Torii Mor has been pursuing elegant European-style Pinot Noir since its inception.
We interviewed Jon Tomaselli, the newly appointed winemaker who visited Japan and fell in love with the culture and discussed the latest vintage. Jon Tomaselli, head winemaker, worked with Jacques Tardy born into eight generations of Burgundian winegrowers, for 15 years making wine together and inherited his style.
Since its first release in 1993, Torii Mor has been pursuing a pure and elegant taste in a classic style. Its name is a combination of the Japanese word “Torii,” meaning the entrance to a sacred place, and the Scandinavian word “Mor,” meaning the earth, and expresses a sense of reverence for the terroir. There is a torii gate made of bamboo and a Japanese garden at the winery. Jon Tomaselli, who was appointed winemaker at Torii Mor in 2021, visited Japan to talk about the latest vintage.
Torii Mor’s white wines are highly acclaimed in Oregon, and their top pick is the 2022 Pinot Blanc. “We had some frost in early spring, but bud break happened later. In addition, the weather was stable from July through Harvest, which allowed for perfect ripeness and a good balance of fruit and acidity,” said Tomaselli. The wine is fresh as if you could feel a cool breeze when you take a sip, and you cannot help but be impressed by the quality of the wine. The refined palate is dry with clean acidity. Ideal with seafood and very easy to pair with Japanese food. On a hot summer day, this Pinot Blanc is the wine you want to enjoy with your meal.
The 2020 Pinot Noir, which also epitomizes elegant acidity, is outstanding. It has depth of fruit and complex aromatic richness, with a clean edgy acidity and juicy, fine-grained tannins that support the backbone of the palate. We carefully crafted the wine using higher-quality grapes without compromising quality.
This sincere craftsmanship may be one of the reasons why Torii Mor is gaining more and more fans. We hope you will take this opportunity to enjoy Torii Mor’s Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir with a meal and appreciate their charm.