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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.8 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 84 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Vino Me on 10/27/2017 & rated 92 points: Opened by Allred. Better than when I last had this 3 years ago. Notes of milky red fruit, spices and firm tannins. 92 points. (2114 views) | | | Tasted by Bonsingers on 9/18/2017 & rated 91 points: The fruit may be diminishing a bit with the age of this bottle, but it is still very well balanced with a lot of interesting notes, as others have mentioned, of earth, cigar box, and some spice. Bottle was a little cold when first opened and the tannins were strangling the fruit a bit, but it turned out perfectly as it warmed over the course of dinner. (1873 views) | | | Tasted by AllRed on 8/26/2017: Cellar diminishment party. (1775 views) | | | Tasted by rmcnees on 12/3/2016 & rated 89 points: The bright fruits have started to diminish slightly, taking on a sense of overripe, raisin tones, and starting to give way to the non-fruit notes of tea and cigar box. The spicy tones of the Cabernet Franc are starting to show through. That said, the same profile remains from earlier tasting ...
Dark garnet colored, medium to full bodied, bright vibrant flavors (starting to fade) of black berry, cherry and currants with (increasing predominant) tones of tea and cigar box turning to mild tannins and lively acidity on the long, silky, finish.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2016/12/spring-valley-vineyard-uriah-red.html (2229 views) | | | Tasted by GA_Seattle on 9/22/2016: wine is past. still drinkable, but not much there (2373 views) | | | Tasted by TallMikeWine on 7/11/2015 & rated 92 points: Another great, dusty, Walla Walla gem. This one will hold for another couple of years, easy! Very structured for a merlot-dominated blend. (2210 views) | | | Tasted by TwoDogs on 2/21/2015 flawed bottle: Hoping our 3 remaining bottles still have life to them. (2534 views) | | | Tasted by rmcnees on 2/8/2015 & rated 90 points: This is the oldest of ten vintages we hold of this wine and is the last bottle from this year. This is a Merlot based Bordeaux blend. At fourteen years its likely at the apex of its tasting window/curve.
Dark garnet colored, medium to full bodied, bright vibrant flavors of black berry, cherry and currants with tones of tea and cigar box turning to mild tannins and lively acidity on the long, silky, finish.
http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2015/02/del-dotto-gio-tuscan-reserve-spring.html (2513 views) | | | Tasted by Vino Me on 8/15/2014 & rated 89 points: Allred left this in the wine fridge at our cottage about 2 years ago and we finally got around to drinking it when he, LostVerse and their wives came up last weekend. A dirty wine. Notes of rustic fruit including plum with forest floor, oak and charcoal mixed in. Past it's peak at 11 years old but only starting on it's way down. I liked the 2000 and 2001 Uriahs much better. 87-88 points (2567 views) | | | Tasted by AllRed on 8/15/2014 & rated 87 points: Chocolate and black fruit- currants and plum, perhaps some licorice too. Still a bit tannic. Flavors of cinnamon candies, blackberry, bitter chocolate, and plum. (2511 views) | | | Tasted by skifree on 6/1/2014 & rated 90 points: Classic WW blend, lots of red and black fruit, low acid, tannic spine, satin mouth feel and finish. Better than I remembered. (1973 views) | | | Tasted by MoreWinePlease on 4/25/2014 & rated 90 points: Much better bottle than the last one I tasted over a year ago. (1660 views) | | | Tasted by Dseveride on 2/9/2014 & rated 94 points: - Brick color with slow forming legs. It's balanced with a full body. Satin-Like texture with a long finish. (1910 views) | | | Tasted by Dseveride on 2/9/2014: - Brick color with slow forming legs. It's in total harmony with a full body. Silky texture with a long finish. (1557 views) | | | Tasted by 3daywinereview.com on 12/19/2012 & rated 91 points: Violents, raspberries, cherry and spices. The nose is subtle and the palate kicks things into high gear with spices, minerals and darker fruits. Medium finish and this wine has aged well. Drink now - 2014. (2634 views) | | | Tasted by Roentgen Ray on 10/19/2012 & rated 93 points: Dark color and yummy dark fruit, currant and blueberry, some smoke, good length and held together by deft tannis. (2447 views) | | | Tasted by MoreWinePlease on 8/26/2012 & rated 87 points: Tried Pop N Pouring an '01 of this 45 minutes earlier but that turned out a huge disappointment. This was only a big disappointment, as Uriah has almost invariably given pleasure and satisfaction over the many years I've been drinking it. No problem with color (ruby/purple) and there was the usual sludge/crust that you have to be careful with when pouring. Nice nose of plums/cherries resulting in a rather dry cherry/berry extract that some out there might find welcome but did little for me. Popped an '01 Dutschke, Oscar Semmler and settled for what it had to offer. Didn't want to expend the 25 minute round trip to the wine storage to cop another bottle that might not do anything either. Maybe my palate's *%@*&'up and this is all just a temporary aberration. (2573 views) | | | Tasted by nogohawk on 8/4/2012 & rated 91 points: Popped & poured - a nice bordeaux style blend from WA; dark berry & nice finish but not long (2629 views) | | | Tasted by aof on 5/28/2012 & rated 91 points: Nondescript nose, quite ripe and new-worldly. (2632 views) | | | Tasted by rben_mvp on 9/5/2011 & rated 92 points: Oh my gosh this was good and exceeded my expectations. This was a well cellared wine for reference and my experience says it has two to three years of slow peaking left. Great WA Bordeaux blend from a warmer year. Concentrated, complex, with most components in harmony (slight alcohol). (2304 views) | | | Tasted by skifree on 7/28/2011 & rated 88 points: Thick wine, lots of black cherry, blackberry, chocolate, and cola. Fruit forward, seemed quite extracted and oaked which moved the score down a notch. No sign of decline, but think this is at its peak. (2369 views) | | | Tasted by guitarguy on 7/7/2011 & rated 90 points: Cranberry and current nose with raspberry, pepper and mint notes. Apparent, caressing tannins but lacks a bit of acidity. Very good bottle. (2324 views) | | | Tasted by gbm on 12/10/2010 & rated 93 points: CT Secret Santa Gift - Popped, poured a little off, and aired for about three hours (as recommended by Mr. Claus). Drank from two glasses - a Reidel O Series Cab/Merlot glass and a generic wide-mouthed red wine bowl/goblet. Color was an opaque red, maybe a little cloudy. Nose was very expressive and had lots of flowers, cherry, vanilla, eucalyptus, and some hints of chocolate. This is just a few - it just kept coming at you. Incredible! Palate had strong tannins. They did subside over time, but interestingly they were less conspicuous in the cheap generic glass from the start (though so were the aromas - I guess it's a trade off). Anyway, strong tannins but very well balanced and very drinkable. Not for the faint-hearted, though. I suspect it will mellow with more time, but I don't know that the richness of the nose can last. Medium long finish. I nearly finished the bottle by myself, which is unheard of in this house. (4+14+17+8)
Note: I am not just being kind. This is really a great wine. (2982 views) | | | Tasted by z_willus_d on 10/18/2010 & rated 91 points: Popped and gave it 30-min in my glass before trying. This is the 3rd bottle I've opened of 6 and all have had a smear of red up one side of the cork - disconcerting. The color is murky and I see some bricking in dark burgundy liquid. The bouquet is musty as of damp dirt. It showed some mulling strawberries on opening but has since declined into the olfactory stamp of ancient ruins. Hiding beneath the stones are scents of cherry pit and squeezed black olives. I also get a sense of maderization and some port reduction caramel. The palate is far more expressive (and hot) than I expected or recall from previous tastings (though there I had decanted). Sweet cherry flavors mingle with dusty earth and anise root. This full bodied Merlot-based red exhibits an endowed mid-palate (showing plenty of tasty blackberry) that turns creamy from a well integrated oak influence. The medium+ length finish fades from sweet to bitter with leather, crushed olive pits and even sweet/sour red currant. Alcohol heat really shows at this point, and I believe this ill effect might improve with a good 1-2 hour decant session. I'm really happy with this bottle and it's showing better than others I've tried in the not so recent past. The mouthfeel is almost there. This is a fine example of a US-WA Bordeaux blend; it's quintessential Merlot of the sunnier kind. Good stuff...now?!? (3415 views) | | | Tasted by thebonnydooner on 9/25/2010 & rated 92 points: This was delicious, full of ripe blackcherry and blackcurrant fruit. Nice hints of complexity as well as a really long juicy finish. Went great with a steak. Drinking about peak. (3196 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, November/December 2005, IWC Issue #123
(Spring Valley Vineyard Uriah Red Table Wine Walla Walla Valley) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Spring Valley Vineyard Producer website
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/10/spring-valley-vineyards-tasting-and.html
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/10/walla-walla-ava-wine-experience.html
Country: US
Region: Washington
Appellation: Walla Walla Valley
Blend: Bordeaux-style Red Blend
Varietal: 48% Cabernet Sauvignon 30% Merlot 14% Cabernet Franc 8% Malbec
Vineyard: 100% Spring Valley Vineyard Estate Bottled
Winemaker: Serge Laville
Aging/Cooperage: 19 months in 100% French oak, 47% new
Alcohol: 14.5%
PH: 3.97
TA: 0.51g/LRed Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.Washington Washington Wine Commission | Credit to Washingtonwine.org for this article
Washington Wine
Washington State is a premium wine producing region located in the northwest corner of the United States. Although a relatively young wine industry, it is now the nation's second largest wine producer and is ranked among the world's top wine regions. Washington wines are found nationally in all 50 states and internationally in more than 40 countries.
Wineries
With 30,000+ acres planted, the state has ideal geography and conditions for growing premium vinifera wine grapes. Primarily grown on their own root stocks, the vines produce grapes of consistent quality, resulting in strong vintages year after year. While its focus is on Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, the region also produces a wide range of other spectacular whites and reds.
Growers
Winemakers from all over the world have chosen to establish themselves in Washington, where they can create wines reflecting this region's unique characteristics. Their hand-crafted wines are receiving wide acclaim from critics regionally, nationally and internationally for their consistently high quality. Many of them have received scores of 90 and above from the major wine media. Overall this is a higher percentage than other leading wine regions.
Regions
As the state's fourth largest fruit crop, the Washington wine industry is an important contributor to the long-term preservation of Washington agriculture. The industry is committed to sustainable agricultural practices and conservation of water resources.
Washington State is a premium wine producing region located in the northwest corner of the United States. Although a relatively young wine industry, it is now the nation's second largest wine producer and is ranked among the world's top wine regions. Washington wines are found nationally in all 50 states and internationally in more than 40 countries.
Varieties
Washington produces more than 20 wine grape varieties - a ratio of 56 percent white to 44 percent red. As the industry matures and experiments, it finds many grape varieties that thrive throughout Washington's microclimates. There are more than 16,000 vineyard acres of red wine varieties statewide.
History & Vintages
Washington's wine future is limitless. As consumers discover the quality of Washington wines, demand continues to grow nationally and internationally. New acreage and wine varietals are being planted and new wineries are opening at a remarkable pace. Washington State is recognized as a premium viticultural region around the world.
State Facts
Washington's wine industry generates more than $3 billion to the state economy. It employs more than 14,000 people, directly and indirectly, with projections to add nearly 2,000 more jobs by 2006. In terms of tax revenues accrued to the state and federal government, wine grapes are among the highest tax generators of any agricultural crops. Furthermore, Washington wine tourism attracts nearly two million visitors annually contributing to the positive growth of local and regional economies.
Washington State - the perfect climate for wine = ideal growing conditions, quality wines, business innovation, lifestyle, and social responsibility. All are key elements of this world-class wine industry.
Vintages
"2008 and even more so 2010 and 2011 were cool, even cold vintages (think: 2002 in the Barossa) without the extreme ripeness, extract and higher alcohol that had become the norm in the state’s post 1995 world. 2008 was manageable but the duo of 2010/2011 nearly caused a “great depression” in Washington State." - Jon RimmermanColumbia Valley Columbia Cascade Winery Association
The Columbia Valley AVA lies mostly in Washington state, with a small section in Oregon. The Cascade Range forms its western boundary with the Palouse regions bordering the area to the east. To the north, the Okanogan National Forest forms a border with the AVA and Canada. It encompasses the valleys formed by the Columbia River and its tributaries, including the Walla Walla River, the Snake River, and the Yakima River. The Columbia valley stretches between the 46th parallel and 47th parallel which puts it in line with the well known French wine growing regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy. The northern latitude gives the areas two more hours of additional daylight during the summer growing season than wine regions of California receive. The volcanic and sandy loam soil of the valley offers good drainage and is poor in nutrients, ideal in forcing the vine to concentrate its resources into the grape clusters.Walla Walla ValleyThe name translates as easily as it rolls off the tongue: Walla Walla. Many Waters. To the earliest Native tribes, the many waters came from the nearby Blue Mountains and gathered to form the Walla Walla River on its way to join the Columbia to the west. The waters flowed first; however, into a fair-sized Valley carved in the mountain's foothills, and bordered in part by the terrain of what is known as the Columbia Plateau. Tribal members knew the Valley's generally milder climate could maintain their people in winter villages. There were lush wild grasses which could sustain horses and attract game from the winter snows of the nearby Blues, or from the giant high plateau that becomes desolate and dangerous during the cold season. The rolling terrain and numerous watersheds offered protection from nature and other hazards of the day. Here the water was plentiful and full of fish and seldom froze, even in the coldest years. The meadows were wonderful places to gather with other people to trade, compete and celebrate treaties. Compared to the region around them, the Walla Walla Valley was a safe refuge from the treacherous conditions which can often be found during the winter for hundreds of miles around. In this unique growing region, most of the earliest records of grapes and winemaking reference the Italians who had immigrated here in the mid to late 1800's and who brought with them their tradition of growing, making and drinking wine. Vines with these origins still exist in the Valley today. The first post-prohibition winery was Blue Mountain Vineyards. It was bonded in 1950 by the Pesciallo family where they produced Black Prince and other Italian varietal wines for a period of several years before succumbing to economics and climate. To the wine world of today, Walla Walla has become know for the quality and style of its red wines, especially Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with Syrah gaining notoriety in recent years. In the1970's, the pioneers of today's wine community began to think similar thoughts: that the Walla Walla Valley, with its long history of fruit growing, moderate climate, wine-making heritage, and interesting terrain might just be a place to grow vines and make wine on a commercial scale. These pioneers of the region applied for and received approval of the Walla Walla Valley as a unique American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1984. It was the third in Washington State and also includes a portion of land in Oregon. In the time leading to the recognition of the appellation, four wineries had been bonded starting with Leonetti Cellar, and shortly thereafter, Woodward Canyon. L'Ecole Nº 41 and Waterbrook soon followed. In addition to the smaller vineyards that were being planted, the Valley's first large-scale, commercial vineyard Seven Hills was established. By the time the BATF recognized the Walla Walla Valley AVA, the Valley was beginning to gain attention from within the wine industry, as well as attracting publicity from journalists and media outside the region. The foundation for today’s industry had been laid and the benchmark for quality had been set. In addition, fruit from the area was now being harvested and a baseline for understanding the local growing conditions was being constructed. Every few years another winery would join the fold and take up the challenge of producing the highest quality wine and the growing of outstanding fruit. Seven Hills Winery and Patrick M. Paul each got their start during this time. More vines were added, although acreage increases were small each year. The industry was small and everyone knew everyone else involved, while the welcome mat remained out for any newcomers. Growers and winemakers alike regularly shared time in the cellar or at the table and together learned more about wines and vines. By 1990 there were just six wineries and the Valley's grape acreage stood at perhaps 100 acres. The total collective production of wine was microscopic by any measure, but it was the quality that was being noticed by many inside and outside the trade. As the tiny trickle of wine produced in the Walla Walla AVA began to flow to the outside world, a "wine renaissance" was beginning to happen globally. The Pacific Northwest had staked a claim in this new wine world and as people learned about the region, they also began to hear about Walla Walla. This interest spread rapidly to those with Walla Walla connections. The early 1990s saw the planting of more vines and the establishment of another large-scale vineyard, Pepper Bridge. At the same time, a group of local investors, working closely with the Napa based Chalone Wine group, laid the foundation for Canoe Ridge Vineyard, the Valley's first winery supported in part by a major outside investor. As the industry has grown, many new wineries have gotten their start in the arms of an established winery. Waterbrook Winery's modern production facility started the trend, sharing space, equipment, and any help needed. Other wineries also adopted “extra guests,” a practice that has helped form close, personal relationships throughout the local industry. By the turn of the new century, the Walla Walla Valley wine industry had 22 wineries and 800 acres of grapes. In the year 2000 the AVA had been expanded back to the original boundaries proposed in the1984 application. The year 2000 also saw the formation of the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance with 100% of the Valley's wineries and 98% of the Valley's planted acreage represented. Today, more than 60 Walla Walla Valley wineries and more than 1,200 acres of Walla Walla Valley grapes contribute to the ever growing, international acclaim garnered by the wines of this newly-emerging region of Washington State. |
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