($65): Full disclosure:  I love the wines from Burgundy’s Domaine Méo-Camuzet, so I could be prejudiced towards any project involving Jean-Nicolas Méo.  That said, it’s hard to imagine not raving about this wine.  Music mogul Jay Boberg and Jean-Nicolas have teamed up to make Pinot Noir in Oregon.  Since Jean Nicolas continues to oversee the harvest at his Burgundy domaine, which occurs at roughly the same time as the harvest in Oregon, they’ve hired Tracy Kendall to help make the wines in Oregon. Jean-Nicolas comes over regularly to consult on viticulture, winemaking and advise on the blend.  This, their first vintage, is a fabulous success.  It has the Burgundian sensibility of what I call “flavor without weight.”  Fruit and herbal flavors intermingle with a hint of spice in this refined wine.  It has the seductive texture characteristic of Méo-Camuzet’s wines.  Whispering, instead of shouting, it conveys a gorgeous message.  Lovely to drink now, with grilled salmon, for example, I suspect it will evolve nicely because of its impeccable harmony.
95 Michael Apstein Aug 9, 2016