Anne Komes and her father-in-law, Flora Springs President & Proprietor John Komes
It’s no secret that the Flora Spring’s Annual Trilogy Release Party is considered one of the most anticipated Napa Valley wine festivals of the year. Happening each year on the first weekend of February, our guests can expect to partake in first-class entertainment, high-end food and excellent wines all while basking in the beautiful vistas from our family’s Napa Valley Estate. February weather, however, can be spotty at best, and that is why we have decided to share our wine country fashion recommendations to help you to prepare for the day’s fête.
While most people know what the typical attire expectations are for Cocktail, Black Tie and Business Casual dress codes, sometimes we hear more confusion around what we commonly ask for in Napa Valley: Wine Country Casual.
We recently met with the stylish Anne Komes for her thoughts on what Wine Country Casual means to her and her must-have pieces for the Trilogy party.
Living in Napa Valley, what is your personal definition of Wine Country Casual? “To me, Wine Country Casual is anything appropriate for a vineyard tour or outdoor dining. It’s easy to dress up Wine Country Casual with a cute boot or accessories like a pretty scarf or hat.”
What is your favorite accessory to bring to the Trilogy party? “For the Trilogy party, I like to wear comfortable shoes because of the dancing! I prefer boots but I know my husband Nat likes to dance so I wear comfortable shoes and jeans.”
What is one thing you never leave home without? “My favorite accessory is my husband.”
What should you be prepared for at the Trilogy party? “I am preparing for a Trilogy party full of fun, great conversation and meeting new friends.”
What is your perfect Trilogy outfit? “I like to wear a hat because it is good, rain or shine! The party happens in February so comfortable but warm clothes because your body needs to move and you don’t want to be restricted with layers!”
For the men out there, what advice would you give them with regards to Trilogy party attire? “Men should feel comfortable to wear whatever makes them comfortable. To some, it may be a t-shirt and for others, it could be a suit. The only rules for a party should be proper behavior, otherwise, relax, it’s a party!”
Check out the full Trilogy Release Party experience:
“Everyone who knows me knows I have an affinity for wild boars. That’s why we named one of our Single Vineyard Cabernets Wild Boar. My first encounter with this animal happened back in the mid-1970s, when my dad retired from Bechtel. He was looking for land to invest his money in. At the time, land in Napa Valley cost $25,000 an acre, and Dad wasn’t ready to pay that much. But in Pope Valley land was ‘cheap’ – only $1,000 an acre. He found 100 acres that had a lake, walnut trees, etc. The owner said he’d sell it, and my Dad thought he had a deal. Then he read somewhere that Louis Martini had bought it. Apparently the owner wanted to sell to a ‘local.’
So, my dad bought a place next door, 500 acres, 60 of them planted. There was an old house on the property with nine bedrooms and eight bathrooms but no living room. (One can only surmise what that house was used for!) My dad asked me if I could build him a living room – I was still a contractor at the time.
So I hired some guys, and one of them was up on a scaffold doing some plastering and he saw a wild boar grazing nearby. He called me and said ‘John, there’s a wild boar on your property. Can I shoot him?’ I said ‘Why don’t you call the game warden?’ He said ‘John, a wild boar is a varmint; all I need is your permission.’ I said ‘Ok, as long as you give me the hind quarter.’ So he got his gun, and he shot it. A few minutes later I get a call from my dad: ‘John, John! One of your guys just shot the neighbor’s pig!’”
Addendum: “I did finish that house, and we put it up for sale, along with 20 acres. A woman who was the ex-mayor of Coronado wanted to buy it, said she wanted to live in the country. But she didn’t know if she could manage 20 acres…could we make it 10 for the same price? Done!”
We are so grateful for the continued support of you, our Wine Club members. We have a lot of exciting things planned for members in 2018, including new exclusive events, special offers, and more. We so pleased you are joining us for another great year!
Please remember that this schedule is subject to change, but we will always keep you updated.
’TIS THE SEASON TO VISIT, SO HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE WINE COUNTRY STOPS.
It’s a wonderful time to visit Napa and get great deals on places to stay, and lots of personal attention in the tasting rooms. To help plan your visit, here are some of my favorite stops.
As a Napa Valley local, I am always proud to show off our beautiful home to visitors. Any time is a great time to be here, but this season is especially nice because you get:
Views – the vines’ leaves sport as many colors as a New England forest in autumn, and it is stunningly beautiful to see.
Winery Finery – the wineries have decked the walls with festive lights, greenery, bright bows and folksy wreaths to stoke your holiday spirit at every stop.
Community – there are holiday celebrations like the Calistoga lighted tractor parade and the Yountville Winter Wonderland where you can mix it up with the locals while having some homespun fun.
Giving – many wineries are donating tasting room fees to the fire recovery effort, so you can be a part of helping the recovery as you tour and taste.
Artist Ruth Harper and her Flora Springs Dashaway Chardonnay label art.
In the spirit of Flora Springs’ annual tradition of producing special holiday-themed releases. This year we have decided to complement our Etched Holiday red wine offerings with a festive 2015 Dashaway Chardonnay offering. Our charmingly-illustrated Dashaway label features reindeer flying over Napa Valley vineyards on Christmas Eve. Created by illustrator Ruth Harper, who is best known for her work in many New York Times #1 best-selling children’s picture books, she captures a light-hearted whimsy that is reminiscent of the joy and excitement this time of year brings. Flora Springs wishes you, our friends a very happy holiday!
The 2015 Dashaway Chardonnay shows off rich, ripe, caramelized fruit, hints of warm apple pie and notes of Bosc pear and almond paste. Twice-weekly lees stirring and 30% malolactic fermentation give the wine a creamy, open texture, and the long finish coats the mouth in delicious vanilla custard. This is ideal as an aperitif, and also works well with roast turkey with all the fixings.
Left to Right: Anne & Nat Komes, Lindsay & Sean Garvey with their children Sabine & Graham,
and Julie & Pat Garvey SNAPPED WITH LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY SNAPPED WITH LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY SNAPPED WITH LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY SNAPPED WITH LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY SNAPPED WITH LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY
On Sunday, October 29th Flora Springs held a Napa Valley Fire Relief Benefit Music Festival at The Room and generated a total of fifteen thousand dollars for the Napa Valley Community Disaster Relief Fund! The festival was pulled together in record time by Flora Springs family, staff, musicians, and sponsors to support victims of the recent wildfires that blew through the valley earlier this month. Five San Francisco Bay Area bands which included Fellow Vessel, Mr. Kind, Miss Moonshine, Serf & James and Sean Garvey headlined the afternoon and admission was complimentary to the community. Flora Springs wines by the glass and by the bottle were poured with delicious bites from acclaimed purveyors including Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen, Market St. Helena, Sorenson Catering, Tre Posti, ZuZu, Lulu Cookies and Ines Biscottito during the fête. “On behalf of my family, I’d like to thank our community for their support in fundraising for this important cause. It warms my heart to see such generosity from our friends and neighbors on behalf of each other.” reflects John Komes, Proprietor of Flora Springs.
Flora Springs will hold a benefit music festival on Sunday, October 29th at The Room in St. Helena with all proceeds going to victims of the recent Napa Valley wildfires through the Napa Valley Community Disaster Relief Fund. The fundraiser, held from 12pm to 5pm, will feature five San Francisco Bay Area bands and musicians including Serf & James, Fellow Vessel, Sean Garvey, Mr. Kind, and Miss Moonshine. Flora Springs wines by the glass and bottle will be poured and small bites will be served. The event will also feature an auction including wines and other items. Admission to the event is complimentary and no RSVP is needed.
“We wanted to jump in quickly and support the Napa Valley community as it recovers from these devastating fires,” said Flora Springs General Manager Nat Komes. Although the fires that raged through parts of Napa Valley hovered at the ridgeline to the west of Flora Springs’ winery and vineyards in Rutherford, the estate escaped unharmed thanks to the heroic efforts of firefighters and first responders.
“We were among the lucky ones, but we know many who were not as fortunate,” said Flora Springs Co-Founder and Proprietor John Komes. “The Festival will raise monies to help fire victims, but will also serve as a way for our community to come together in a show of strength and fellowship. Everyone is welcome.” The lineup of artists includes several who were themselves affected by the fires in Napa and Sonoma Counties.
The following is the festival schedule:
Miss Moonshine
12pm – 12:45pm
This Petaluma, CA band was personally affected by the fires in Sonoma Valley: one lost her house, one lost his job. On October 29th, they come together to bring the healing power of foot-stomping, folk-rock music to The Room.
Fellow Vessel
1pm – 1:45pm
A successful engineer quits his job to form a band with old friends, determined to follow his life’s true passion: that’s the story behind Fellow Vessel. With a catalog of original melodic rock songs, this band inspires anyone with a dream.
Mr. Kind
2pm – 2:45pm
Brian Bergeron and Jonathan Devoto are founding members of Mr. Kind, an electroacoustic band out of Oakland, CA. Over the course of 4 EPs and local shows, they have established their own brand of Americana. They are also founding members of Ivy Hill Entertainment, a music and event production agency responsible for booking music for the Napa Valley Film Festival, and most recently, a summer piano music series at Flora Springs. They will be collaborating with Tapper Dan as part of this performance.
Sean Garvey
3pm – 3:45pm
An accomplished musician, Sean Garvey is also Flora Komes’ grandson and the winery’s vineyard manager. He witnessed the fires that swept through Napa Valley, just a few miles from the Estate and winery that has been home to his family for three generations. Sean is grateful for his family and winery’s safety, and carries a renewed perspective on the fragile nature of our livelihood.
Serf and James
4pm to 5pm
Serf and James live and work in the Napa Valley. In fact, the duo works at Flora Springs. They have played at the Napa Valley Film Festival, BottleRock, and Flora Springs Club members’ weddings and parties.
On Sunday, October 8, 2017, multiple wildfires broke out in Napa and Sonoma Counties. The fires quickly spread with astonishing ferocity.
In the midst of much destruction, we are pleased to report that our family and our staff are safe, and we are so very thankful that no one here at Flora Springs lost their home. Our benchland and valley floor vineyards are also thankfully intact, as is the winery – including our beloved old stone Ghost Winery. Miraculously, because of the growing conditions this year, 100% of our grapes were harvested and under the roof before the fires began.
Unfortunately, not all of our friends and neighbors are as fortunate, and our hearts go out to the folks whose homes and businesses have been damaged or destroyed. Our community is one of resilience and strength, and together we will pull through.
Wildfire boundaries in relation to Flora Springs vineyard locations.
How did you hear about the fire and where were you? We were at home, and up at 2:00 am, as Robin had to get ready for an early flight to NY. I noticed the power was off, and it smelled of smoke. We looked out the bedroom window, and there was an inferno against the black sky to the Southwest. (Of course, I’m sure it was further than it looked, but it looked darn close.)
What has your experience been during the last week and a half? Controlled chaos perhaps? At the onset, it was unpredictable with the high winds so we called all our family first thing. I headed to the winery once I knew everyone was safe and I could see the fire was coming over the ridges between Oakville and Rutherford just south of winery. It burned for days in and around that area, as well as directly behind the winery, so we monitored it closely while getting to work. Fortunately, Flora Springs has a backup generator that can run the entire winery which enabled us to continue working even when the power grid went down.
We were cognoscente of the dangerous situation. Calistoga was closed so the northern route was shut off, Silverado Trail was closed and the eastern route was shut off and that left only one way in and one way out, south on Hwy 29. It was not a great feeling knowing that the fire could certainly move east and block the only road out. If the worst-case scenario happened, we had a backup plan. Fortunately for us, Flora Springs has an extensive cave system. If the fire came over the ridge from Sugar Loaf it would most likely mean that it is an eastern wind. The only material to burn at the winery would be the roof. If we opened the front doors to the main cellar and sought refuge in the back of the cave we would be safe. It would probably pass in less than an hour anyway. I located a 36V power inverter that quickly connects to our electric forklift so if the power went out, and the generator failed, we could still run two 4-foot box fans at the cave entrance to push any smoke out, and away from cave portal just as a safety precaution.
When you first arrived on property what were your first concerns? Evaluating exact location of the fire, and ensuring our people, winery and houses were safe. Since the power was out, we had to ensure there was a sufficient amount of diesel in the generator tank. We converted a plastic 300-gallon lees tank into a diesel tank, shuttled diesel from our filling station to the generator, and siphoned enough diesel to fill the generator with 400 gallons, with another 300 gallons on standby. Since we had 30 or so fermentations going at that time, it was most critical to keep our refrigeration system up and running to manage the fermentation temperatures.
Do you think the vineyards served beneficially as a fire break? Thankfully none of Flora Springs’ vineyards have been damaged. Unlike how the vineyards were portrayed in the movie, “A Walk in Clouds,” they don’t really ignite like that. They do make a decent fire break especially if they are tilled between the rows versus cover between rows. As far as winery protection on the south side, if West Zinfandel Lane continued west, you would run into our Cabernet Franc vineyard in block K. If you drew a straight-line west from Inglewood Lane on the North side of the property, you would run into our cabernet vineyard block N, and Merlot vineyard block L. Block J (Hillside Reserve) vineyard runs in-between those blocks connecting the entire length with contiguous vineyard. In addition, the winery has 4 reservoirs as well.
All the fruit was in before any fire started…will you speak to your perception of anticipated vintage quality? We are very happy with how color, aromatics as well as the flavor profiles have developed in the fermenters. We picked most of our fruit a bit earlier this year, primarily due to the heatwaves we experienced in September. The fruit held up well, but often the skins require additional hang time to resolve and soften the tannins. As a result, we managed the fermentations in such a way as to press the wine off its skins at, or before dryness to avoid any additional skin contact and risk any astringent tannin characteristics.
Will Flora Springs be doing anything differently in the vineyards or on the property to protect against future fire threat? I think we have a pretty good grasp of the property and risks thereof. We keep our grasses low, have vineyards surrounding the winery with reservoirs with pump stations. Dedicated water tanks for fire only, as well as 2 other tanks that can be utilized as fire hydrants or sprinkler systems etc.
Left to Right: Anne & Nat Komes, Lindsay & Sean Garvey with their children Sabine & Graham,
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Wildfire boundaries in relation to Flora Springs vineyard locations.