Wines of Washington State are proving to be some of the finest produced in the country, particularly when it comes to hearty red varieties like Syrah. The state has been a leader in producing red wines from the Rhone variety for decades, as displayed in the Nina Lee Syrah from Spring Valley Vineyards. The winery named the selection in honor of Nina Lee Moore Corkrum, a former vaudeville star who became a rancher’s wife when she married Fredrick Corkrum, son of Spring Valley Ranch’s founders Katherine and Uriah Corkrum. Like the wine’s inspiration, Nina Lee, who led a vibrant, rich life, Nina Lee Syrah is a bright, juicy, spicy, full-bodied wine with great acidity and tannin.

The Syrah is grown on the rolling hills of the Walla Walla region vineyard, where it enjoys hot and arid, sunshine-filled days throughout the growing season that yield cool temperatures at night, ensuring that fruit ripens thoroughly while maintaining freshness. The wine opens with aromas of red fruits, violets, and pepper spice that lead to layers of black cherry, wild berries, pepper, and toasted vanilla. A lovely note of minerality lingers throughout the wine thanks to the diversity of soils found in the Walla Walla, adding an earthiness that melds with a natural herbaceous note. Lively and rich, it is a wine to enjoy throughout the fall to winter seasons, especially with braised short ribs or a grilled ribeye steak.