Torii Mor Winery started with a vision: the pursuit of elegant, Old World style Pinot Noirs. Dr. Donald Olson moved to Oregon to pursue this vision when he purchased an older vineyard in the Willamette Valley (planted in 1972), and renamed it Olson Estate Vineyard. High in the Dundee Hills, the ten acres of old vines produce high-quality Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay year after year. Dr. Olson was drawn to the close ties Pinot has to the earth and its ability to express terroir. Borrowing from the Japanese, the word “torii” refers to the ornate gates most often seen at the entrances to Japanese gardens. “Mor” is a word in ancient Scandinavian that means “earth.” By integrating these two distinct languages, the romantic image of a gate to the earth space or passageway to beautiful things is formed. Together the name is a nod to Pinot’s expression of terroir and connection to the earth. Today, under the direction of Burgundian winemaker Jacques Tardy, Torii Mor produces those wines of elegance and balance with respect for the earth, that Dr. Olson began pursuing years ago.