Olson Vineyards is Torii Moah's own vineyard located in the Dundee Hills of Yamhill County. It was planted in 1972 and 1983, with 0.6 hectares added between 2005 and 2006.
The volcanic Jolly soil, south-southeast slope and altitude of approximately 250m produce beautifully balanced and elegant Pinot Noir.
The 3.8ha vineyard is planted with Massale selections of Pinot Noir derived from The Eyrie, Eras and Coulee vineyards, later Pommard, Dijon 667 (partly grafted onto Chardonnay in 2000), 777 and 114 clones, plus 0.4ha of Pinot Gris and 0.2ha of Draper Chardonnay.
LIVE Certified Intense, complex and sweet, with floral aromas of red cherry, rose and violet, light earthiness and hints of cocoa.
The flavor is bright and sweet, combining high-toned red fruits, dark cherries, floral notes, caramel, lightly toasted oak and a peppery spiciness.
The texture is rich, round and sweet, the mouthfeel is bright and instantly pleasant, the tannins are round, sweet and integrated giving great structure and elegance.
The finish is very long, fruity, rich, spicy and a long-lasting delight, all elegant and graceful.
This wine does not require decanting and can be enjoyed immediately.
The 2021 growing season was hot and dry, with weather conditions highly variable.
Unusually cold temperatures at the end of May and relatively cool rainy periods around the time of flowering led to reduced yields.
The hot summer saw five consecutive days with an average temperature of 39°C, and only 0.5mm of rainfall in 92 days.
Despite the dry vintage, there was little concern about disease, resulting in fully ripe fruit with deep concentration and just the right amount of acidity.
The combination of these factors results in a very well-balanced wine with rich dark fruit, earthy and mineral flavours, coupled with floral and red fruit aromas.
Harvesting began on September 13th and ended on September 29th.
Harvested on September 24th at Brix 22.1 to 24.5, hand-picked, sorted, destemmed and fermented for 19 to 23 days in wooden tanks and small 1.5 ton vessels with RB2, BRG and RC212 yeasts without cold soaking, punching down three times a day.
The wine was aged for 17 months, with the first 10 months in 33.33% new French oak barrels and neutral oak.
The barrels were racked in August after malolactic fermentation and returned to neutral barrels until bottling.
The name Torii Mor is a combination of Torii, the Japanese word for the gate at the entrance to a shrine, and Mor, the ancient Norse word for "earth."
Combining these two distinct words, Torii Moa alludes to the wonderful things the vine offers us through its sacred portal to the earth.
Perhaps no other variety expresses the subtleties of the land in which it is grown as elegantly as Pinot Noir, and Torii Moir's Pinot Noir is meticulously crafted with minimal human intervention and fermented with natural yeasts to allow for a pure expression of what the land has to offer.
Torii Moir believes that wine, and especially Pinot Noir, is a priceless, indelible work of art created through the mutual cooperation of man and nature.
We think you'll agree that wine is like art and storytelling, something you can enjoy with family and friends.
Since its first release in 1993, Torii Moir has continued to make wine with the vision of "pursuing elegant Pinot Noir in the 'Old World' style."
The owner, Dr. Donald Olson, is a neurosurgeon currently specializing in pain medicine.
Dr. Olson, a longtime fan of Burgundy wine, believed that Oregon's Dundee Hills was the mecca for the next generation of Pinot Noir, and in 1985 he acquired the winery facilities, including the historic vineyards planted in 1972 and the beautiful Japanese garden, from Jim McDaniel, one of the early founders of Oregon wine.
The winery's name, Torii More, was coined by the doctor and represents the terroir and connection to the earth expressed by Pinot Noir.
Jacques Tardy, who comes from an eighth generation Burgundy winegrowing family, has been in charge of winemaking since 2004, and John Tamaselli, who worked under Jacques, took over as the new winemaker in 2021.
It is no exaggeration to say that this is the most elegant wine in the Willamette Valley.