2014 - New Owners at the Spanish Valley Vineyards & Winery in Moab, Utah
In 2009, when I first visited the Spanish Valley Vineyards & Winery,
I must admit, the place was hard to find. Apparently, the State of
Utah does not consider its only surviving estate winery worthy of a
cultural information sign on U.S. Highway 191 South.
Therefore, I took several wrong turns prior to arriving at the
vineyard. At the time, the Dezelsky family owned both the winery and
vineyard. Along with a neighbor who had taught them the art and science of viticulture, the Dezelsky’s had spent decades developing both the vineyard and the winery operation.
When I returned to the Spanish Valley Vineyards & Winery in the fall
of 2013, a sign on the tasting room door indicated that the property
had sold and was in escrow. Disappointed that the winery closed, I
drove away. In October 2014, I again visited the vineyard and winery.
To my surprise and delight, the place was again open for business.
Mr. Curt Stripeika,
the new proprietor and winemaker greeted me and invited me on a tour
of the place. Although it was mid-October, the vines looked lush and green. The few visible clusters of Riesling grapes looked healthy on their vines. What I did recall was that in December 2013 and into January 2014, Moab had experienced a deep freeze.
As we walked around the estate, Curt explained that the vineyard had
experienced killing frosts during two of the last three winters. Within
his newly acquired vineyard, however, there was a redeeming feature.
The vines at Spanish Valley Vineyards had their root balls planted well
below ground level. In the Spanish Valley's
well-drained and sandy soil, the crown of each vine and its shoots had
enough insulation to survive all but the hardest of freezes.
Although his vines survived both hard freezes, most of the previous year's new wood froze and died. Since grape clusters normally occur on second year growth,
there were precious few flower buds capable of supporting a 2014
vintage. Wine grapes are available to vintners from both the Western
Slope of Colorado and from California.
With those reliable sources, Curt did not expect any shortfall in
grape supplies over the next few years. Still, we both hoped that Moab
and the Spanish Valley would not experience another hard freeze in the coming winter.
During our tour of the vineyard, Curt pointed to a new storage and
bottling building that was going up on the site. He also said that Grand County
would soon approve his plans to develop a Bed & Breakfast adjacent
to the vineyard. With a view of the vineyard and the spectacular Moab
Rim, to the south, it looked
like the perfect place for accommodations to me. With acres of the
vineyard acting as a natural buffer to the property, we had an unimpeded
view of the Moab Rim
at its highest point. With the vineyard's quiet, bucolic feel, I could
image harried city dwellers coming here for peace, quiet and a glass
of fine wine on the veranda.
After our vineyard tour, Curt and I repaired to the tasting room.
Although Spanish Valley Vineyards & Winery makes white wines and
even fruit wines, that day I was interested in tasting Curt’s hearty
red wines. First, I sampled the last estate wine produced by the Delsky
family. It was a 2012 Utah Cabernet Sauvignon, grown, produced and
bottled at Spanish Valley Vineyards & Winery. As such, the wine was
a thoroughly enjoyable, right down to its legacy label. Soon, I predict, this rare Utah wine will become a collector’s item.
Next, I tried the Spanish Valley Vineyards & Winery Syrah, Tempranillo and Zinfandel. The results were spectacular, showing the vineyard, its surrounding topography and any weather approaching Moab from the northwest.
While I was testing the webcam, Curt’s wife and business partner, Alesia
arrived home from her work in Moab. To commemorate the occasion, I
asked Curt and Alesia Stripeika to pose for photos in their new
vineyard. Looking now at those pictures, the Stripeikas seem like a
modern-day pioneer couple. They also appear ready to take their Spanish
Valley Vineyards & Winery to a new level of winemaking excellence. In that noble endeavor, I wish them well.
Author's Note: The Stripeikas sold the Spanish
Valley Vineyards & Winery in May 2019. They are no longer affiliated
with that business. The new owners did not wish to carry on with the
live webcam in the tasting room.
By James McGillis at 03:45 PM | | Comments (0) | Link
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