Spring Valley Vineyard

The tasting room of Spring Valley Vineyard is immersed in history. Spring Valley’s story is one of a homesteading farm family, the Corkrums, who settled in Walla Walla Valley in 1865. Their offspring were later to marry and introduce the names of Derby and Elvin into the mix. On the tasting room walls, you see enlarged photos of the Spring Valley Vineyard, neatly kept rows of vineyards surrounded by golden wheatfields. Pictures of key family figures adorn the wine labels, as do their names, such as Uriah, Frederick, and Derby. Don’t be surprised if one of the relatives is working the tasting room. My visit found a Derby granddaughter, Katherine Derby Raymond, in the tasting room, with her toddler son scampering about. WineTrail note: Be sure to pick up a historical fact sheet that presents a chronology of the Spring Valley Vineyard story. It’s chockfull of interesting factoids, including the wonderful tidbit about Dean Derby, who still holds the University of Washington record for the longest touchdown run from scrimmage (92 yards), set in 1956.

After the tragic death of winemaker/manager Devin Corkrum Derby in 2004, the Derbys turned to Ste. Michelle Wine Estates for assistance. In 2005, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates agreed to lease the vineyard and winery, and purchase the Spring Valley Vineyard wine brand. Ste. Michelle’s decision to invest proved a smart business decision. Since that time, Spring Valley Vineyard has had four separate wines place on the prestigious Wine Spectator Top 100 list of the world’s wines. Be sure to sample the “Uriah,” a Bordeaux blend that The Wine Advocate described as “a complex fruitful mouth of blackberry, currant, and cherry with a hint of licorice and leather.” Yum. And if you have the opportunity to sample them, the “Frederick,” “Derby,” “Katherine,” “Nina Lee,” and “Mule Skinner” vintages demonstrate the powerful and firm finish intensity of these 100 percent estate wines.

If time permits, take the short, 20-minute drive out of town and check out the 1,100-acre Spring Valley Vineyard and wheat farm. And take your camera. You may very well want to enlarge these pictures for one of your walls at home. Cheers to seven generations!

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  Order the book!

  Spring Valley Vineyard was featured in WineTrails of Walla Walla as part of the Walla Walla Downtown WineTrail on page 442!

• 

  Order the book!

  Spring Valley Vineyard was featured in WineTrails of Washington as part of the Walla Walla Downtown WineTrail on page 442!