Something Wicked This Way Comes… Halloween 2023 is Flora Springs’ Spookiest Halloween Yet

October 26, 2023

Introducing our Halloween Wines for 2023 | Flora Springs Napa Valley

Halloween is always a cause for celebration at Flora Springs, and all year long we look forward to releasing our Halloween Wines. Over the last decade, these seasonal bottlings have become some of our most anticipated and highly sought after annual releases.

 

Read more from @drinkinnature. “As wine lovers many of us have changed our Halloween traditions, trading in the candy bags for something a bit more sophisticated. Instead of trick-or-treating, we embrace the season with a more refined, grown-up twist, enjoying an exceptional bottle of wine.  Napa Valley’s Flora Springs has long been known for their tradition of crafting extraordinary Halloween-themed labels, and 2023 continues this delightful tradition with not one, but two exceptional red wines designed to evoke the spirit of the Halloween season.  In their 2021 lineup, they have the hauntingly exquisite All Hallows’ Eve Cabernet Franc and the enigmatic Ghost Winery Malbec. Both are guaranteed to elevate your Halloween celebrations, whether you’re planning to gather around a campfire and share ghost stories, partake in a spooky 👻 movie marathon or host a Halloween potluck dinner where guests bring dishes that reflect the season.
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The All Hallows’ Eve Cabernet Franc graces its label with the remarkable artistry of comic book illustrator and graphic novelist, Steve Ellis. This limited-production Cabernet Franc is a powerhouse, delivering a full-bodied experience that entices the senses with the delightful flavors of a dark fruit compote composed of ripe blackberries, luscious currants and black cherries. The combined fruit flavors along with notes of molasses, savory herb and fennel will cause a delightful shiver to run down your spine. There is also a graceful infusion of vanilla (which I absolutely love) and impeccably balanced tannins in this wine that leaves an indelible impression, haunting the palate with its enchanting conclusion.
This wine should definitely be on your Autumn Wine List. 🍁
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I’m reserving the Ghost Winery Malbec for the pinnacle of Halloween itself, where I’ll savor it amidst the ghouls and goblins, to add an extra layer of enchantment to this fun and festive night. 🎃”

 

 

Halloween Hosting by @hayleyscellar

“I spent the past weekend creating Halloween decorations for a friend’s big party later this month and to get in the mood we popped this incredible bottle of 2021 All Hallows’ Eve Cabernet Franc from Flora Springs! Honestly, this is one of the best wines I’ve had in awhile. Delicious notes of black currant, blackberries, earl grey tea, baking spices, dried thyme and  a lovely hint of vanilla and oak. I’m sad the bottle is gone! I may need to grab a few more for the rest of the spooky season.” @hayleyscellar

 

Creative Inspiration for your Halloween wine party and entertaining with Flora Springs and Recipes

How to Style a Dia de los Muertos Party
by Twinspirational

Dia de los Muertos Party Ideas
Photo credit: Twinspirational

See more party ideas from Twinspirational.


Jack-o-Lantern Baked Brie
by The Okayest Moms

Baked Brie Pumpkin by the Okayest Moms
Photo credit: The Okayest Moms

Get the recipe from The Okayest Moms.


Halloween Dinner, with a Fun Seasonal Twist: Pumpkin Cacio e Pepe
by My Diary of Us

Cacio e Pepe Halloween Dinner
Photo credit: My Diary of Us

Get the recipe from My Diary of Us.


Where are you celebrating Halloween?
Visit the Tasting Room

Wine blogger Noël visited Flora Springs. We invite you to come taste our Halloween Wines. The tasting room is open by reservation, make your plans today. Photo credit @wine_o_xperience.


Pumpkin Patch

Brianna took her Halloween Wines to the pumpkin patch. Photo credit @breezzzzyy.

Share your Inspiration

Show us how you’re celebrating Halloween with our wines—use #florasprings and we may share your post too!

 

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October 1st already? Halloween will be here before you know it! How will you be celebrating? 🎃 #floraspringspartner My husband and I received our shipment of Halloween wine from @florasprings and they paired so well with our charcuterie plate! We received 🧡 2014 Drink in Peace Merlot 🧡 2017 All Hallow’s Eve Cabernet Franc 🧡 2018 Ghost Winery Malbec These wines are exclusive and not available in stores, only directly from @florasprings 😃 You can order yours now to receive it in time for Halloween by clicking the link in my bio. Get creative and make a Halloween-inspired charcuterie board, pour some @florasprings Halloween wine & put on a Halloween movie…sounds like a great way to spend Halloween night! #florasprings #halloweenwine #halloween #ghostwinery #napawinery #napacalifornia #wine #napavalley #workinglifebelike #candidmotherhood #myquietbeauty #workingmama #mymamahood #ofsimplethings #realmomlife #thesearethedays #heaventhroughmylens #motherhoodunited #mynameismama #lifegivingsquares #motherhoodintheraw #calm_collected #momentsinmotherhood #worldoflittles #mymotherhood #livemoremagic #motherhoodrocks

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Friends!! Have you had Halloween wine before? We have partnered up with @florasprings to showcase their great line of Halloween wines they have to offer! And they are fantastic! 💀💀💀 Of course, we had to do a pairing of wine and charcuterie, because wine. And these big bold reds paired perfectly with salty meats and cheeses, as well as with Halloween Candy! 🍷🍷🍷 These wines are NOT sold in stores, you have to buy directly from their website, but you totally should! We are first of all loving the design of the bottles, but also the wine! All with a Halloween theme, the Ghost Winery Malbec and Drink in Peace Merlot are from a Ghost Winery! 👻👻👻 No, not that kind of ghost! What is a Ghost Winery? It’s a term that describes a winery built between 1860-1900 and fell into disrepair in the 20th century because of a vine disease, the Great Depression or Prohibition. When Jerry and Flora Komes purchased @florasprings in 1977, it came with 2 Ghost Wineries. One in 1900 owned by 2 brothers who were from Scotland, the other was the Charles Brockhoff winery built in 1885. You can read more on their website about these properties. 👻👻👻 The 2018 Ghost Winery Malbec featured the Brockhoff winery on the label. And is a cauldron of black cherry, blackberry and blueberry notes with vanilla, sassafras and cocoa powder. 🍷🍷🍷 The 2018 All Hallows’ Eve Cabernet Franc has a label designed by Anthony Yankovic of a winemaker at harvest. From a small block in Rutherford, this wine is dense and concentrated with blackberry, fig and plum. Notes of sassafras, cardamom, vanilla and toast with a smooth finish like the dark and black of an All Hallows’ Eve night. 👻👻👻 The last bottle is the Drink in Peace 2014 Merlot. In @florasprings signature coffin box, this Day of the Dead etched and painted bottle is a beautiful piece of art. Full bodied with a black currant and raspberry nose, flavors of cherry, oak, and vanilla with cedery smoke combine for this fabulous wine. We loved this collab with @florasprings, I will put a link to their Halloween wine in stories, and hope that you check them out! #halloweenwine #florasprings #ghostwinery

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No one does Hallowine like @FloraSprings 🧟‍♂️⁣ and yes I am the Halloqween! ⁣ ⁣ 31 NIGHTS OF HALLOWINE 👻 Night 11⁣ ⁣ ⁣ Every year, Flora Springs releases their All Hallows’ Eve Cabernet Franc with beautifully designed Halloween labels. Although each years’ bottles look different, the consistency is always fantastic on this 100% Cabernet Franc. Blackberry, fig, cracked white pepper and toasted oak. This is the fourth All Hallows’ Eve I’ve tried from them and such a treat to look forward to each year! You can pick one of these up for $60, and they have fantastic aging potential, so get one to try now and one to try in 10 years!⁣ ⁣ Stay tuned for more Hallowine from Flora Springs this month 🎃 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #cabernetfranc #florasprings #halloweenwine #spookywine #31nightsofhalloween #halloweencountdown #hallowqueen #spookyszn #halloweenvibes #redwine #cabfranc #halloweendecor #31nightsofhallowine #winegirl #winestagram #winetime #winetasting

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Things are getting spooky with @florasprings wines! Both the 2018 Ghost Winery Malbec and 2016 All Hallows’ Eve Merlot feature a one of a kind Halloween Label (peep stories to get a closer look)! They are also donating 35% of the proceeds from this two pack towards fire relief! . . Shop your screenshot of this pic with the LIKEtoKNOW.it shopping app http://liketk.it/2Z0D3 #liketkit @liketoknow.it . . #florasprings #halloweenwine #ghostwinery #barcart #barcartstyling #halloweenbarcart #barcartdecor #barcartgoals #barcartstyle #barcartbeautiful #halloweendecor #halloween2020 #spookyseason #halloweendecoration #spookyszn #targetfinds #amazonfinds #worldmarketfinds #winetime🍷 #wineoclock #wineofinstagram #wineoftheday #sacblogger #LTKunder100 #LTKstyletip #LTKhome

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Drink in Peace 💀 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ 31 NIGHTS OF HALLOWINE 🕸 Night 20⁣ ⁣ ⁣ You really want to celebrate Hallowine right? I recommend getting your hands on one of these Drink In Peace Merlot boxes from @florasprings ⚰️ The bottle is beautifully etched and comes in a coffin, so when you finish the bottle you’ll probably still want to keep it for decoration, or you can let your wine Rest In Peace for a few years before opening it. This particular Merlot can be aged another 7-10 years, so I plan to wake it from the dead another time.⁣ ⁣ Flora Springs is home to one of Napa Valley’s original “ghost wineries” – wineries built between 1860 and 1900 but abandoned in the early 20th century due to vine disease, the Great Depression, and Prohibition. Today, some ghost wineries still exist as ruins, but others, such as Flora Springs, have been renovated and restored to their former glory. Every year, the winery pays homage to its ghost winery status with some awesome spooky bottles, and its true that no one does Halloween quite like @florasprings ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #wine #winetasting #winery #winenight #winetime #winecountry #wines #winestagram #vino #winelover #wineblogger #winelovers #winelife #sommelier #napa #redwine #wineoclock ⁣ #florasprings #merlot #31nightsofhallowine #halloweenwine #halloween #spookyseason #winestagram #napawine #californiawine #ghost #spookyscaryskeletons #wineinfluencer #drinkdrankdrunk

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Working on my Halloween costume…I think I’ll call it “mom who sneaks the kids candy”. Which chocolate goes best with Malbec? Asking for research purposes! . @florasprings sent over their festive Halloween Malbec and Merlot- both of which are works of art. Did you know Napa has a whole slew of “ghost wineries”? Neither did I! With the recent fires in Napa County, @florasprings will donate 35% of the proceeds from the sales of these two wines when purchased as a 2-pack for $100. All other wines ship for $5 with code SHIPFOR5 as well! . . . #ltkhome #wineandchocolate #winepairing #florasprings #halloweenwine #ghostwinery #halloween2020 #gothmakeup #spookyszn #spookyseason👻 #momlife #momsofinstagram #mominfluencers #grig102120 #momiform #winelovers

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Cheers to the weekend! 🍷🍷 I am so excited to be teaming up with one of my favorites this month! @florasprings does Halloween right 🕷👻 They have the perfect bottles of wine for all your October Festivities and More! I don’t know how to choose, but this Malbec + Merlot are both delicious! 🍷🍷🍷 . Right now, due to the devastation of the Fire that affected our community, Flora Springs will donate 35% of the proceeds from the sales of these two wines when purchased as a 2-pack for $100. More details + the link to shop is in stories! You can also use the code SHIPFOR5 for $5 shipping! Get those orders in now so you are all set for your Halloween fun! #florasprings #halloweenwine #ghostwinery @florasprings #napawine #napawinery http://liketk.it/2YY3W #liketkit @liketoknow.it #LTKsalealert #LTKstyletip #LTKunder100 . . . . . #fblogger #bloggerstyle #expressyou #stylegram #fashiongram #styleinspo #fashioninspo #outfitoftheday #ootd #napavalley #whatiwore #halloweendecor #igstyle #igfashion #halloweenstyle #shoplocal #lookoftheday #wiw #whatimwearing #fashionblogger #wineblogger

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It’s the weekend!!! Time to have some wine and unwind! Yes , I love wine, almost as much as I love Halloween, it’s my favorite Holiday and when I found out there was a thing called Halloween Wine, I was all about it!! Flora Springs Winery is right here in our very own Napa valley. Not only is their wine perfect but the history on their winey is amazing. They’re actually known as a Ghost Winery! I included a tidbit of info here, but I highly suggest checking out their page for their full history and even making a visit! www.florasprings.com The Ghost Winery Legacy ‘Ghost Winery’ is a term used to describe a winery that was built between 1860 and 1900 and fell into disrepair in the early 20th century due to the triple threat of the vine disease phylloxera, the Great Depression, and of course, Prohibition. Before 1919, when Prohibition began, there were an estimated 713 winery businesses in California. Following its repeal 14 years later, only 40 wineries were left. This resulted in a wave of abandoned wineries throughout the next several decades. Many wineries of the time disappeared forever; others were left in ruins. I had the pleasure of pairing up these wines with some fun Halloween treats! All of which pair well with any of these reds. Pumpkin Spice Macarons Red Velvet and Cream Cheese Cake Chocolate Salted Carmel cakesicles Drink In Peace ( D.I.P) 2014 Merlot Ghost Winery 2018 Malbec All Hallows Eve 2018 Cabernet Franc These wines are exclusive and available directly through their website for purchase. They are not available in stores. www.florasprings.com Right now, if you purchase a 2 pack of Halloween Wines they will donate 35% to the Napa Valley Community Disaster Relief Fund. #florasprings #halloweenwine #ghostwinery #hallowine #sweetsandWine

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Let’s have some skele-fun. 💀💀💀 Have you seen our Dia de los Muertos party yet? We wore black dresses and red or gold spiked floral crowns from @doramarra. We also applied the traditional Day of the Dead eye makeup. It is a lot easier than it looks. If you have a black or dark gray creme shadow and black liner, you’re half way there. We watched a few YouTube videos since this was our first time. We also added a few jewels for some extra glam. Other guests wore eye-masks, face-masks, jewels and/or makeup. Anything goes at a Dia de los Muertos party. Just have fun with it and check out our “squad ghouls.” Read all about it on the blog (link in bio). #twinspirational #diadelosmuertos #doramarra

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It’s spooky season and I have some great wines to share for the occasion 🎃👻🧙🏻‍♀️ . . . If you’re looking for some wines that are very on brand for Halloween, look no further than the @florasprings 2018 Ghost Winery Malbec and 2016 All Hallows’ Eve Merlot. 🍷🍷 I drank the Ghost Winery Malbec on Halloween last year and it blew me away. I’m excited to have another bottle this year too! I know Halloween is looking a little different this year with COVID, so I will definitely be curling up with these bottles of wine while I watch the only two Halloween movies I enjoy: Hocus Pocus and the Halloweentown series. 🍷 . . . The best part about this is when you purchase the 2-pack ($100 total), Flora Springs will donate 35% of the proceeds from the sales to support the victims of the recent Napa wildfires. (These wines can only be purchased through the Flora Springs website) ❤️ . . . I also have a special promo code for you! If you enter the promo code SHIPFOR5 , you can get $5 flat rate on ground shipping. This is a great deal! (Note that this does not apply to the 2- pack of wine mentioned above as the proceeds are going to charity). . . . Cheers to good wine for a good cause 🍷🥂 · . . #florasprings #halloweenwine #ghostwinery #wineforacause #napafires #sponsored ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Introducing our Halloween Wines for 2023

August 31, 2023

Introducing our Halloween Wines for 2023 | Flora Springs Napa Valley

All year long we look forward to releasing our Halloween Wines.

For 13 years now, we’ve paid tribute to our ghostly history by producing special Halloween wine bottles for our Wine Club and Mailing List Members. We enjoy giving our Wine Club Members exclusive access to wines crafted with our Napa Valley estate-grown Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Read more about our tips on throwing the spookiest Halloween Party!

2021 All Hallows’ Eve Cabernet Franc

This year, General Manager Nat Komes, the creative spirit behind this annual endeavor, worked with comic book illustrator, graphic novelist and digital comics pioneer, Steve Ellis. Steve has created All Hallows’ Eve labels for us before, and he and Nat continue to outdo themselves. With a full harvest moon in the background, a black crow scolds a pumpkin-headed figure who seems to have fallen asleep beneath a grapevine. Is it the winemaker, worn out from the long days and nights of harvest? Or is it a disheveled stranger who wandered into the vineyard to take a nap? A fallen scarecrow? We’ll leave it to you to decide!

Wine Tasting Notes

This limited-production Cabernet Franc is powerful and full bodied, with ripe currant, wild blackberry and black cherry fruit that will have you shivering with delight. Ancillary notes of fresh herbs, black tea and brown sugar lend complexity to the wine, and there’s a lovely integration of seductive vanilla oak. Lush and giving on the palate, this is a finely balanced Cabernet Franc with polished tannins and a hauntingly long finish.

2021 Ghost Winery Malbec

Napa Valley is home to a number of “ghost wineries” – wineries built between 1860 and 1900 but abandoned in the early 20th century due to the vine disease phylloxera, the Great Depression, and of course Prohibition. One of these ghost wineries happens to be the home of John Komes. Originally constructed in 1885, the Charles Brockhoff Winery was an active winemaking operation for over twenty years until Prohibition forced the family out of business. It remained abandoned until the 1930s when Louis M. Martini arrived in Napa Valley, using the building mostly for storage. When his parents, Jerry and Flora Komes, purchased the property in 1977, John completely renovated the old stone winery. He lives there with his wife, Carrie, to this day. Every year we bottle a small amount of Malbec in honor of the property’s illustrious history.

Wine Tasting Notes

Our 2021 Ghost Winery Malbec shows gorgeous purity and focus, with a dense core of ripe black cherry, cassis and violet-tinged floral notes that mingle with hints of cedar and dark chocolate. Notes of worn leather, espresso and toasty oak round out the supple, harmonious palate. The wine finishes with firm tannins and persistent notes of spice and wild berry.

Wine Club Benefits

Join our Wine Club to ensure an annual allocation of these limited, popular releases. Learn more about the many benefits of membership.

Celebrate National White Wine Day with Vermentino

August 1, 2023

 

Enjoy 2022 Vermentino for White Wine Day | Flora Springs Winery Napa Valley

August 4 is National White Wine Day, and what better way to celebrate than with our new release 2022 Vermentino — a truly unique wine. Flora Springs has always been committed to creating and sharing exciting white wine. After all, it was our gold-medal winning Chardonnay that put Flora Springs on the map back in 1978.  Vermentino, a wine we made specifically for wine club members, is a rare find. Sourced from a tiny, 2-acre block of organically farmed Vermentino located in Rutherford, we believe this is the only Vermentino planted in Napa Valley.

While a new varietal for Flora Springs, it is actually an ancient white wine grape, found primarily in the northeastern region of Italy, from Liguria down the coast to Tuscany — and, as we recently discovered, in that tiny gem of a vineyard in Rutherford, Napa Valley. As soon as it was harvested, we knew it was going to be compelling. Gentle handling of the grapes and lightly “oaking” the wine in seasoned French barrels yielded a bottling as irresistible as that early award-winning Chardonnay.

Vermentino is often compared to Sauvignon Blanc in body and taste. Our 2022 Vermentino is a dry, minerally white with flavors of grapefruit, citrus, honey, grated ginger and a hint of wet stone. Finely knit with zesty acidity, the wine is vibrant on the palate and carries a long, mouthwatering finish.

Pop this open for wine-curious friends on August 4 to celebrate National White Wine Day, and if they’ve been to Italy and experienced the Vermentino varietal there, so much the better! Only 200 cases were made, we anticipate a high demand and expect it to be snapped up swiftly — shop now.

White Wines to Enjoy for National White Wine Day

Our 2022 Flora Springs Soliloquy is the continuation of a remarkable journey that began in 1989. Noting the unique character of a small block of Sauvignon Blanc from our Crossroads Vineyard in the Oakville AVA, we fermented and bottled it separately as our first Soliloquy white wine. Whole cluster fermentation and seven months of aging in seasoned French oak barrels yielded a multi-faceted blend of white varietals with well-rounded flavors of grapefruit, white peach, Meyer lemon, and brown spice. At 80% of the blend, Sauvignon Blanc anchors the wine with lush flavors and zesty acidity. Ten percent Chardonnay brings a creamy mouthfeel and notes of Bosc pear and apple. Malvasia gives the wine its beguiling notes of citrus flower and jasmine.

Our 2022 Sauvignon Blanc offers bright fruit flavors of grapefruit, lime, passion fruit and mandarin orange with subtle floral notes of honeysuckle and orange blossom. The wine has a broad, creamy mid-palate with perfumed notes of lychee nut and Asian pear, and there’s a slightly nutty quality that adds to the complexity. The finish is spicy and mineral-laced, bringing the wine to a mouthwatering close.

Our Flora’s Legacy Chardonnay is a limited-production, one-of-kind wine made in honor of Flora Komes, our mother, grandmother, and the woman who inspired the founding of Flora Springs Winery. Every year we involve the whole family in the creation of this wine, a barrel selection of the finest Chardonnay of the vintage.

Presenting the 2022 Vermentino

May 2, 2023

The debut release of our 2022 Vermentino

Flora Springs has always been committed to creating and sharing exciting white wine. After all, it was our gold-medal winning Chardonnay that put Flora Springs on the map back in 1978. We are delighted to introduce our debut release of Vermentino, a wine we made specifically for wine club members. This wine is a rare find – it’s sourced from a tiny, 2-acre block of organically farmed Vermentino located in Rutherford.

We believe this is the only Vermentino planted in Napa Valley, making this one of just two Vermentino wines produced here. As soon as it was harvested we knew it was going to be compelling. Gentle handling of the grapes and lightly oaking the wine in seasoned French barrels yielded a bottling as irresistible as that early award-winning Chardonnay.

Vermentino is often compared to Sauvignon Blanc in body and taste. Our 2022 Vermentino is a dry, minerally white with flavors of grapefruit, citrus, honey, grated ginger and a hint of wet stone. Finely knit with zesty acidity, the wine is vibrant on the palate and carries a long, mouthwatering finish.

Pop this open for wine-curious friends eager to try something new from Napa Valley, and if they’ve been to Italy and experienced the Vermentino varietal there, so much the better!

Be the first to taste this new wine. Only 200 cases were made, we anticipate a high demand and expect it to be snapped up swiftly — shop now.

About Vermentino

Vermentino is a new varietal for Flora Springs, but it is actually an ancient white wine grape, found primarily in the northeastern region of Italy, from Liguria down the coast to Tuscany — and, as we recently discovered, in that tiny gem of a vineyard in Rutherford, Napa Valley.

Vermentino wines are typically dry, crisp, and refreshing, with notes of citrus, green apple, and tropical fruit. They are often enjoyed as a young wine, but some can also benefit from aging. Vermentino is a versatile grape that can be used to produce a variety of wine styles, including still, sparkling, and dessert wines. It is also often used in blends with other white grape varieties to add freshness and acidity to the wine.

Vermentino is a hidden gem of the wine world, with its unique combination of freshness, complexity, and elegance that make it a standout among white wines.

Flora Springs 2018 Howell Mountain Dust & Glory Cabernet Sauvignon in Robb Report

February 28, 2023

Note: The article excerpted below was originally published in Robb Report and can be found here.

2018 Howell Mountain Dust & Glory Cabernet Sauvignon

“The 9 Best Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons From the Storied Howell Mountain Appellation”
by Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen

Long before the 1976 Judgment of Paris put Napa Valley’s vinous treasure on the wine world map, bottles from Howell Mountain were taking home medals at international contests. In 1889, a wine made by Jean Adolph Brun and Jean V. Chaix, pioneers in what is now the high-altitude AVA in the northeast of the valley took home a bronze medal from the Paris World Competition. Ten years later, two other early hillside settlers, W.S. Keyes and Frederick Hess, were awarded gold and bronze medals, respectively, for their Howell Mountain wines. It took almost another hundred years for official government recognition; in 1983 Howell Mountain was named the first AVA within the greater confines of the Napa Valley AVA.

What sets this small American Viticultural Area near Saint Helena apart from many other wine regions is that its perimeter is delineated not just by geographic borders but by altitude: All vineyards must be a minimum of 1,400 feet above sea level. And while many wines from Napa and neighboring Sonoma benefit from cooling Pacific fog that rolls in each morning, Howell Mountain’s vines sit above the fog line, offering full sunlight throughout the day. Mountain conditions create berries with thick skin, offering a higher peel to juice ratio and stronger tannins. At the same time, cooler temperatures at higher altitudes aid in retaining acidity; this balanced tannin and acidity create wines that are made to last. That said, picking at perfect ripeness and a judicious use of oak means that while these will age beautifully for years, no one would fault you for opening a bottle now. Back in the day, Howell Mountain wine was likely to be Zinfandel, but today its vineyards are mainly planted with Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties for blending. Among the region’s 66 member vineyards and wineries you will find familiar faces with national distribution and small volume cult wines that take a little work to acquire. Here’s a selection of Cabs to get you started…

The name Dust & Glory is to honor founder Flora Komes who often used this phrase borrowed from Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. This delightful wine is purple ink colored when poured from the bottle with very concentrated aromas of blueberry, cassis and dark chocolate. It has flavors of black plum, blackberry and a touch of bramble. The tannins are plush yet firm and the lingering finish has notes of cedar, smoke and mocha. Enjoy now until 2029.

2018 Howell Mountain Dust & Glory Cabernet Sauvignon

This is the second vintage of our Dust & Glory Cabernet Sauvignon from the Howell Mountain AVA, the first new Single Vineyard Cabernet to be added to our portfolio in over two decades. We always admired the wines of Howell Mountain, an appellation that sits to the east of St. Helena in the Vaca Mountain range. But we also learned that growing fruit on Howell Mountain comes with its challenges; the grapes are typically late-ripening and the tannins can be overwhelming. But as John and Nat Komes explored and experimented, they identified a wine from one of the highest elevation sites in the AVA that met their criteria, a beautifully expressive mountain Cabernet, distinct from our other Single Vineyards but no less prized.

Why Dust & Glory? Read more.

Talking Beef with John Komes

February 20, 2023

Back in the days when John Komes was selling our first Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons, he came up with idea of holding winemaker dinners pairing each Cabernet with a different cut of premium beef. He knew what many wine enthusiasts knew intuitively: there’s simply something sublime about enjoying a juicy bite of steak with a sip of rich, ripe, tannic Cabernet Sauvignon. But he understood the science behind that magical pairing.

“The tannins in red wine are essentially attracted to fat and protein. When you bite into a steak, the tannins in the wine ‘bind’ with the fat and protein in the beef, so that the wine feels softer and less astringent,” says John.

2020 Wild Boar Cabernet Sauvignon

Over time, John experimented with different Cabernet Sauvignon and beef combinations until he came up with the ideal pairing for each Flora Springs offering. For the wine in the Preferred Palates Wine Club February 2023 shipment, our 2020 Wild Boar Cabernet Sauvignon, John recommends a tri-tip steak. Tri-tip, cut from the bottom sirloin, has been popular in California for decades, but has also become available in other parts of the country where it is sometimes called triangle steak, Santa Maria steak or California’s Cut.

“Tri-tip has great marbling which gives it a really good beefy flavor and a supple texture, as long as you don’t overcook it,” he says. “Plus, it has the added bonus of being more economical than many other cuts of beef.”

Tri-tip Marinade for Grilling

Tri-tip is made for grilling, and John likes to marinate this boneless steak for a few hours in the refrigerator before cooking. His preferred marinade (for a two to three-pound steak):

½ cup of red wine
¼ cup of olive oil
3 large garlic gloves, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Turn several times while marinating. Before grilling, remove steak from marinade. Cook to desired doneness (@122°F for medium rare), let sit for at least five minutes and slice. John likes to serve tri-tip when Nat and his family visit, as the cut easily feeds a small group. He recommends accompanying the meal with small, roasted red potatoes, grilled veggies, a nice arugula salad, and a bottle of his Wild Boar Cabernet Sauvignon.

2020 Wild Boar Cabernet Sauvignon

Wild boars are a fixture in Napa Valley, and as vineyard owners we’ve had our share of run-ins with the creature, which is how our Wild Boar Single Vineyard Cabernet got its name. Boars love to munch on ripe wine grapes, and when we get close to harvest we try to keep them to the natural habitats that surround our vineyards. But if one or two have a meal on us, we’re okay with it. As farmers who depend on Mother Nature, sometimes we need to live and let live. Sourced from our estate vineyard in the Rutherford AVA, our 2020 Wild Boar offers opulent aromatics of red and black raspberry and boysenberry that melt into rich flavors of cassis, black plum and black currant jam on the palate. The fruit is joined by notes of sweet vanilla bean, coconut and toasty oak which mingle with notes of lavender, espresso and a touch of licorice. With well-integrated oak and youthful tannins, the 2020 Wild Boar is a balanced, well-structured Cabernet that will reward further cellaring. Learn more about this wine.

Will You Be Our Valentine?

January 10, 2023

Our etched and hand-painted bottles are a cherished tradition at Flora Springs, a way for us to commemorate special holidays with festive, one-of-a-kind bottlings. Over the years, the popularity of these offerings has grown. With each holiday release, the etched artful label provides a unique Napa Valley wine to give or collect for yourself.

Valentine's Day Gift | Valentine's Wine

2017 Be Mine Blend

Our 2017 Be Mine Red Blend celebrates the most romantic holiday of all, St. Valentine’s Day. Combining Bordeaux varietals from our estate vineyards in St. Helena, Rutherford and Oakville, the wine warms the heart with rich, mouth filling flavors of blackberries, juicy plums and ripe blueberries, graham cracker and a whiff of cocoa powder. Notes of violets, vanilla crème and a hint of fresh rain round out the palate. Though plush and full-bodied, this classic Napa Valley blend has a pleasing streak of acidity and sleek, elegant tannins that provide balance and length. The wine would make a sweet gift or accompaniment to a candlelit dinner for two. Only 30 cases made, limit two bottles.

Valentine’s Day Order Deadlines

Order deadlines for delivery start February 4. Check shipping times.

Flora Springs 2019 Holiday Cabernet Sauvignon Featured in Forbes

December 31, 2022

Note: The article excerpted below was originally published in Forbes and can be found here.

2019 Holiday Cabernet Sauvignon - Quail Greetings Design

“2022: It’s A Wrap For Wine Writing”
by Lana Bortolot

BEST PACKAGING
From pretty packaging, savvy swag and an inspiring revival, here’s a roundup of some of the bottles and stories that caught my eye this year….

The winery packaged holiday blend of its 2019 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon in a specially etched bottle for its wine club members. This year’s edition is a quail bearing a cranberry-studded wreath.

2019 Holiday Cabernet Sauvignon – Quail Greetings

Beloved in California where they have the honor of being the state bird, quails are known to travel in groups, with adults, both male and female, caring for their young. With his characteristic head plume and cranberry-studded wreath, our festive quail is anticipating the holidays. This illustration is inspired by Flora Springs’ matriarch and muse, Flora Komes, whose love for all living things, both great and small, was legendary.

Our Holiday Bottles
Created especially for our wine club members, our Holiday Bottles are a way of thanking members for their loyalty and providing them with uniquely elegant bottles ideal for festive holiday celebrations and thoughtful gifts. The brainchild of General Manager Nat Komes, whose grandmother, Flora, imbued him with a love for the holidays, each wine is meticulously etched and painted by hand, with capsules and back labels applied one by one. As the only Napa Valley winery to offer new holiday designs each year, we pour ourselves into this annual project, ensuring that each bottle is absolute perfection inside and out.

The Wine
Our 2019 Holiday Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from two outstanding, sustainably-farmed vineyards: the Komes Vineyard in Rutherford and our Windfall Vineyard in Oakville. Flavors of black cherry, red plum and kirsch are at the core of this plush and generous Cabernet, accompanied by notes of licorice, sweet basil, and a hint of menthol. A lovely oak component introduces notes of toasted marshmallow and vanilla to the palate, along with attractive hints of cedar and brown spice. This is a full-bodied wine with a soft mouthfeel and smooth tannins that lengthen the warm and satisfying finish. A perfect way to celebrate family during the holiday season. Learn more about this wine.

Presenting 2020 All Hallows’ Eve Cabernet Franc

October 1, 2022

2020 All Hallow's Eve Cabernet Franc

Halloween is always a cause for celebration at Flora Springs, and all year long we look forward to releasing our Halloween Wines.

For 13 years now, we’ve paid tribute to our ghostly history by producing special Halloween wine bottles for our Wine Club and Mailing List Members. Some years a favorite label is sold out upon release to the Wine Club. We enjoy giving exclusive access to wines crafted with our Napa Valley estate-grown Cabernet Franc and Malbec.

2020 All Hallows’ Eve Cabernet Franc

General Manager Nat Komes has done it again! This year’s one-of-a-kind Halloween-themed label is sure to delight club members and All Hallows’ Eve lovers everywhere. Nat worked with comic book illustrator, graphic novelist and digital comics pioneer, Steve Ellis, to develop a label that just might be our scariest ever. Steve is no stranger to Flora Spring’s Halloween shenanigans, as he created the label for our 2017 All Hallows’ Eve Cabernet Franc. Against the backdrop of a full harvest moon, a menacing bat hovers above the Flora Springs vineyard where the crew brings in the Cabernet Franc for this wine. Harvesting at night, a practice the Komes Garvey family pioneered in the 1980s, keeps the grapes and pickers cool, but it may also attract the attention of these fierce creatures of the night. Harvest crew beware!

Wine Tasting Notes

This limited-production Cabernet Franc has lovely aromas of sweet hay, black cherry, boysenberry and cassis that might just send shivers down your spine! With a warm entry and flavors of plum, cherry tobacco and worn leather, the wine is swathed in soft tannins and lengthened by notes of caramel, vanilla and mocha. Lavishly flavored and lush on the palate, the wine is finely balanced with a lingering finish of brown sugar, marshmallow and sassafras.

Wine Club Benefits

Join our Wine Club to ensure an annual allocation of these limited, popular releases. Learn more about the many benefits of membership.

Flora Springs Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons Featured in International Wine Review

August 30, 2022

Note: The article excerpted below was originally published in International Wine Review and can be found here.

Napa Valley Cabernet Vineyard

Flora Springs is one of the Napa Valley’s storied wineries. Located at the base of the Mayacamas mountain range in Napa Valley, it became famous in the 1990s, especially for its Cabernet Sauvignon. We reviewed Flora Springs wines earlier this year and were so impressed with their Legacy Cabernet Sauvignon blend that we asked to taste their portfolio of single vineyard Cabernets, which are the wines we review in this article. These are exceptionally elegant and flavorful wines. Beginning in 2019, Enrico Bertoz is responsible for the winemaking, having replaced long time winemaker Paul Steinauer, who has retired. Read our earlier article for more about what’s happening at Flora Springs including a review of their unique Soliloquy Sauvignon Blanc blend.

The 2020 Napa wildfires means Flora Springs had very limited production in that year. In short, if you want to buy Flora Springs Cabernet Sauvignon, do so now.

The Wines

Flora Springs 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Holy Smoke Vineyard Oakville Napa Valley
93 points
Dark red. Shows an expansive nose of black currant with deeper notes of loam soil and chocolate shavings that are mirrored on a deeply flavored, mouth filling palate. The texture is silky with a firm structure, juicy acidity, and an overall sense of refinement. The oak is seamlessly integrated with just a hint of toast. And the finish is persistent with moderate tannins. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from a single block planted to Clone 4 and matured 18 months in 80% French and 20% American oak.

Flora Springs 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Wild Boar Vineyard Napa Valley
94 points
The Wild Boar Cab is a supple wine with good intensity of fruit. It begins with savory, earthy aromas married to cassis fruit. The attack is soft and refined, leading to a palate of dark fruit with hints of chocolate and loam. Surprisingly accessible with round tannins and a long flavorful finish. Of all the Flora Springs single vineyard Cabernets, this is the one we would choose to drink now. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 18 months in 30% French and 70% American oak.

Flora Springs 2018 Dust & Glory Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain Napa Valley
93 points
Dark red. On the nose, gorgeous up front aromas of blackberry, cassis, and tobacco leaf. Silky smooth attack followed by a beautifully refined mouth feel and concentrated, layered flavors of dark cherry, dark berries and savory dried herbs. A youthful wine, it has a distinct stoney, chalky mineral character. Finishes with a long flavorful finish with soft round tannins. Surprisingly evolved for a mountain wine, but then 2018 was an exceptional vintage. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from one of the highest vineyard sites on the volcanic soils of Howell Mountain; matured 22 months in 94% French and 6% American oak.

Flora Springs 2019 Rutherford Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Napa Valley
93 points
On the nose, the Rutherford Hillside shows earthy, dark fruit complemented by smoky oak and cooking spice. It’s soft and silky on entry with a beautifully balanced and pure, refined character. Black currant and black raspberry show on the firmly structured and densely flavored palate, but despite its youth this wine is accessible now. Finishes long with dark fruit, cocoa dust, and earthy notes. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from a small block of vines on the northwestern edge of the Rutherford appellation aged 18 months in 90% French and 10% American oak. The Rutherford Hillside Cab has been produced as a single vineyard wine since 1994.

Flora Springs Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons

Flora Springs Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons

Truly elegant and powerful wines, that reflect the place from which they originate. Shop our current releases or contact us at (800) 913-1118 to inquire about other vintages.

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