Spring Valley tastes Walla Walla sweet

With Walla Walla nearing 100 bonded wineries, it's getting harder for some of the smaller, newer ones to be noticed. In a sea of syrah — much of it from the same handful of vineyards — how do you set yourself apart?

Spring Valley Vineyard is physically separated from the town of Walla Walla, where most wineries are clustered, by roughly 12 miles. Its 45 acres of merlot, cab franc, cabernet sauvignon and syrah are surrounded by thousands of acres of wheat on rolling hills that are impossibly beautiful and ever-changing. Dean and Shari Derby, the proprietors, first planted grapes in the early 1990s. "The whole idea was not to join the wine club," says Dean. "It was diversification."

Growing grapes in wheat country is difficult at best, but they had the advantage of water (from a 1,300-foot well) and a perfect, southwest-facing hillside location. Their grapes were instantly sought after, and they soon began thinking about starting a winery of their own.

Their son Devin Derby and his wife moved back from the Midwest to run the enterprise. Their Spring Valley wines, which feature historic photographs and biographies of various Derby and Corkrum family members, immediately displayed unique flavors attributable to the unique site.

But when Devin was killed in an auto accident late in 2004, Dean and Shari, who are both in their 70s, were faced with the problem of what to do with the winery.

A chance meeting on a plane with Ste. Michelle Wine Estates CEO Ted Baseler, a shared interest in a book called "Cowboy Ethics" and a history of selling grapes to his Northstar winery allowed a deal to be quickly struck. Ste. Michelle owns the Spring Valley brand and leases the vineyard; the Derbys own the land and keep a hand in running the operation. Assistant winemaker Serge Laville has been put in charge, with assistance from the Ste. Michelle team.

The hope of anyone who has tasted and admired Spring Valley wines, as I have since they were first released, is that things will stay the same. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Some new winemaking equipment was purchased — all good — and there may be some opportunities to expand the vineyard — also good. Things look to be on track to continue an unbroken string of successes.

A tasting of 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2005 Spring Valley wines at the winery two weeks ago was a parade of nonstop delights. The 2001 Frederick, a Bordeaux blend named for Shari's father, showed dark, polished fruits and an elegant frame. The 100 percent cabernet sauvignon Derby was near perfect in 2001 and almost as good in 2004; the 2005 may be the best ever. The Muleskinner 100 percent merlot shows why the movie "Sideways" was wrong about that grape.

Spring Valley Vineyard has a tasting room in downtown Walla Walla, open Friday, Saturday and Sunday or by appointment. Behind the counter is Kate Derby Elvin, Dean and Shari's granddaughter, a sure sign that Spring Valley will be in good hands for decades to come.

Making music, varietals

Just around the corner from the Spring Valley tasting room is the tasting room/music lounge of Morrison Lane. Step inside almost any time and you are likely to find Dean and Vertie Morrison playing their comfortable style of jazz standards, often with friends and family sitting in.

But it's not just music that makes Morrison Lane a must-see stop on any tour of the region. Morrison Lane offers perhaps the most extensive lineup of unusual grape varietals, all estate grown, of any winery in the state.

Dean's uncle grew cinsault, then called Black Prince, in the early 1960s, and that may have first planted the seed that has grown into a nursery's worth of viticultural exotica. "I wanted to see what these more unusual varietals were like on their own," Dean explains, adding, "I'm also starting to appreciate the lighter reds."

The Morrison Lane vineyard, 23 acres in all, is roughly two-thirds syrah. You may be familiar with the vineyard-designated version made by Charles Smith at K Vintners. Seven Hills, SYZYGY, Lost Hills and Willis Hall also buy the Morrisons' grapes. As good as the syrahs are, it is the rest of the menagerie that consistently stops visitors in their tracks. Here's a quick rundown:

Cinsault, also spelled cinsaut, is a southern French grape often used in rosé and sometimes in fruity red blends. Morrison Lane's is a lovely pinot color, scented with raspberries and spiced up with a lightly peppery finish.

Sangiovese is fairly common in Walla Walla, but Morrison Lane's version puts the pretty strawberry fruit right up front, with plenty of acid and a refreshing finish. No new oak is evident.

Nebbiolo, the grape of Italy's Barolos and Barbarescos, may be as difficult to ripen properly as any grape in the world, but Morrison Lane's first vintage, from 2003, is a good start: tight, acidic, with plenty of color and a youthful grapeyness.

Barbera is a clear winner at this winery. Enhanced with a splash of carmenère, it carries beautiful berry flavors into a sharp, tangy, snappy finish.

Counoise is a minor ingredient in some Chateauneuf-du-Papes, but rarely seen as a stand-alone varietal. McCrea Cellars makes a good one from Ciel du Cheval grapes; Morrison Lane grows its own and turns it into this deliciously spicy wine with light fruits running from watermelon to strawberry to plum.

Carmenère is like the fifth Beatle: It's the sixth Bordeaux red grape, yet rarely acknowledged. It does well in Chile, and is carving out a place for itself in Walla Walla, where a number of wineries have taken a whack at it. Unlike many of Morrison Lane's varietals, this is blended with both syrah and cabernet sauvignon for extra richness.

"33-1/3" is a cunning musical reference and a three-part blend of syrah, counoise and viognier. They are co-fermented (all together now) into a spicy, peppery, citrusy wine whose flavors are unique even in this most unusual lineup. Goose with a cranberry/pomegranate sauce was the best food idea my fellow tasters could concoct. Or you can just drink it on its own, as a fine aperitif.

It would not be fair to ignore Morrison Lane's syrahs, which are delicious though somewhat overshadowed by their siblings. I particularly enjoyed the not-yet-released 2003, with its classic scents of smoked ham, clove and earth; and the 2002 reserve from the oldest vines (planted in 1994) and ripened to a tongue-curling 15.9 percent alcohol. Rock on!

Morrison Lane and Spring Valley Vineyard wines are limited but not unobtainable. You'll find them at fine wine shops, in the winery tasting rooms in downtown Walla Walla and available online.

Paul Gregutt can be reached by e-mail at wine@seattletimes.com