Spring Valley Uriah Walla Walla

Description

Name Origin The names given to Spring Valley Vineyard wines are a tribute to the family members who have struggled and succeeded in farming the same land where the vineyard and winery now flourish. Uriah Corkrum was the grandfather of Shari Corkrum Derby. Born in Walla Walla on June 1, 1866, he began successfully farming on his own during the 1880s. Unusual summer rain kept him from getting his harvested wheat to the warehouse so he lost everything in the depression of 1893. He persevered and, in 1897, acquired land in the area known as Spring Valley.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 The 2013 vintage was similar to 2012, with close to perfect growing conditions. Spring was relatively wet, with bloom coming early in June. July and August were warm and dry. The nights during August and September were warmer than the previous vintage which resulted in wines with higher ph and very silky tannins.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. – Spring Valley VineyardWinemaker Tasting Notes The Winemaking team is proud to present this 15th Vintage of Uriah with balance and terroir being the goal of this wine. This blend of 5 different varietals will please wine lovers who are looking for complexity, finesse and food friendly wines. The nose is terroir driven with hints of wheat, basalt dust and herbal notes. The palate is very rich and soft with cherries, cassis, and pomegranates. The finish is long and velvety. – Serge Laville, Winemaker