Dec 30, 2022
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Torii Mor Winery
| Owner(s) | Donald Olson, M.D. |
| Web site | www.toriimorwinery.com |
| Link to this site |
The focus here is tiny lots of handcrafted, vineyard-designated Pinot Noir. Founded in 1993 and still owned by Donald Olson, M.D., the winery was initially a small project that was intended to showcase fruit from his vineyard that was planted in 1972. The quaint Japanese-themed property and tasting room is unique among Oregon wineries.
The Pinot Noir lineup includes a Dundee Hills Select, Anden Vineyard Pinot Noir, Temperance Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir, La Colina Vineyard Pinot Noir and the top-of-the-line "Deux Verres" Reserve Pinot Noir which is excellent. The winemaker is French-born and trained Jacques Tardy.
Production is now 15,000 cases. In 2007, a LEED certified new solar-array, gravity-flow winery opened in the Dundee Hills. The winery is also Oregon Certified Sustainable and LIVE Vineyard and Winery certified. The wines are available online, through retail channels, and at the tasting room which is open daily from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM at 18323 NE Fairview Drive in Dundee. Current production is 12,000 cases annually.
Articles About Torii Mor Winery
Mining Oregon’s Willamette Valley for Good Pinot Noir Priced at or Less Than $30 (11.37 1/17/2019)
More Sips of Noiregon Pinot (7.2 9/15/2008)
Oregon Pinot Noir Doctors (9.25 6/2/2013)
Oregon Pinot Noir Tasting (6.20 3/27/2007)
Small Sips of the Rest (6.52 1/30/2008)
Tasting the Six Appellations with Grape Radio (7.7 12/17/2008)
Reviewed Wines
2015 Torii Mor Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.1% alc., pH 3.71, TA 0.58, RS 0.2 g/L,
7, 313 cases, $28, screw cap. Grapes sourced from 10 vineyards in the Willamette Valley
including the Olson Estate Vineyard. 100% de-stemmed, fermented 13-19 days and aged
9 months in mostly French oak barrels with some Hungarian oak barrels, 20% new.
Pommard, Wädenswil, 115, 777, 667, 114, 113 and Coury clones.
·
Light ruby red color in
the glass. Lovely perfume of red cherry, strawberry and oak spice. Light to mid weight in
style, featuring spiced cherry and berry flavors. Nicely balanced and elegantly composed.
Score: 89.
Reviewed January 16, 2019
ARTICLE »
2010 Torii Mor Oregon Pinot Noir
12.9% alc., $24, screwcap.
·
Light reddish-purple color in the glass.
Delicate red fruit aromas with prominent smoky oak. Austere with flavors of tart red cherries, spice and a green
note in the background. Very mild tannins and brisk acidity. The fruit appears under ripe and oak shows up
with unwelcome dominance. Decent.
Reviewed June 4, 2013
ARTICLE »
2010 Torii Mor Reserve Deux Verres Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.6% alc., 650 cases, $38. Deux
Verres means “Two Glasses” in French. Sourced from six vineyards in the Dundee Hills and Chehalem
Mountains. Aged 15 months in 20% new, 41% 1 and 2-year-old, and 33% neutral French oak barrels.
·
Moderately light reddish-purple color in the glass. Dark red fruits are featured on the nose and palate.
Relatively modest in weight, but flavorful, featuring red cherry and cranberry tastes. Juicy, with mild tannins
and a good cut of citrusy acidity. Good.
Reviewed June 4, 2013
ARTICLE »
2009 Torii Mor Olson Estate Vineyard Dundee Hills Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., 350 cases, $60. Pommard, Coury and 667 clones. Yields <2
tons per acre. Aged in 10% new, 18% 1 and 2-year-old, and the rest neutral
French oak barrels.
·
Moderately light reddish-purple color in the glass. Aromas
arrive over time in the glass, showing scents of black cherries, black plum, and a
hint of oak. Medium weight flavors of black cherries, dark red berries, black tea,
anise and oak backed by some drying tannins and lively acidity. The wine
finishes with pleasing aromatic intensity. Very good.
Reviewed June 4, 2013
ARTICLE »
2006 Torii Mor Deux Verres Reserve Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
14.3% alc.,
1,000 cases, $40. Select barrels from nine vineyards, mostly in the Dundee Hills
(60%), with the rest from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. ”Deux Verres” means two
glasses in French. The artist on the label is Janice Griffin from Portland, Oregon.
·
A touch of VA blows off revealing lovely scents of ripe cherries, baking spice,
cedar and sage. Lovely and elegant in style featuring black cherry and blackberry
compote and a deft touch of oak. The well-endowed tannins are smooth and the
wine leaves a juicy impression on the finish.
Reviewed September 15, 2008
ARTICLE »
2006 Torii Mor Dundee Hills Select Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
14.3% alc., 425 cases, $50. Composed of
special barrels chosen by winemaker Jacques Tardy. 50% La Colina Vineyard, 23% Olson Estate Vineyard
and 26% Bella Vida Vineyard.
·
The nose is clamped shut offering a touch of red berry fruit and spearmint
scents. Welcoming wild berry flavors are complimented by a nice touch of oak and a citric tang on the lively
finish. Smoothly textured. The fruit is still quite reticent assuring this wine won’t win any beauty contests now,
but it definitely has plenty of allure that will emerge down the road.
Reviewed September 15, 2008
ARTICLE »
2006 Torii Mor Eola Amity Hills Select Pinot Noir
14.25% alc., $50.
·
Brimming with a complex bouquet of
blue and purple fruits, roasted nuts, oak spice and a touch of tobacco. The black cherry core saturates the midpalate.
The wine is very smoothly textured with enough lively acidity to satiate the thirst.
Reviewed December 17, 2008
ARTICLE »
2006 Torii Mor Dundee Hills Select Pinot Noir
14.33% alc., 409 cases, $52. La
Colina, Bella Vida, and Estate vineyards. Aged 13 months in 23% new, 26% one year
old and 23% two year old French oak barrels. Racked twice. Jacques Tardy is the
winemaker.
·
Dusty red cherries, raspberries and pomegranates with prominent baking
spices. Clean, smooth, elegant and stylish. A wine lover’s Pinot.
Reviewed December 17, 2008
ARTICLE »
2005 Tori Mor Deux Verres Reserve Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.5% alc., 800 cases, $43. A
blend of fruit from the Dundee Hills (70%), Chehalem Mountains, and Eola-Amity Hills. The name
Deux Verres means “Two Glasses” in French. Winemaker is Jacques Tardy.
·
Red Pinot fruits power this wine from start to finish. Bright, sweet cherries are the star and pie crust accents fill in. A bit
austere and simple but admirable acidity and a soft landing on the finish.
Reviewed January 30, 2008
ARTICLE »
1998 Tori Mor White Rose Vineyard Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.0% alc..
·
A barnyard bouquet
led to tart flavors of raspberry and strawberry. The acid trumped the fruit.
Reviewed March 27, 2007
ARTICLE »
2015 Torii Mor Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.1% alc., pH 3.71, TA 0.58, RS 0.2 g/L, 7, 313 cases, $28, screw cap. Grapes sourced from 10 vineyards in the Willamette Valley including the Olson Estate Vineyard. 100% de-stemmed, fermented 13-19 days and aged 9 months in mostly French oak barrels with some Hungarian oak barrels, 20% new. Pommard, Wädenswil, 115, 777, 667, 114, 113 and Coury clones. · Light ruby red color in the glass. Lovely perfume of red cherry, strawberry and oak spice. Light to mid weight in style, featuring spiced cherry and berry flavors. Nicely balanced and elegantly composed. Score: 89. Reviewed January 16, 2019 ARTICLE »
2010 Torii Mor Oregon Pinot Noir
12.9% alc., $24, screwcap. · Light reddish-purple color in the glass. Delicate red fruit aromas with prominent smoky oak. Austere with flavors of tart red cherries, spice and a green note in the background. Very mild tannins and brisk acidity. The fruit appears under ripe and oak shows up with unwelcome dominance. Decent. Reviewed June 4, 2013 ARTICLE »
2010 Torii Mor Reserve Deux Verres Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.6% alc., 650 cases, $38. Deux Verres means “Two Glasses” in French. Sourced from six vineyards in the Dundee Hills and Chehalem Mountains. Aged 15 months in 20% new, 41% 1 and 2-year-old, and 33% neutral French oak barrels. · Moderately light reddish-purple color in the glass. Dark red fruits are featured on the nose and palate. Relatively modest in weight, but flavorful, featuring red cherry and cranberry tastes. Juicy, with mild tannins and a good cut of citrusy acidity. Good. Reviewed June 4, 2013 ARTICLE »
2009 Torii Mor Olson Estate Vineyard Dundee Hills Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., 350 cases, $60. Pommard, Coury and 667 clones. Yields <2 tons per acre. Aged in 10% new, 18% 1 and 2-year-old, and the rest neutral French oak barrels. · Moderately light reddish-purple color in the glass. Aromas arrive over time in the glass, showing scents of black cherries, black plum, and a hint of oak. Medium weight flavors of black cherries, dark red berries, black tea, anise and oak backed by some drying tannins and lively acidity. The wine finishes with pleasing aromatic intensity. Very good. Reviewed June 4, 2013 ARTICLE »
2006 Torii Mor Deux Verres Reserve Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
14.3% alc., 1,000 cases, $40. Select barrels from nine vineyards, mostly in the Dundee Hills (60%), with the rest from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. ”Deux Verres” means two glasses in French. The artist on the label is Janice Griffin from Portland, Oregon. · A touch of VA blows off revealing lovely scents of ripe cherries, baking spice, cedar and sage. Lovely and elegant in style featuring black cherry and blackberry compote and a deft touch of oak. The well-endowed tannins are smooth and the wine leaves a juicy impression on the finish. Reviewed September 15, 2008 ARTICLE »
2006 Torii Mor Dundee Hills Select Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
14.3% alc., 425 cases, $50. Composed of special barrels chosen by winemaker Jacques Tardy. 50% La Colina Vineyard, 23% Olson Estate Vineyard and 26% Bella Vida Vineyard. · The nose is clamped shut offering a touch of red berry fruit and spearmint scents. Welcoming wild berry flavors are complimented by a nice touch of oak and a citric tang on the lively finish. Smoothly textured. The fruit is still quite reticent assuring this wine won’t win any beauty contests now, but it definitely has plenty of allure that will emerge down the road. Reviewed September 15, 2008 ARTICLE »
2006 Torii Mor Eola Amity Hills Select Pinot Noir
14.25% alc., $50. · Brimming with a complex bouquet of blue and purple fruits, roasted nuts, oak spice and a touch of tobacco. The black cherry core saturates the midpalate. The wine is very smoothly textured with enough lively acidity to satiate the thirst. Reviewed December 17, 2008 ARTICLE »
2006 Torii Mor Dundee Hills Select Pinot Noir
14.33% alc., 409 cases, $52. La Colina, Bella Vida, and Estate vineyards. Aged 13 months in 23% new, 26% one year old and 23% two year old French oak barrels. Racked twice. Jacques Tardy is the winemaker. · Dusty red cherries, raspberries and pomegranates with prominent baking spices. Clean, smooth, elegant and stylish. A wine lover’s Pinot. Reviewed December 17, 2008 ARTICLE »
2005 Tori Mor Deux Verres Reserve Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.5% alc., 800 cases, $43. A blend of fruit from the Dundee Hills (70%), Chehalem Mountains, and Eola-Amity Hills. The name Deux Verres means “Two Glasses” in French. Winemaker is Jacques Tardy. · Red Pinot fruits power this wine from start to finish. Bright, sweet cherries are the star and pie crust accents fill in. A bit austere and simple but admirable acidity and a soft landing on the finish. Reviewed January 30, 2008 ARTICLE »
1998 Tori Mor White Rose Vineyard Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
13.0% alc.. · A barnyard bouquet led to tart flavors of raspberry and strawberry. The acid trumped the fruit. Reviewed March 27, 2007 ARTICLE »