Visitors headed to Spring Valley Vineyard are encouraged to just keep going.

That’s the advice winemaker Kate Derby gives when someone inevitably calls, worried they’ve taken a wrong turn or their trusty GPS has led them astray. The winery sits well off the typical Walla Walla path which is fitting for a place rooted in a six-generation family legacy.

“I’m now the sixth generation of my family that has worked this land,” Derby said. “We know the land and how it was farmed. It’s been loved and cared for by the same family with the right intentions.”

That connection runs deep. Long before vines took hold, the land was wheat country. Derby remembers the transition firsthand.

“My childhood was spent wheat farming,” she said. “I remember when we planted the vineyards. It was wheat, and now it’s grapes.”

Though she grew up in Minnesota, Derby spent summers in Washington, gradually building a connection to the land that would shape her future. A different path briefly called; she once considered opening a counseling center in Walla Walla.

But, inevitably, wine pulled her back.

Spring Valley’s early success suggested the family was onto something. As relative newcomers to the wine world, the winery landed on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list twice. Its Uriah bottling, named after the family patriarch, landed at No. 17 in 2002 and No. 13 in 2003. It was recognition that offered validation, even though it was unexpected.

Derby recalled her late uncle Devin joking about the sudden attention.

“He said, ‘What are we going to do when they realize we don’t know what we are doing?’” she said in a phone interview last week.

After working alongside winemaker Serge Laville following her uncle’s passing in 2004, Derby steadily grew into a leadership role, and took on winemaker duties in 2022. Along the way, she developed a philosophy rooted in balance.

The Spring Valley ‘Uriah’ Walla Walla Valley Red Wine 2022 ($65) is a dark, brooding red with blackberry, plum, cedar, tobacco leaf and cracked pepper flavors. It comes across boldly at first, then turns on a dime with a silky mouthfeel and velvety texture, supported by well-integrated tannins.

At 50% Cabernet Franc, 49% Merlot and 1% Malbec, Derby lets each variety do what it does best and weaves a seamless tapestry of flavors.

With the Spring Valley ‘Nina Lee’ Walla Walla Syrah 2022 ($65), strap in for a wine with a floral and blackberry cobbler perfume. While spring flower aromas jump from the glass, the prominent black fruit flavors are complemented by white pepper, dried ginger and hints of gunmetal.

“We’re really focused on showcasing what the vineyard gives us,” Derby said. “You can guide a wine, but you shouldn’t try to make it something it’s not.”

Walla Walla’s Weapons Transformation

The first thing you notice about Latta Wines’ storage isn’t the temperature, it’s the history.

Owner and winemaker Andrew Latta keeps his wines inside a former munitions bunker at the Walla Walla airport, part of a World War II–era training base. With thick concrete walls, steel doors and a steady 58-degree climate, it’s an unconventional home that mirrors Latta’s approach to winemaking.

“It never held anything nuclear,” Latta joked. “So our wines don’t glow.”

Latta has built his program around Rhône varieties, uncommon whites and site-driven wines focused on longevity rather than trends. His Albariño, grown at elevations above 1,300 feet and often fermented in concrete, reflects that philosophy.

“A few millennia ago, this was a huge sea,” Latta said. “That’s where that natural acidity comes from.”

As Washington’s climate warms, he’s prioritizing grapes that retain freshness and maintain acidity despite the warmer temperatures.

Much of his fruit comes from the Royal Slope, where elevation, airflow and thin soils help preserve balance. Native yeast fermentations and minimal new oak further emphasize site over winemaking influence.

Today, Latta produces multiple single-vineyard Syrahs alongside Grenache, Albariño and other experimental wines. Even the bunker has found a new purpose as it preserves bottles instead of weapons.

Governor Applied at Good Ridge

Andrew Wilson had to take his foot off the proverbial accelerator.

When he arrived at Goose Ridge Vineyards in 2014, the Merlot’s intensity caught him off guard, delivering more structure and tannin than expected. Over time, Wilson adjusted his approach, dialing back extraction to reveal a softer, more balanced style without losing depth.

“The acidic brightness pushes the phenolics and tannins to be more forward,” Wilson said. “It makes the Merlot almost crunchier.”

That balance defines the “Among the Giants” Merlot 2021 ($22), a wine driven by cherry and dusty cocoa flavors with a velvety texture that remains both expressive and approachable.

Washington Merlot, long overshadowed by its reputation, is finding new life through wines like this.

“I think Merlot really takes advantage of what Washington has to offer,” Wilson said. “The climate, the soils…everything.”

Grown in the Goose Gap AVA, the vineyard’s north-facing slopes allow for extended hang time, giving flavors and tannins time to develop alongside sugars, especially important in warmer vintages.

Wilson leans on that patience, letting the vineyard shape the wine.

“It can be tricky to get people to try it,” Wilson said. “That’s why we pour it blind.”

Surrounded by well-known regions, Goose Gap is still establishing itself. But wines like this suggest it won’t stay overlooked for long.

TASTING NOTES

A bounty of Italian wines as spring arrives.

Bella’aja Bolgheri Superiore 2021 ($55): An inviting bouquet of ripe blackcurrant, dark cherry and plum, layered with hints of cedar, tobacco and Mediterranean herbs. Firm tannins wrapped around a core of rich, dark fruit with notes of graphite and cocoa that add depth and complexity. Subtle vanilla overtones and a brash streak of acidity offer balance on the extensive finish.

Scagliola “Si Fa Sol” Canelli Moscato ($15): Light bodied and aromatic there’s fragrant notes of white peach, apricot, honey, fresh-cut sage along and orange blossom. Just a touch of effervescent bubbles slice through the sweetness with a zippy acidity. Flavors of ripe peach and apricot join the party.

Vigneti La Selvanella La Selvanella Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2020 (SRP: $46.99): Always one of my favorite expressions of Sangiovese. There’s tart cherry, dried roses and violets on the nose. The Tanned leather and petrichor notes raise the wine’s profile. Cherry, cranberry, tobacco and forest floor flavors build to a complex finish with well-integrated tannins. A wine that helps set the standard for Chianti Classico.

Santi “Solane” Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore DOC 2021 (SRP: $23.99): Layers of flavors and aromas mingle: ripe cherry, black berry, cranberry, clove and dark chocolate mingle. There’s a playful depth as the spice notes rise above the ripe red and dark-fruit flavors. The baker’s chocolate note on the finish adds to the richness of the wine.

Tenuta San Leonardo Villa Gresti IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti 2021 ($40): A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Carmenère with a silky yet bold mouthfeel. Flavors of black cherry, cassis and ripe plum wound around a core of graphite, dried herbs and a touch of green pepper corn. There’s a burst of cocoa powder, shaved milk chocolate and cedar that hang around on the finish. .

Varvaglione 1921, Collezione Privata Negroamaro Old Vines 2020 ($40): Brooding and rustic there are black cherry, plum, dried herbs and a touch of earth on the nose. Full-bodied and a showcase for bold, dark fruits, espresso and iron-like notes. Rounded out by a touch of nutmeg and spice-rack hints this is a brilliant expression of the character old vine wines can display.

Varvaglione 1921, Collezione Privata Primitivo di Manduria DOP 2021 ($40): Bold, expressive and intense with concentrated aromas of blackberry jam, ripe plum and dried fig. Baking spices, cocoa and a touch of vanilla round out the nose. A rich, full-bodied red with a lush texture. There’s dark fruit compote, licorice and dark chocolate notes on a red that’s easy to love.