend of their sites, including Bishops Creek and Sprit Hill, the 2021 Chardonnay Affinites pours a youthful bright yellow and is expressive with aromas of ripe Williams pear, wet stone, honeysuckle, and fresh melon. Medium to full-bodied, it displays an attractive, supple texture with elegant, ripe fruit and a long finish. Evenly balanced with an undercurrent of fresh acidity, it’s drinking beautifully now and will continue to have a solid drinking window over the coming 5-7 years."
Audrey Frick,
Jeb Dunnuck
September 2023
97 points
"The 2021 Affinités Chardonnay is aged for 25% new French oak barrels and displays a light lemon and straw core with a water rim. This is a scintillating and gorgeous Chardonnay from the winemaking wizards of Nicolas Jay that showcases what Chardonnay can be from Oregon. Grilled lemon citrus, singed herbs, and white nectarine merge with shades of white clay, wet stone, and pink grapefruit pith. The palate is a perfect mélange of brioche, citrus, and sliced green apples with perfectly balanced acidity and a lengthy finish that doesn’t stop. About 590 cases were made. Highly recommended and editor’s choice."
Jeremy Young,
International Wine Report
March 2023

SKU/Code: 
DB2093-21
Product Line: 
Wine
White
Varietal: 
Chardonnay
Farming Type: 
Organic