First observed in 1958, National Library Week is sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April. It is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support.
This year, National Library Week will be observed April 9-15, with the theme “Libraries Transform.”
Nat Komes, third generation family member and Flora Springs General Manager, has a particular affinity for libraries, as his mother worked as a librarian when he was growing up. Nat developed a great love of reading, which continues to this day, and which he is sharing with his own children now. In fact, after spending time at the library reading to them, Nat has found inspiration for several of his wine projects.
We will be celebrating National Library Week, as well as the 40th anniversary of the winery, by opening our wine library. Library wines are older, unique, and rare wines that have been purposefully stored to age. Like libraries transform minds, the aging process transforms wine – often in unexpected and delightful ways.
Stay tuned as we will be releasing select library wines, available exclusively online.
Join us at The Room or The Estate for our limited-time Libraries Transform tasting experience and discover for yourself how age has transformed the 1989, 1995, and 2011 vintages of Trilogy.
We will also be celebrating with live music at The Room on April 8th and April 15th.
You can also join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram – and follow along with hashtags #NationalLibraryWeek and #LibrariesTransform.
“Well, it’s that time of year again – The drought appears to be behind us, at least for the moment. Since the New Year, we have received more rainfall than we average for the entire year. Fortunately, all of Flora Springs vineyards drain quite well, and this has supplied much needed water to top off all of our reservoirs as well as adding to our water table. Between the rains, we did experience some warm days. This is when the starch in the vines post dormancy, converts to sugar, where sap begins to flow through the vine. As the days become warmer, buds start to swell, and finally burst, creating a new shoot.
What you see in this picture is bud break on our Malbec vineyard at Komes Ranch at Flora Springs Estate. In about 6 months, grapes from these vines will make their way to the winery, and eventually find their way into Trilogy.” – Winemaker Paul Steinauer
Food & Wine Magazine’s Best Winery to Visit – Napa Valley
We are honored to be named one of Food & Wine Magazine’s top wineries to visit in Napa Valley.
Out of over 400 wineries in Napa Valley, the magazine chose just 54 – including Flora Springs – as the “Best to Visit.”
Flora Springs Estate in Napa Valley
“If you’ve driven up Highway 29 into St. Helena you’ve surely seen the Las Vegas-worthy, wavy façade. Flora Spring’s multi-venue tasting room, which is a lovely, drop-in tasting room inside with some premium tastings. But it’s also worth bushwhacking a bit off the main drag to the actual winery, a once-abandoned 19th-century stone structure that is also home to the family proprietors. You’ll need an appointment to access its slate of tours and experiences.”
Plan your visit. Our Estate is located at the end of a quiet country lane surrounded by majestic oaks with panoramic vineyard views. Both a working winery and the family home of our proprietors. The Estate is Napa Valley’s most authentic and intimate place to visit.
On February 4th, we celebrated our 15th Annual Trilogy Release Party – and the 30th release of Trilogy, our flagship wine.
Experience the fun – watch the 2014 Trilogy Release Party Video. And if you attended the party, be sure to visit the photo gallery where you can view and download the photos of you and your friends.
Save the date – February 3, 2018 – for our 2015 Trilogy Release Party. Stay tuned for more details!
A little rain did nothing to dampen the spirits of the scores of revelers who came out last Saturday to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Trilogy. And how could it? From the Flora Springs wines that filled guests’ glasses to the food stations offering delicacies from Napa Valley’s finest restaurants to the ska sounds of our favorite party band, The English Beat, there was more than enough entertainment to keep guests from worrying about a few drops of the wet stuff.
Guests from all over came to our 15th annual Trilogy Release Party. For many, this was not their first time to a Trilogy party. “I’ve been coming to this ever since it started,” said one guest, who traveled more than three hours with five of his closest friends to spend the day at Flora Springs Estate.
It was all hands on deck for Flora Springs’ proprietors and extended family. Event hosts John and Nat Komes kept guests entertained and laughing, with John regaling fans with stories and jokes and Nat setting the pace on the dance floor. At Flora’s house, the winemaking team Paul and Enrico led VIP tastings of Flora Springs’ about-to-be-released 2014 Single Vineyard Cabernets.
In addition to wine, food and music, there were photo ops, shopping, T-shirt styling (with Trilogy Tees, of course!) and even a nail art booth. It was there that we ran into a mother and daughter who had driven up from the Bay Area to attend the party. “My daughter’s boyfriend gave her these tickets for Christmas. It’s all about experiences and making memories!” We couldn’t agree more.
In this post we mentioned just a few of the people who hosted and made the 15th Annual Trilogy Release Party a success, but there were many more family members, Flora Springs employees, and event planning partners who deserve to be recognized. Thanks to everyone for your help and hard work!
It’s a feast for the eyes! Watch this unique video that brings to life the winemaker’s tasting notes for 2014 Trilogy.
Enjoy the aromas and flavors of our 2014 Trilogy visually – and get ready as we celebrate the 30th release of Trilogy, our flagship wine, on February 4, 2017.
Each year we devote one day to celebrating the release of our signature red wine, Trilogy at the Estate in Napa Valley. Join us this Saturday, February 4th from wherever you are as we celebrate the 30th release of Trilogy.
It’s easy to be part of the celebration, here’s how to participate. Open up a bottle of Trilogy, follow #TrilogyWine and #TrilogyParty on social media, and enjoy:
Facts about Trilogy wine
Interesting tidbits about red wine blends
Notes from Winemaker Paul Steinauer and our winemaking team
Recipes
Prizes
And more!
Share your own tasting notes, Trilogy & food pairings, memories from past release parties, and any other Trilogy thoughts by using the hashtags for a chance to win prizes. Follow-along with live views from the party on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter and use hashtags #TrilogyWine and #TrilogyParty.
We started the harvest on Aug 16th picking Pinot Grigio in the Oak Knoll appellation, and we just finished on Tuesday, Oct 11th with Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville appellation – so just about a 2 month harvest.
All in all, it was a terrific harvest! We experienced a very light amount of rain that did not affect the grapes at all. We only had a few days with any unusual heat spikes. We are however, very glad to be finished, in that there is a significant amount of rain in the forecast from Friday through Monday. There are many wineries that are forced to leave their fruit out through the rains, and again, a relief to not be one of them.”
—Winemaker Paul Steinauer
Flora Springs has the distinction of being 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. Each year we bottle small amounts of estate-grown wines in honor of this illustrious history.
It’s that time of year again when we conjure up the ghost of spirits past with three new limited-production Halloween wines.
2013 All Hallows’ Eve Cabernet Franc with label art by award-winning children’s book illustrator John Manders
2014 Ghost Winery Malbec
A tribute to the winery’s illustrious history, this 100% Rutherford Malbec offers spine-tingling flavors of black cherry, currant and ripe plum and hints of mocha, tobacco and vanilla. Only 460 cases produced. Learn more about this wine.
2013 Harvest Witch Cabernet Sauvignon with label art by Wes Freed
New this year! We’re expanding the wine label artwork to an exclusive, limited-edition line of merchandise. Shop now.
Order deadlines for delivery by Halloween start October 21st. See our Holiday Shipping Guide to ensure these wickedly good wines will reach all your ghouls & goblins in time.
2013 All Hallow’s Eve Cabernet Franc with custom label art by award-winning children’s book illustrator John Manders
Flora Springs has the distinction of being 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. Each year we bottle small amounts of estate-grown wines in honor of this illustrious history.
The custom artwork on this year’s All Hallow’s Eve, which we affectionately refer to as “Square Jack,” was created by award-winning children’s book illustrator John Manders. Third generation family member and General Manager Nat Komes discovered John’s art while reading to his kids at the St. Helena library. Inspiration comes from many places!
This year, we’re expanding the All Hallow’s Eve Cabernet Franc label artwork to an exclusive, limited-edition line of merchandise. Now you can show your Halloween spirit with clothing, accessories—even a “Stacked Jack” skateboard deck! Shop now.
“Stacked Jack” Skateboard featuring John Manders’ custom art complementing our “Square Jack” 2013 All Hallow’s Eve Cabernet Franc
About John Manders I was educated at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and later took courses at the School of Visual Arts and the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York where I studied children’s illustration, animation, and life drawing. My non-art interests include restoring my old house and trying to speak Italian.
My work is featured in over 60 children’s books and gazillions of children’s magazines. I am a founding member of the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators and its first president. I organized the successful Bow Wow Meow art auction that benefited the Animal Rescue League and the PSI scholarship fund. In 2003 I curated Illustration: The Process, an educational exhibit of fourteen illustrators and their working methods. My latest curating effort, Once Upon A Page, an exhibition of Western Pennsylvanian children’s book illustrators, toured the United States in 2006.
My work has been exhibited at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh gallery, the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum, and I was honored in the 25-year retrospective of Cricket magazine covers that was held at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1999. That year I was also a participant at the Children’s Book Fair in Bologna, Italy. In May, 2006 I was named Outstanding Illustrator/Author by the Pennsylvania School Librarian’s Association. In May, 2013 I won a Reuben Award from the National Cartoonists Society for my work on Jack and the Giant Barbecue.
