2017 Torii Mor Pinot Noir, White Rose Vineyard

Vintage 2017 

2017 was a very wet winter with weekly snowfalls that paralyzed the area, giving us 40” in the first 4 months (20” average). Early May the heat was turned on to the low 80s, reaching the 90’s by the end of the month. By late June we were in the 100’s. The summer fires in the Columbia River Gorge and Southern Washington filled the Northern Willamette Valley with thick smoke for weeks at a time; we were lucky to avoid smoke-tainted grapes. Yield was on the high side (5+ tons per acre), forcing the growers to send the crews in the vineyards to drop fruit. 

Winemaker's notes. Tasted in 2019

This is a limited release from one of our favorite Dundee Hills vineyards sites. A partnership between White Rose Estate and Torii Mor led to the creation of this beautiful Pinot noir. Pommard clone fruit (20% whole cluster) fermented in stainless steel and aged for sixteen months in 25% new French oak produced a wine of soft texture, structured acidity and integrated tannins. Bright red fruit flavors are complimented by classic earth and herbal notes, all culminating in a long, slightly spicy, finish. This wine is beautiful now, but will be spectacular with a little bit of aging.