The estate has one of the longest histories in the Walla Walla Valley, and the same family is running it for over a hundred years. It wasn't always a vineyard, though. For the first 80 years, it was a farm started by Walla Walla native and the patriarch of the family Uriah Corkrum.
The first grapes were planted by Shary and Dean Derby, the third generation, in 1993 when the wine industry started to take off in Washington State. Their first vintage 1999, Estate grown and bottled.
The Derby's son Devin Corkrum Derby was their first winemaker until he passed away in 2004.
Serge Laville, who was Devin's assistant and a friend. He took over as a winemaker.
Growing up in France's Northern Cote du Rhone, Serge Laville was exposed to his wine connoisseur grandfather, a wine collection that many would envy.
As a young adult in France, Serge worked as a photographer. Still, the wine bug he caught in his grandfather's wine cellar, an educational background in chemistry and biology, led him back to enology, and he began studying with famed wine consultant Marie Laure Sylvestre. After spending a decade tasting wine in various wine regions of France and learning the intricacies of terroir and aging, he traveled to the United States as a wine tourist.
In 2000, he ended up in Walla Walla Valley, armed with a camera and backpack. By chance, he met a fellow photographer and Spring Valley Vineyard founding winemaker Devin Corkrum Derby, who invited him to visit Spring Valley Ranch.
Walla Walla scenic beauty and Devin's wines were love at first sight and sip. By happenstance, he met the Walla Walla native Madeleine Call and found another reason to go back and forth between France and Walla Walla.
Finally, in 2002 he proposed to Madeleine and accepted Devin's proposal to become an assistant winemaker.
Spring Valley Tasting Room
We would highly recommend visiting Spring Valley's tasting room in charming town Walla Walla. It's a truly unique experience.
As we tasted the wine, our host shared the story of a family member featured on the wine label.
Following the untimely death of his friend, he became a winemaker and continues Devin's legacy ever since. As Serge said, "I learned winemaking in France, but I learned how to make Washington wine from Devin Derby."
Spring Valley Wines
One of the distinguishing features of Spring Valley Vineyard's label is that each wine is dedicated to the story of their family member.
2015 Uriah Red Wine is one of their flagship wines that made Wine Enthusiast Top 100 List for a few of its vintages. As you might have guessed, the name on the label honors Uriah, who started it all.
In a typical year, Uriah is a Merlot-based blend reminiscent of Right-Bank Bordeaux. But 2015 wasn't an average year in Walla Walla Valley. As in many wine regions around the world, including Bordeaux, it was one of the hottest on record.
It was a tough year for Merlot. As a consequence, the winemaker Serge Laville followed the long-standing tradition of Spring Valley and "listened" to the grapes and adjusted Uriah blend to reflect the estate vintage.
2015 Uriah is 43% Cabernet Franc, 38% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot, and 2% Malbec.
The warm vintage is apparent in bold aromas and flavors. Uriah is driven by the black fruit of blackberry, plum, and blackcurrant with a robust dark chocolate note.
It's the wine for those who love full-bodied wines with black fruit and high alcohol. Think steak and filet mignon as the best pairing for it.
Do you think you want to try Spring Valley wines now?
