Flora Springs was founded in 1978, but our legacy dates back to the late 1800s when wine grapes were first planted on the Napa Valley property that is now our estate vineyards. The depth of this history reminds us that as stewards of this land, our family’s commitment to its health and vitality will be felt far into the future.
Our Matriarch Flora
Flora Komes always described her life as beautiful, and so it was, starting with her roots in Honolulu, Hawaii where she was born on November 7, 1911.
Independent and Smart at 18
At age 18, after graduating from McKinley High School, she left home, boarding an ocean liner bound for San Francisco to attend St. Mary’s Hospital School of Nursing. She took the last of her money and invested in a warm coat.
Flora Marries Jerry
As a student at St. Mary’s, Flora met the love of her life, Jerry Komes. Flora refused to marry him until she had graduated and secured a nursing position. On February 16, 1935, after having earned her postgraduate degree at Shriner’s Hospital, Flora married Jerry at morning mass at St. Agnes Church in San Francisco.
A Joyful Journey
Jerry and Flora were quite a team. She was Jerry’s greatest supporter, moving with him throughout California and Texas as he pursued his engineering career. The couple had three children, Mike, John and Julie, and eventually settled back in San Francisco where Jerry had a job in international relations at the Bechtel Corporation.
Jerry and Flora Komes purchase the old Rennie Brothers property from the Martini estate, including 325 acres of land and 60 acres of vineyard.
The couple, particularly Flora, are drawn to the abandoned property despite the dilapidated state of the buildings and winery, which has a dirt floor and still bears char marks from the 1900 fire. “Lots of people looked at the property but said it was too big a project. But it called to Flora.” – Julie Komes Garvey
John and Carrie Komes and Julie and Pat Garvey establish Flora Springs Winery, naming it after Flora, John and Julie’s mother, and the natural springs that run through the property.
“My parents intended to be gentlemen farmers and sell all the grapes. But Julie and I fell in love with the property and the idea of making wine. Once my mom’s name was on the label it became Dad’s job to make sure it didn’t fail.” – John Komes
“Outside of a home, it had all the things we weren’t looking for,” joked Jerry, who had recently retired as president of the Bechtel Corporation.
John, Julie and their spouses enlist the help of friends to harvest grapes from the newly-purchased estate. The first crush yields 200 cases of wine made with home winemaking equipment.
For the first two harvests John Komes seeks the advice of Consulting Winemaker Mary Ann Graf, the first female graduate of the Viticulture and Enology program at the University of California, Davis and one of the first female winemakers in the U.S.
Pat Garvey trades a teaching career for the role of managing Flora Springs’ vineyards.
The 1979 crush at Flora Springs yields 400 cases of Chardonnay and 400 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon. The Napa Valley Chardonnay wins a Gold Medal at the prestigious Los Angeles County Fair in 1980.
The Komes-Garvey families purchase the Crossroads Ranch in Oakville. Eventually, the ranch is the site of the Holy Smoke Vineyard, the source of one of Flora Springs’ renowned Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons.
The first vintage of Trilogy, Flora Springs’ flagship wine, is produced.
In the beginning Trilogy was a blend of three red Bordeaux varietals – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc – and was one of the earliest “meritage” wines in Napa Valley. Today, Trilogy may comprise up to five red Bordeaux varietals. The wine has won numerous awards and garnered critical acclaim year after year. Julie Garvey and a group of vintners establish the Meritage Association which helped boost the international reputation of American Bordeaux-style blends.
Flora Springs’ reputation grows through family’s hard work.
Julie Garvey takes on the key marketing role, spreading the word about Flora Springs throughout the U.S.
The first vintage of Soliloquy Sauvignon Blanc, Flora Springs’ flagship white wine, is produced.
A Sauvignon Blanc sourced from the Crossroads Ranch in Oakville, Soliloquy is named for Flora Springs’ proprietary “Soliloquy” clone which was certified by the University of California, Davis in the 1980s.
Flora Springs earns a place on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of the Year six times in one decade.
In 1994, Flora Springs 1991 Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is awarded 97 points and lands the #3 spot on the Top 100 list. In 1999, Flora Springs 1996 Trilogy is awarded 94 points and lands the #37 spot on the Top 100 list.
Flora Springs is awarded ‘First Growth Classification’ for its Chardonnays in James Laube’s book, California’s Great Chardonnays.
On May 31st Flora Springs 1987 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay is served at The White House at a dinner honoring President Gorbachev of the USSR and Mrs. Gorbachev.
Over the next six years Flora Springs wines are served at several dinners at The White House and the U.S. Capitol for heads of state, senators and government officials.
Nat, the son of John and Carrie Komes, starts his “official” career at Flora Springs with a sales position in southern California. Of couse, as the proprietors’ son, he’d held “unofficial” jobs at the winery since he could walk!
He was named General Manager in 2009 and serves on the winery’s Board of Directors.
Flora Springs creates its first single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Sourced from the winery’s estate vineyard, the 1994 Rutherford Hillside Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon earns 96 points from Wine Spectator upon its release in 1997.
The Room in St. Helena is constructed.
With an eye-catching design that echoes the look of Flora Springs’ hillside estate, The Room gives the winery a presence on Highway 29 at the south entrance to the town of St. Helena.
In celebration of its 20th anniversary Flora Springs creates a special single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Block C of its estate vineyard. Upon its release in 2000 the wine garners 98 points from Wine Spectator.
The winery continues to make a single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Block C, bottling it as the Rennie Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.
Sean Garvey, son of Proprietors Julie and Pat Garvey, joins Flora Springs as Northern California Sales Representative. Prior to that he’d worked on and off in the cellar, and in other capacities at the winery for most of his life!
In 2011 Sean was named Vineyard Manager for Flora Springs. Today he works side-by-side with his father, Vineyard Director Pat Garvey, farming the winery’s 350 acres of sustainably farmed vineyards.
Holy Smoke and Out of Sight Vineyards, as well as Block A of the Komes Ranch (a source for Trilogy) are certified organic under the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) program.
General Manager Nat Komes pays tribute to Flora Springs’ Ghost Winery by seeking out Virginia based artist Wes Freed, best known for his CD cover art for Drive By Truckers, to create a custom label for the first “Ghost Winery” wine. This spooky wine is a Great Tastes club member favorite.
Due to the wine’s popularity, Ghost Winery becomes a 100% Malbec and is now a product staple for Flora Springs Winery.
Flora Komes celebrates her 100th
Flora’s Legacy, a limited-production wine made in honor of Flora Komes, is released.
Proprietor and Vineyard Director Pat Garvey receives the prestigious Napa Valley Grower of the Year, an annual award bestowed by the Napa Valley Grapegrowers.
Pat led many important industry initiatives in Napa Valley, including the creation of the Oakville and Rutherford appellations. “Farming sustainably is important to me as a farmer, a father and a grandfather. Our farming practices ensure not only that this winery will be around for future generations, but that this land will be, too.”
Flora Springs celebrates its 40th anniversary in Napa Valley, the 30th vintage of Trilogy, and the 15th annual Trilogy Release Party on February 4, 2017!
In October 2017 Flora Springs survives wine country firestorms. All the benchland and valley floor vineyards are thankfully intact, as is the beloved old stone Ghost Winery.
“John Komes, president of Flora Springs, produced an outstanding and well-priced Merlot with its Napa Valley 2014, a concentrated and spice-accented version from valley floor vineyards.”
“An exceptionally priced wine for the quality is the Flora Springs Merlot Napa Valley 2014 (92, $30), with silky tannins behind the spicy red fruit flavors.”
Flora Springs recognized by Wine Spectator for Soliloquy video
