The 2022 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir embodies the quintessential style of Torii Mohr's "Black Label."
Aromas of fresh raspberry and sweet, rich dark cherry are complemented by complex oak notes of earthy mushrooms and complemented by hints of vanilla and spice.
The flavours are forward yet elegant, with a balance of acidity, sweetness and spiciness leading to fresh, vibrant red and black fruit flavours.
The wine is further enhanced by white pepper, oak spice and earthy complexity.
The palate is fresh, complex and spicy.
The finish is long, rich and sweet, with a complex interplay of fruit, tannins and fragrant earthy notes.
This 2022 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is ready to be enjoyed now.
Tasted February 10, 2024 The 2022 growing season got off to an average start with bud break in early April after a typically cold Oregon winter, with cold and rainy weather including several snowfalls.
Mid-April was colder than average, resulting in unnecessary late snow and frost that damaged some buds, resulting in a smaller yield.
Due to this cold wave, we had to wait for the second buds to appear, and the planned harvest date was delayed until October.
A cool, rainy spring also accelerated the spread of downy mildew in vineyards.
After a less than ideal start, the growing season took a turn for the worse, with record high temperatures in July, August and September.
Flowering took place in warm, dry weather, allaying earlier concerns about low yields.
As we hoped to harvest in October, we had concerns about unripe fruit, rain, birds and disease, but perfect weather from late summer through October eliminated all of these concerns.
Grape yields are on the lower side and the fruit shows a perfect balance of flavor, sugar and acidity.
Harvesting began on October 7th and ended on October 26th.
The Willamette Valley Pinot Noir grapes were harvested between October 7th and October 26th and were hand-picked at 22.3 to 24.9 Brix.
After sorting, the grapes were fermented for 12 to 26 days with a minimum of whole bunches, with punchdowns three times per day.
It was then aged for 10 months in mostly French oak (with some Hungarian oak).
The barrels were racked in April after malolactic fermentation, racked again in August for blending, and then stored in tanks 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.