The Room

Travis Schimmer

Flora Springs Winnery & Vineyards,  www.Florasprings.com,  located on Hwy. 29 in St. Helena, California.

Flora Springs is a family endeavor that epitomizes three generations of hard work, dedication and a team effort. The vitality of our family is obvious as we set about the task of growing great grapes and making world-class wine. Even the name Flora Springs has significance – Flora is our mother, and the springs refer to the natural water source on the estate that has flowed uninterrupted through Napa Valley winemaking history.

It all began 30 years ago when our parents, Jerry and Flora Komes, bought the first vineyard – a vineyard with history, great soils and two ghost wineries. What was to have been Jerry and Flora’s retirement project was destined to become a lifetime passion for son John Komes and daughter Julie Garvey and their families. John quickly talked the family (including brother Mike Komes) into making wine. Julie and John worked side by side making the first two vintages of Flora Springs wines, while Julie’s husband, Pat Garvey, took over the vineyard side of things. Then in 1980, Ken Deis was hired as Winemaker and he remained at Flora Springs until 2008, when he passed the winemaking legacy to his assistant winemaker of 18 years, Paul Steinauer.

Great wine producers utilize every tool and technique at their disposal when it comes to turning premium grapes into great wine, and Flora Springs’ winemaker Paul Steinauer is no exception. First of all, he trusts his senses: The feel of the berry in his fingers, the flavor of the fruit, the fermentation smells, and then the taste of the wine as it evolves. Paul and his team also reach for the edge – a different yeast, a better pumpover technique, a gentler way to handle fruit, or a reliable method of measuring extractable color and character available in the grape, and so on. The team is always looking to new and better ways as they strive for the best expression of our vineyards in the wines. And in order to better anticipate the challenges that each vintage brings, the team must also understand the vineyard fruit source. For three decades now, the Flora Springs winemakers have collaborated with Pat Garvey and his vineyard specialists, as they farm and hand-pick the best fruit that the 650 acres of estate vineyards have to offer, vintage after vintage. The proof of their collective success is in the consistent quality of the award-winning Flora Springs wines and in the legions of loyal Flora Springs wine fans all over the globe.

Flora Springs current releases consist of;  2008 & 2009 Pinot Grigio;  2006 & 2007 Trilogy;  2008 Sauvignon Blanc, Soliloquy Vineyard;  2005 & 2006 Rutherford Hillside Reserve Cabernet;  2006 & 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet;   2007 Poggio del Papa;   2007 Napa Valley Merlot;  2007 Sangiovese;   2008 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay;  2006 Club Selection Cabernet Sauvignon;   2006 Wild Boar Cabernet Sauvignon;  2006 Out of Sight Cabernet Sauvignon;   2006 Holy Smoke Cabernet Sauvignon;  2006 SH Rennie Reserve Cabernet.

We tasted the Chardonnay which was full bodied and spicy, the Napa Cabernet Sauvignon was good, the Trilogy was delicious, the Poggio was food friendly, the Holy Smoke was big and bold, and the Wild Boar was full bodied with good spice.   The tasting room is modern and spacious with an outside sitting area, it is open daily.