Spring Valley Syrah Nina Lee

Description

Name Origin The names given to Spring Valley Vineyard wines are a tribute to the family members who have succeeded in farming the same land where the vineyard and winery now flourish. This 100% Syrah is named for the wife of Frederick Corkrum. After meeting following her vaudeville performance at a local theater, they married in August of 1929 and began their struggle to stay afloat during the Great Depression. Following Fredericks death in 1957, Nina Lee, who didnt want to depend on anyone for her livelihood, continued to operate the ranch on her own. Nina Lee passed away after 21 years of successful farming.A Family Tradition Following the tradition of Uriah, Katherine, Frederick, and Nina Lee Corkrum, Shari Corkrum Derby and her husband Dean Derby continue to operate the wheat fields, vineyard and winery. The hard work, traditional values and deep family ties that have kept the ranch going for over 100 years are mirrored in Spring Valley Vineyards signature offerings.The Vineyard Spring Valley Vineyard lies 12 miles northeast of Walla Walla, amid the picturesque wheat fields of southeastern Washington and the Blue Mountains in the distance. The initial block of Merlot was planted in 1993 on a southern hillside facing southwest. The vines follow the north-south slope of the hills in vertical rows, an orientation that when combined with the declination of the slope, allows the vines to take optimal advantage of air drainage, sunshine, and the reflective nature of the surrounding wheat fields.Great care is taken when caring for the vineyard. Every grape is tended by hand, including crop thinning, leaf pulling, and harvesting, as well as hand-burying individual canes to protect them during the winter in southeastern Washington.Vintage It was definitely a warm vintage for Spring Valley Vineyards. The conditions during harvest were excellent with warm days and relatively cool nights. Picking started during the 2nd week of September, eliminating the need for a late harvest. Despite the warmer temperatures of 2014, we have not encountered any big tannins. The wines are rich but soft and elegant and naturally terroir driven.Winemaking Spring Valley Vineyard fruit is hand-picked, hand-sorted and gently de-stemmed by gravity. During the 10-20 day fermentation, each tank is tasted daily until Spring Valley Vineyard Winemaker Serge Laville decides it is time to press using wooden cage basket presses. In keeping with Spring Valley tradition, originally instituted by founding winemaker Devin Corkrum Derby, hand punch-downs occur twice a day until the end of alcoholic fermentation. The wine is transferred by pump into barrels for secondary fermentation and gets racked several times for clarity. Finally, the different lots are blended to create our six distinctive labels.WINEMAKER TASTING NOTES This wine has black cherry and pepper notes with hints of violet. There is also a meaty characteristic. It is very rich and seamless with a long and earthy finish. – Serge Laville, Winemaker