Saturday, May 9, 2020

Nina Lee Spring Valley Syrah 2015

Nina Lee Spring Valley Vineyard Walla Walla Syrah 2015

We just received our supplemental wine club allocation from Spring Valley Vineyards. 'Supplemental' meaning that we added an additional two cases to our normal shipment - a mix of five Spring Valley labels, Uriah Red Blend, Frederick Red Blend, Sharilee Petit Verdot, Katherine Corkrum Cabernet Franc and Nina Lee Syrah. As I've chronicled in these pages, each label is named for an ancestral family member dating back to patriarch founder Uriah Corkrum. Nina Lee was his son Frederick's wife, a vaudeville actress that he met while she visited Walla Walla and performed at the local theatre on a North American tour back in the 1920's.


Our visit to the ranch and picturesque vineyards, and meeting owner Dean Derby were highlights of our Walla Walla Wine Experience in the fall of 2018. We first tasted this release of this label in the tasting room in town during that visit.



Normally, we would stage these in the cellar to settle and age a few years before tasting, opting to drink older or oldest vintages first as part of cellar management. Tonight, we opted to try this current release vintage, still in the shipper, not yet deposited to the cellar.


We prepared a medley of cheeses and fresh fruits to accompany some roast beef and caprese salad for pairing with one of our favorite varietals from a favorite producer and one of my favorite wine friendly cheeses, Old Amsterdam Aged Gouda.

Nina Lee Spring Valley Vineyard Walla Walla Syrah 2015
 
The 2015 release of Nina Lee is a blend of 99% Syrah and 1% Viognier, aged 19 months in 100% French oak, 30% new.

This was rated 93 Points by JamesSuckling.com and Jeb Dunnuck. It was awarded 92 points by International Wine Report.

Upon opening the black fruit aromas permeated the room, the dark inky purple color is most apparent, medium-full bodied, rich concentrated black berry and black cherry fruits are accented by smoke, black tea, notes of olive tapenade,  pepper, spice, and hint of dark mocha with a long earthy finish. Needs some time to settle and integrate a bit further, give it a couple of years cellar aging to reach its prime.

RM 91 points pop and pour. 92 points the next day ... and chilled.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2808195

https://www.springvalleyvineyard.com/

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