Pinot Noir, Torii Mor, Willamette Valley, OR, 2023

The focus here is tiny lots of handcrafted, vineyard-designated Pinot Noir. Founded in 1993 and still owned by Donald Olson, M.D., the winery was initially a small project that was intended to showcase fruit from his vineyard that was planted in 1972. The quaint Japanese-themed property and tasting room is unique among Oregon wineries.

The Pinot Noir lineup includes a Dundee Hills Select, Anden Vineyard Pinot Noir, Temperance Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir, La Colina Vineyard Pinot Noir and the top-of-the-line "Deux Verres" Reserve Pinot Noir which is excellent. The winemaker is French-born and trained Jacques Tardy.

Production is now 15,000 cases. In 2007, a LEED certified new solar-array, gravity-flow winery opened in the Dundee Hills. The winery is also Oregon Certified Sustainable and LIVE Vineyard and Winery certified. The wines are available online, through retail channels, and at the tasting room which is open daily from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM at 18323 NE Fairview Drive in Dundee. Current production is 12,000 cases annually.