2015 Olsen Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir - Torii Mor Winery 

Boysenberry, white carnations, maraschino cherry. Strawberry puree, truffle oil, candied cranberry. Black olive and oyster mushroom, soft algae and silky mud. Transparent fruit stretched thin over manicured dirt and umami spice. Texturally impressive. Picture being hand-fed sweet berries while laying on Egyptian Cotton sheets, spread out meticulously and delicately upon a damp forest floor. This 2015 Olsen Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir by Torii Mor Winery is an elegant interpretation of Willamette Valley terroir.

Planted in 1972 the Olson Estate Vineyard was one of the first vineyards to appear in what is now the Dundee Hills AVA of Oregon's famed Willamette Valley. This seminal planting was purchased by Torii Mor in the early 1990's and has been under their control since. These old vines now dig deep into the volcanic soil and are adept at imparting their fruit with intense earthy tones. The warm and consistent 2015 vintage allowed Burgundian expat winemaker Jacques Tardy to also accentuate pure sweet fruit notes to complement the rich earth. This wine, aged for 18 months in just 10% new oak, shows tremendous finesse and restraint. It is silky, balanced, and distinctly Oregon. Wines like this one show how Torii Mor has solidified themselves as a must-try producer for those interested in high quality Pinot Noir.