Flora Springs
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Country of Origin: USA
Location: St. Helena, Napa Valley
People: Komes & Garvey Families, Owners | Enrico Bertoz, Winemaker | Pat Garvey, Vineyard Director
Viticulture: Practicing Organic
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The Napa Valley rebirth began in the mid-1960s with the founding of Robert Mondavi Winery. Ten years later, the same year when Opus One was founded, Flora and Jerry Komes, along with their children, founded Flora Springs. Flora Springs is one of the Napa Valley originals that led the way for this region to become known for world class wines.
In 1977, Flora and Jerry Komes purchased a home at the end of West Zinfandel Lane in St. Helena believing it to be “the perfect place to retire.” This home included an abandoned winery and vineyards. Their son John, with a passion for wine, proposed that the old winery building on the property be revived. In 1978, Flora and Jerry with son John, daughter Julie and son-in-law Pat Garvey founded Flora Springs. The name came from two life-giving forces: the springs that flow unceasingly from the hills behind the winery and the beloved family matriarch, Flora Komes. Third generation vintners and cousins Nat Komes and Sean Garvey, both of whom grew up at the winery washing barrels and sweeping floors, are now poised to take the helm guiding the winery into a new era of artisan winemaking in the spirit of tradition, innovation, and community values epitomized by their grandparents, Flora and Jerry.
The Komes and Garvey’s have always been farmers first, and over the years the family has acquired 500 acres throughout Napa Valley, 300 of which are planted to vineyard. With estate properties stretching from the cool, rolling hills of Carneros to the famed sub-appellations of Oakville, Rutherford and St. Helena, Flora Springs produces variety wines ranging from Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay to Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and other red Bordeaux varietals. Each year the family selects a small percentage of the yield for their own wines, selling the remaining fruit to neighboring Napa Valley wineries. This selection puts the focus on quality, not quantity, resulting in hand-crafted wines that meet the family’s exacting standards. From the beginning, the vineyards have been farmed using sustainable practices. Not only do these practices make for good neighbors, healthy vineyard workers, and an ecologically sound place to live and work, they also make some pretty outstanding grapes. Several years ago, Flora Springs started farming organically wherever possible. Today, ninety percent of Flora Springs’ red wines are sourced from its organically farmed estate vineyards.
Wine Advocate 12/2016
"One of the more historic and long-term producers of Napa Valley wine (particularly their bevy of Cabernet Sauvignons), Flora Springs Winery and Vineyards sits on the west side of Highway 29 in Rutherford. Along with Joseph Phelps, they were one of the first to produce a proprietary Bordeaux blend from various grapes."