New & Improved Torii Mor Wines
Starting in 2021 this Willamette Valley winery has turned a corner
My most recent tastings of Torii Mor wines were the 2015, 2016 and 2017 Pinots from multiple vineyard selects. To put it as kindly as possible, they mostly scored in the 85 to 87 point range, not the sort of scores that inspire consumers. The one exception was a 90 point 2015 White Rose Vineyard Pinot Noir made by then-assistant winemaker Jon Tomaselli. In my October 2019 review I noted that the wine seemed to indicate a welcome upgrade in the portfolio. I wrote:
"Showcased with a special label and white faux wax capsule, this reserve wine is credited to assistant winemaker Jon Tomaselli. Elegant and aromatic, it stands well apart from the rest of the Pinots in the Torii Mor lineup, with precise definition and detail. Orange, cherry and light chocolate highlights converge in a clean, classy, lingering finish. Though a year older than the rest of the current releases, it charts a hopeful path for a stylistic shift in the future."
That stylistic shift has finally arrived. I tasted no other Torii Mor wines from subsequent vintages until a trio of wines arrived last month. These were value-priced and very well made, and I suspected (correctly as it turns out) that there had finally been a winemaker change. There was no mention of it on the winery website so I contacted Jon via email. He wrote back to say that he'd joined the crew at Torii Mor in 2006, was quickly promoted to associate winemaker and took over the reins completely in 2021.
These new wines are among his first to be released, and they more than justify his earlier promise. I very much look forward to tasting Jon's single vineyard selections from 2021 and 2022 when they are released.
Torii Mor 2022 Pinot Blanc – This is a light, pleasant white wine with fresh green herbs, lemon oil, apple and pear flavors in a nice mix. I like the overall delicate touch from winemaker Jon Tomaselli. The grapes are from the Tukwilla vineyard in the Dundee Hills AVA. 347 cases; 12.4%; $26 (Willamette Valley) 91/100
Torii Mor 2022 Pinot Gris – Leesy, textural flavors of pear, lemon peel and wet rock give this young wine a most refreshing presence. It was stainless steel fermented and did not go through malolactic. It's a very contemporary take on Pinot Gris – elegant, sleek, sexy and detailed through a lingering finish. Give it a light chill and pair it with seafood, lemon chicken or fish tacos. 1311 cases; 13.3%; $24 (Willamette Valley) 91/100
Torii Mor 2021 Black Label Pinot Noir – This is loaded with blueberries, blackberries and currant fruit, underscored with tangy citrus. There are lighter veins of espresso, toasted walnuts and clean earth, with tongue-scraping acids. The overall balance is on point despite the very recent bottling, and the compact flavors suggest that there will be a further evolution over the next decade or longer. 3435 cases; 13.5%; $30 (Willamette Valley) 92/100