Olson Estate

Torii Mor’s own Olson Estate Vineyard has been the cornerstone for production since its initial vintage in 1993.  Since then, Torii Mor has compensated its growth in production by sourcing fruit from a number of vineyards throughout the Willamette, Umpqua, and Rogue Valleys.  Currently, Pinot Noir fruit is sourced from two of the six sub-AVA’s of the Willamette Valley, as well as out of the Umpqua Valley.  The Rogue Valley is sourced for warm-weather grape varietals, such as Pinot Blanc, Viognier, and Syrah.  This sourcing allows Torii Mor to capitalize on the diversity of, not only the region, but the state as a whole. 

Vineyard

Olson Estate Vineyard:  

The estate vineyard of Torii Mor was planted in 1972, making it one of the oldest vineyards in the Willamette Valley.  Planted by Jim McDaniel, it was purchased in 1985 by Donald Olson.  Located at 800 feet, high in the Dundee Hills, this site is benefited by warm southern exposure and cool evening breezes.  Several clones of Pinot Noir are grown on-site as well as a small amount of Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.  Currently, 5.3 acres are planted with the Pommard clone of Pinot Noir, with a small portion dedicated to the Wadenswil clone.  In April of 2002, 1.7 acres of Chardonnay were grafted to the Dijon 667 clone and a small planting of Gamay was grafted to Dijon 114.  Additionally, one acre is devoted entirely to Pinot Gris.  The soil type is exclusively Jory series with vine spacing of 9×6 feet.  All vines are maintained by hand and pruned in the “double Guyot” (link: http://www.crushnet.com/enowiki/guyot) style, in which one cane from each side of the trunk head is trained onto a wire.  This type of cane training is known as v.s.p (vertical shoot positioning).  Olson Estate Vineyard is managed by Torii Mor’s head winemaker, Jon Tomaselli 

Sustainability

With the building of its gravity-flow winery in September of 2007, Torii Mor emphasized its commitment to environmental preservation. Both the winery and Olson Estate Vineyard have achieved recognition for leading the industry in environmentally conscious practices.

· LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) Certification – Torii Mor practices responsible stewardship in wine production and vineyard cultivation by limiting water consumption and fuel usage during production and using only environmentally safe chemicals and fertilizers in the vineyard.

· LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification – In March of 2010, Torii Mor’s winery facility received 42 points from the U.S. Green Building Counsel (USGBC) designating it a LEED Gold Certified building. To achieve this level of certification, specific criteria and guidelines must be met:

▪ Sustainable Site Development – The roof of the winery has a low “Heat Island Effect” impact due to the Photovoltaic System that is installed and the metal roofing used, which has a low Solar Reflectance Index.

▪ Energy Efficiency – A 47.5kW Photovoltaic System was installed on the roof to optimize energy performance and create on-site renewable energy.

▪ Water Savings – Low gpm (gallons per minute) aerators were installed to reduce overall water usage by 30%.

▪ Material Selection – Recycled content was used in the building materials wherever possible and helped reduce construction waste by 60%.

▪ Indoor Environmental Quality – Only low-emitting paints and coatings were used inside the winery during and after construction to meet Indoor Air Quality Performance standards.

▪ Gravity Flow Winemaking – By utilizing the natural slope of the land, Torii Mor is able to diminish the use of pumps during winemaking and henceforth reduce energy usage.

▪ Native Plants – By planting foliage that is native to the region, water consumption is limited by eliminating the need for irrigation.

· Salmon Safe Certified – By eliminating the use of harmful chemicals and fertilizers, Olson Estate Vineyard is certified as a Salmon Safe site.

· Oregon Certified Sustainable Wines – The sustainable farming practices in Olson Estate Vineyard and environmentally conscious winemaking techniques have earned Torii Mor’s Olson Estate Pinot Noir the certification of being an Oregon Certified Sustainable Wine. Torii Mor’s La Colina Vineyard Pinot Noir also carries this stamp on its label in recognition of the sustainable practices of that vineyard site.