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Spring Valley Vineyard

Serge Laville, who is from Vienne in the northern Rhône Valley, was hired as assistant by Spring Valley Vineyard’s founding winemaker Kevin Corkrum Derby in 2002. When Derby died in a car accident in 2004, Laville took over winemaking responsibilities. The estate is a major owner of vineyards (they own three separate properties, at altitudes ranging from 1,200 to 1,800 feet, having added 70 acres of vines in 2007 to their original 45), with roughly 30 acres each of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, 10 of Syrah, and the rest Petit Verdot, Malbec and a bit of Viognier.

There have been a host of changes here since 2007, both in the vineyards and in the winery, and it is no coincidence that the Spring Valley Vineyard wines have done increasingly well in my tastings in recent years. The winery introduced a new sorting line in 2007 and went to all whole-berry fermentation in 2008, eliminating their crusher. Since the 2012 vintage, Laville has screened the incoming fruit in two stages: first to remove buds, then to eliminate shot berries. The fruit goes via a conveyor belt into the tanks. Laville has also slightly shortened maceration times and reduced the maximum temperature of the fermentations. And he has also been picking a bit earlier since 2012, having decided that he liked the cool quality of 2008 and, even more so, 2011. Laville puts together the blends early (he was blending the 2015s when I tasted with him in late June) and bottles without fining or filtration. He noted that he "builds balance through aging."

Laville reported that the summer of 2013 featured warmer nights than the previous year. He started harvesting earlier but then benefited from “a two-week cool break” in the middle of the harvest. Although the pHs in 2013 are higher than Spring Valley Vineyard’s normal 3.8, Laville noted that the acidity in the wines is all natural. He added that alcohol levels have been lower in recent years—“some under 14%.” Laville normally advises his clients that the best time to enjoy his wines is three to eight years after the vintage, with five being perfect. Annual case production here is now about 10,000 cases.

From Focus on Washington: Hot Times in the Desert (Nov 2016) by Stephen Tanzer

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2013 Merlot Mule Skinner

Release Price: $50

Color: Red

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