Flora Springs’ love affair with the Chardonnay varietal began when the winery was founded in 1978. In fact, you could say that it’s Chardonnay that put our winery on the map so many years ago! It has always been one of John Komes’ favorite wines, and since that first vintage, he’s made a Chardonnay every year we’ve been in business. We’d like to think we’ve gotten pretty good at it, always using the best fruit from our Napa Valley vineyards. In celebration of #ChardonnayDay, we thought we’d take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of our favorite Chardonnay milestones.
Vineyard Manager Pat Garvey watches as our first Chardonnay grapes are processedOur first vintage of Napa Valley ChardonnayMatriarch Flora Komes oversees our first harvest
Our Napa Valley Chardonnay Gets the Gold!
Back in the 1970s and 80s, the highest accolade a winery could earn was a Gold Medal from a wine competition. Our 1979 Napa Valley Chardonnay won a Gold at the prestigious Los Angeles County Fair in 1980. The recognition put Flora Springs on the map, and made everyone, including ourselves, take our winemaking a little more seriously
Full Steam Ahead
“With that surprising win, what had begun as a hobby was becoming a business, and Flora Springs went full steam ahead with producing the very best wines possible.”
A “First Growth” Chardonnay
In 1990 Wine Spectator columnist James Laube published California’s Great Chardonnays, recognizing Flora Springs Chardonnay as one of the state’s “First Growths” for the varietal.
A Wine for The White House
Over the years Flora Springs Chardonnays have been served at dinners at The White House and the U.S. Capitol, functions attended by heads of state, congressmen and women and government dignitaries.
The Legacy Continues
Today we make three Chardonnays, our Flora’s Legacy Chardonnay, the Family Select Chardonnay, and our Jon Nathaniel Lavender Hill Chardonnay, all sourced from our estate vineyards in Napa Valley. While they differ, each one carries the signature style for which we are known: beautiful forward fruit aromas and flavors, rich body and texture from barrel aging and lees stirring, partial malolactic fermentation, and just the right amount of acid to keep the wines fresh and perfectly balanced.
“9 Places to Taste Excellent Napa Valley Chardonnay” by NapaValley.com
“While officially founded in 1978, grapes were first planted on this St. Helena property, located at the foot of the Mayacamas, in the late 1800s, which marked the start of Flora Springs’ fascinating history. The winery produces several different chardonnays, each with a unique flavor profile, from the juicy and tropical Family Select Chardonnay to the limited-production Flora’s Legacy Chardonnay, made from a barrel selection of the finest chardonnay of the vintage, in honor of Flora Komes, the inspiration for the winery.” Read more.
Plan your visit to our Tasting Room located in St. Helena, the heart of the Napa Valley.
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. Shop now.
Note: The article excerpted below was originally published in the Napa Valley Register and can be found here.
‘I’ll tell you a story,” John Komes said. He was standing in front of a colorful painting that depicts Flora Springs Winery, which he and his family launched in 1978 in a pre-Prohibition ghost winery in St. Helena.
“We decided we wanted a painting,” he said, recounting how the family invited Cynthia Fitting, an artist living in Sacramento, to come to Flora Springs to talk about a project.
“When she was leaving, her car wouldn’t start.” Fitting flagged down an employee, just leaving the winery, to ask for a jump. Too busy, the man replied, and he hurried off to a sales meeting.
Fitting got the commission and produced the vivid, charming painting, which portrays the winery and its people…”Read more.
This is a rare opportunity to taste wines in an intimate setting with the legendary storyteller John Komes, founder and proprietor of Flora Springs. John’s recent project, Jon Nathaniel Wines, is a boutique-scale winery that allows him to get back into wine on a more personal level, much as he did when he started Flora Springs: “I always envisioned myself sitting on my porch, telling stories and pouring wines for friends, family and customers.”
With this tasting in the cave room at The Room, John – known for the devilish twinkle in his eye – does just that, personally sharing tales of his 40+ years of winemaking in Napa Valley along with the small-batch wines of Jon Nathaniel. This entertaining tasting includes six exclusive, critically-acclaimed Jon Nathaniel wines.
Offered by advance appointment only on select Saturdays: May 11, May 25, June 1, June 15, June 29 & July 6
$85 per person
Allow 90 minutes
This is a rare opportunity to taste wines in an intimate setting with the legendary storyteller John Komes, founder and proprietor of Flora Springs. John’s recent project, Jon Nathaniel Wines, is a boutique-scale winery that allows him to get back into wine on a more personal level, much as he did when he started Flora Springs: “I always envisioned myself sitting on my porch, telling stories and pouring wines for friends, family and customers.”
With this tasting in the cave room at The Room, John – known for the devilish twinkle in his eye – does just that, personally sharing tales of his 40+ years of winemaking in Napa Valley along with the small-batch wines of Jon Nathaniel. This entertaining tasting includes six exclusive, critically-acclaimed Jon Nathaniel wines.
Offered by advance appointment only on select Saturdays: May 11, May 25, June 1, June 15, June 29 & July 6
$85 per person
Allow 90 minutes
This is a rare opportunity to taste wines in an intimate setting with the legendary storyteller John Komes, founder and proprietor of Flora Springs. John’s recent project, Jon Nathaniel Wines, is a boutique-scale winery that allows him to get back into wine on a more personal level, much as he did when he started Flora Springs: “I always envisioned myself sitting on my porch, telling stories and pouring wines for friends, family and customers.”
With this tasting in the cave room at The Room, John – known for the devilish twinkle in his eye – does just that, personally sharing tales of his 40+ years of winemaking in Napa Valley along with the small-batch wines of Jon Nathaniel. This entertaining tasting includes six exclusive, critically-acclaimed Jon Nathaniel wines.
Offered by advance appointment only on select Saturdays: May 11, May 25, June 1, June 15, June 29 & July 6
$85 per person
Allow 90 minutes
This event is sold out. Other dates are still available.
This is a rare opportunity to taste wines in an intimate setting with the legendary storyteller John Komes, founder and proprietor of Flora Springs. John’s recent project, Jon Nathaniel Wines, is a boutique-scale winery that allows him to get back into wine on a more personal level, much as he did when he started Flora Springs: “I always envisioned myself sitting on my porch, telling stories and pouring wines for friends, family and customers.”
With this tasting in the cave room at The Room, John – known for the devilish twinkle in his eye – does just that, personally sharing tales of his 40+ years of winemaking in Napa Valley along with the small-batch wines of Jon Nathaniel. This entertaining tasting includes six exclusive, critically-acclaimed Jon Nathaniel wines.
Offered by advance appointment only on select Saturdays: May 11, May 25, June 1, June 15, June 29 & July 6
$85 per person
Allow 90 minutes
Limited to 8 guests, reserve your spot now:
The June 1 tasting is sold out. Other dates are still available, see our Events page.
This is a rare opportunity to taste wines in an intimate setting with the legendary storyteller John Komes, founder and proprietor of Flora Springs. John’s recent project, Jon Nathaniel Wines, is a boutique-scale winery that allows him to get back into wine on a more personal level, much as he did when he started Flora Springs: “I always envisioned myself sitting on my porch, telling stories and pouring wines for friends, family and customers.”
With this tasting in the cave room at The Room, John – known for the devilish twinkle in his eye – does just that, personally sharing tales of his 40+ years of winemaking in Napa Valley along with the small-batch wines of Jon Nathaniel. This entertaining tasting includes six exclusive, critically-acclaimed Jon Nathaniel wines.
Offered by advance appointment only on select Saturdays: May 11, May 25, June 1, June 15, June 29 & July 6
$85 per person
Allow 90 minutes
This is a rare opportunity to taste wines in an intimate setting with the legendary storyteller John Komes, founder and proprietor of Flora Springs. John’s recent project, Jon Nathaniel Wines, is a boutique-scale winery that allows him to get back into wine on a more personal level, much as he did when he started Flora Springs: “I always envisioned myself sitting on my porch, telling stories and pouring wines for friends, family and customers.”
With this tasting in the cave room at The Room, John – known for the devilish twinkle in his eye – does just that, personally sharing tales of his 40+ years of winemaking in Napa Valley along with the small-batch wines of Jon Nathaniel. This entertaining tasting includes six exclusive, critically-acclaimed Jon Nathaniel wines.
Offered by advance appointment only on select Saturdays: May 11, May 25, June 1, June 15, June 29 & July 6
$85 per person
Allow 90 minutes
This is a rare opportunity to taste wines in an intimate setting with the legendary storyteller John Komes, founder and proprietor of Flora Springs. John’s recent project, Jon Nathaniel Wines, is a boutique-scale winery that allows him to get back into wine on a more personal level, much as he did when he started Flora Springs: “I always envisioned myself sitting on my porch, telling stories and pouring wines for friends, family and customers.”
With this tasting in the cave room at The Room, John – known for the devilish twinkle in his eye – does just that, personally sharing tales of his 40+ years of winemaking in Napa Valley along with the small-batch wines of Jon Nathaniel. This entertaining tasting includes six exclusive, critically-acclaimed Jon Nathaniel wines.
Offered by advance appointment only on select Saturdays: May 11, May 25, June 1, June 15, June 29 & July 6
$85 per person
Allow 90 minutes
Limited to 8 guests
