R oger said in his newsletter this week “Rutherford is the heart and soul of Napa Valley! I adore wines from this little area which makes some of the best wines on earth! It’s hard to imagine now, but the majestic stone cellar of Flora Springs was once an abandoned “ghost” winery. It was Flora Komes, Jerry Komes’ wife, who saw the magic hidden behind decades of neglect, over-grown ivy, and shifting rock walls. The property’s winemaking roots date back to the 19th century!
I stopped by Friday afternoon and sampled these nice little Rutherford wines. I think these we some excellent especially when considering the price point.
Roger said these wineries are located at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains in the far Northwest corner of the Rutherford appellation, the Flora Springs estate is in the heart of the Napa Valley. Founded in 1978, Flora Springs has been a family affair for over three decades. As both artisan winemakers and growers, the family is committed to the traditions of fine winemaking and responsible stewardship of its 650 acres of vineyard land for future generations to savor and uphold. Today, ninety percent of Flora Springs’ red wines are sourced from its organically-farmed estate vineyards, and all of these wines are crafted in our solar-powered 19th-century stone winery and caves.
Named after their mother and grandmother, Flora, and for the natural springs on the winery property that have flowed uninterrupted even through periods of drought,
When John & I took a trip to Napa, the wines we were looking for were those wines with Rutherford Dust! And these wines have it! The late, revered winemaker André Tchelistcheff said: “It takes Rutherford Dust to grow great Cabernet.” What we now fondly refer to as “Rutherford Dust” has come to reflect an enduring commitment to quality, a spirit of achievement and a deep connection to Rutherford’s soil.”
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Where: Vineyard Wine Market (map), 4414 Evans to Lock Road, Evans, GA. (706) 922-9463
When: Friday, August 12, 2016, 4:30-6:30PM. Saturday, August 13, 2015, 3 to 6 pm.
Cost: $15
Here are the wines presented (click to see more):
- Flora Springs Soliloquy Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc
- Flora Springs Napa Chardonnay
- Flora Springs Barrel Ferment Chardonnay
- Flora Springs Napa Merlot 2012
- Flora Springs Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
- Flora Springs Trilogy 2012
Here are the detailed wine notes:
Flora Springs Soliloquy Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc |
This is a full bodied, thought-provoking Sauvignon Blanc made in the Graves style, with hints of candied ginger and Bartlett Pear in the nose, followed by underlying aromas of lemongrass and limestone. The generous fruit profile is accompanied by a distinct green tea character on the palate followed by hints of Madagascar vanilla beans. While this wine has a rich brioche-like character, it finishes refreshingly crisp as a true noble Sauvignon Blanc should. Website Cost: $24.99
Flora Springs Napa Chardonnay | Napa
90 Points! Website Cost: $19.99
Flora Springs Barrel Ferment Chardonnay | Napa
90 Points! In this carefully composed wine, the rich, ripe Oakville fruit (75%) beautifully complements the bright minerality of the Chardonnay we grow in our Carneros vineyard (25%). Fermented and aged predominantly in new French oak barrels with twenty-five percent malolactic fermentation, the wine opens with ample notes of ripe mango and lychee, followed by succulent stone fruit, Asian pear and a note of subtle caramel. Twice-monthly lees stirring gives this Chardonnay a rich and complex mouthfeel, yet it retains a fresh underlying liquid minerality that brings a radiant snap to the finish. Website Cost: $35.99
Flora Springs Napa Merlot 2012 | Napa
2012: 90 Points! 2012 was a vintage for the record books in Napa Valley, with a near perfect growing season that featured warm days, cool evenings and no heat spikes or rain events to speak of. Across Napa Valley this ongoing ideal weather pattern resulted in normal bud break, even flowering and fruit set, and a long stretch of warm days and cool evenings that allowed the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly. The fruit from the 2012 harvest was simply exceptional, and even in the fermenter our 2012 Windfall Merlot was deep, dark and richly fruited. In the bottle, this highly concentrated wine is still brimming with dark fruit flavors of blackberry, blueberry and cassis, with notes of licorice and anise adding to the complexity. Flavors of coffee, milk chocolate and cedar are also in the mix, and the wine’s tannins are ripe and smooth, leaving an overall impression of warmth and lushness. Website Cost: $26.99
Flora Springs Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 | Napa
Opaque and densely purple, this is a rich, beautifully extracted Cabernet Sauvignon offering an opulent nose of blackberries, crème de cassis and roasted espresso beans. The palate unfolds with a lush core of black fruit and black licorice accompanied by warm, spicy notes of clove, sandalwood and a hint of cedar. Supple tannins frame the full-bodied mouthfeel of this classic Napa Cab, which leaves a lasting impression of fruit and spice. Website Cost: $39.99
Flora Springs Trilogy 2012 | Napa
82% Cab, 6% Merlot, 6% Malbec, 6% Petite Verdot.
The genesis of Trilogy dates back to 1984 when our family set out to make the best wine possible by selecting the highest quality wine lots culled from our estate vineyards in Napa Valley. By blending traditional Bordeaux varietals – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc – we created one of the original Meritage wines. Over the years we’ve added other Bordeaux varietals to this Cabernet-based blend, always seeking to create the very finest wine from each individual vintage. Dark and opulent with a saturated nose of blackberries, Bing cherries and sweet cassis, the wine slowly unfolds to reveal a core of black licorice, dark chocolate and mocha. This is a warm, voluptuous Napa Valley red with a long tannic structure that resolves in a lasting finish. Website Cost: $$64.99
