Cellarmistress Pinks Out!!

Every May in San Francisco, there is a lovely event that takes place at Butterfly Restaurant. The event is called "Pink Out! SF" and it is a celebration of Rosé. Rosé is a wine often misunderstood and overlooked and I beg to disagree with the non-believers. I am a huge fan of this wine. The more, the merrier! It is made of virtually every red varietal grape, in many different styles (including the dreaded, sweet White Zinfandel, which we will not talk about here...) If you can get past the stigma that pink wines have been burdened with for the past thirty plus years and realize what you have is a virtual goldmine of flavors, you too will enjoy this wine! I look forward to celebrating this event every year, albeit virtually from out in the field, but still proud to partake! 

This year, samples came to me from two Sonoma County wineries: Gloria Ferrer Champagne Caves and Envolve Winery. I also received a sample from Chateau D'Esclans in the Provence (France) and Croft (Portugal). These four wines were all unique in style and distinctively different! From the serious to the not so serious...

The 2007 Gloria Ferrer Brut Rosé is just gorgeous and a wonderful example of a sparkling rosé. I had the pleasure of visiting the winery in Sonoma last Fall and enjoyed every breathtaking moment of sitting on their terrace and drinking in the view. With that in mind, this handcrafted wine is heavenly, with its hints of cranberry, strawberry and cotton candy. Off dry, perfect alone or with cheese and charcuterie. Loved it! $45.

The 2011 Chateau D'Esclans "Whispering Angel" was a breath of fresh air. From its light, iridescent color to its fresh and fruity flavors, this wine held court at my place! Handcrafted with a much higher perceived value, I was blown away at the $19 price point! Fashioned from five varietal grapes: Grenache, Rolle, Syrah, Cinsault and Tibouren and stainless steel fermented. I want more of this wine now!

I was excited to try the 2011 Envolve Winery Sonoma Mountain Rosé. For those of you who aren't familiar, if you happened to watch ABC's "The Bachelor" show on prime time earlier this year, you would have familiarized yourselves with Ben Flajnik, one of the winery's partners and winemakers. This rosé punched me in the face with its huge strawberry/raspberry/rhubarb "Jolly Rancher" flavors but I couldn't quite grasp the finish. I wasn't excited. It was a tad too sweet so I'm not understanding why they fermented it sweeter rather than drier. It would've been so much more palatable and enjoyable as a drier wine. Perhaps for future vintages? Time will tell. $24.99.

The last wine we sampled was Croft Pink Port. I was skeptical. At first sip, I didn't much care for it. I like my dessert wines with more substance. However, the next day, I made a nice Martini out of it. It makes a great mixer! In fact if you go their website, there's a link for cocktail recipes. I'm not really sure what the price point is on this one. But I can't imagine it would be pricey. Not if you're going to make cocktails with it. It was a great thought, whoever decided to create this concoction. I think it would definitely appeal to women.

 

So, this event has me so excited to seek out more Rosé wines!! And I plan to do that in a couple months when I visit Napa and Sonoma again! Cheers everyone! It's Summertime! Get your Pink on and Pink out!

And Gentlemen, keep in mind that we women love a man who drinks "Pink"!

A special thanks to the team at TasteLive for inviting me to participate again this year and to my great friend Katherine Parker for providing the fun "Pink Out! SF" photo.

"You Saw It Here First"...This post was created solely for "Cellarmistress' Cellar Talk" by Grace Hoffman. Grace is an Italian-born, American-bred wine blogger/educator with an all-consuming passion for wine and all it encompasses.

Rock Stars & Their Wines, Part Two: Carlos Santana Sparkles...

A couple days ago, I was one of a team of wine bloggers chosen to participate in an event called "The Wines Of MUSEXPO." MUSEXPO was an event that took place in Hollywood. An international festival bringing bands together and...WINE! Our friend, Ziggy Eschliman (better known as Sommelier to the music world and @ZiggyTheWineGal on Twitter) was our on-line hostess with the mostest and we sampled our way through an array of wines! So what does rock 'n roll have to do with wine? CHECK THIS OUT!!
  
Carlos Santana...Rock star extraordinaire...He delves in some serious stuff... Restaurants, shoes (yes, I happen to own a couple pairs of his designer shoes...) and BUBBLY. His relationship with Mumm Napa Winery in Napa Valley has been long standing and his latest creation, Santana Brut, has proven successful. And it is delicious! At $45 a bottle, this gorgeous sparkler (35% Pinot Noir, 65% Chardonnay) bursts with red apple, hazelnut biscotti and a huge kiss of strawberry on the finish. Light effervescent bubbles will transport you to a dark and raunchy state of mind. Guess there's a reason why he sang, "Black Magic Woman"... But the best part, part of the proceeds of your purchase of this wine goes to the Milagro Foundation, a charity that helps under priviliged children. And when you're done with the bottle, you'll want to find an artsy thing to do with it because the front and back labels are fabric with the classic Santana logo and the metal cap, well...It's one of the coolest I've ever seen...So smooth!!!

Santana Brut is available at Mumm Napa Winery or online at their website, mummnapa.com. For more information about the Milagro Foundation, please check out their website at milagrofoundation.org. What are you waiting for? Everyone has a rock star within them! Go unleash yours and sparkle!!

"You Saw It Here First"...This post was created solely for "Cellarmistress' Cellar Talk" by Grace Hoffman. Grace is an Italian-born, American-bred wine blogger/educator with an all-consuming passion for wine and all it encompasses.

Staying Cool With Francis Ford Coppola

 
Cool. Crisp. Delightful. I love my white wines. Simple. Easy. Perfect for warm weather sipping on my patio. With our crazy weather this year, you can never be too prepared. When I look for these types of wines, I also look for value, especially if I want to impress friends when they come over for company. I've been drinking the Coppola Diamond Collection wines for awhile now and they are always consistent.

Recently, I sampled two such delights: 2011 Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Pinot Grigio and 2011 Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Sauvignon Blanc. At $16 each, these wines are true values and should be a staple in everyone's collection.

The nose on the Pinot Grigio is intoxicating, with the promise of nectarines, ripe apples and floral notes. Most Pinot Grigio is bland in my opinion, but this one is bursting with fruit flavors and very juicy. It's delicious and will pair well with Summer salads, seafood dishes and light cheeses.

I really enjoyed the Sauvignon Blanc. Each year, winemaker Corey Beck, sources his grapes from different vineyards all over California. The 2011 is made from grapes sourced in the cool areas of Lake County (which is just north and east of Napa Valley) and Alexander Valley in northern Sonoma County. This makes for a juicy, grapefruity and grassy Sauvignon Blanc, not so much in the New Zealand-style but more so a typical California style. Loved it!

And for a more hands on Coppola experience, I can't wait to visit the winery in Geyserville, which is located in northern Sonoma County. Not only are these wines featured there, but many others produced by the Coppola team. The winery is fun and boasts a wonderful restaurant named Rustic--the menu features many recipes from the Coppola family. Definitely worth a visit! These wines are easy to find and are distributed nationwide. For more information on these wines and the winery, please visit francisfordcoppolawinery.com.

 I'd like to thank the Coppola PR team for sending me these wines to sample and share them with you! Happy Summer Sipping!!

"You Saw It Here First"...This post was created solely for "Cellarmistress' Cellar Talk" by Grace Hoffman. Grace is an Italian-born, American-bred wine blogger/educator with an all-consuming passion for wine and all it encompasses.

An Afternoon At Garagiste Healdsburg

Back in October, I was celebrating yet another birthday with my fabulous wine country girlfriends, when one of them gave me a bottle of wine as a gift. 2008 Cartograph Wines Two Pisces Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. I had barely heard of Cartograph Wines let alone tried any of it. But I was fascinated...So when I got back home, I did some research and on my latest trip, I decided I wanted to visit them. Why? Because their story, like so many that I am encountering as I venture my way through wine country, is inspirational. I've met many who pick up their lives and move to California to realize their dreams. I plan to do that myself very soon! They had a dream and guess what? It's coming true!! That's an inspiration!

I let another friend of mine plan the visit and on a quiet and chilly early Sunday afternoon, we all got in the car and ventured to Healdsburg, California in Sonoma County. I've been to Healdsburg many times but never to a tasting room in the downtown area. So this was a first for me. However, this place was more than just a tasting room as I would soon find out. It was also a great lounge to hang out with good friends and a micro-winery where small lot wines were showcased!


Alan Baker and Serena Lourie met at Crushpad in San Francisco. Alan, a Minnesota native packed up his life and moved west to make wine. Serena also did this from the east coast. Alan made his first Pinot Noir, under the Cellar Rat label, while at Crushpad and Serena helped him make other wines. Soon the two were collaborating on their own project, which brings us to the present and this wonderful little place they call Garagiste Healdsburg!



To understand Garagiste Healdsburg is to understand the concept behind it. A "Garagiste" is a person who handcrafts small lots of wine with passion and care. Alan and Serena are small lot winemakers who take pride in their work and it most certainly shows! Their wines are amazing and I had a wonderful time sampling these delights. The tasting room also features the wines of their friends, Stark Wines--another example of handcrafted goodness. These are gems you will not want to miss!! Garagiste Healdsburg is very modern, airy and welcoming. Alan and Serena are wonderful hosts!



The tasting room features a very lengthy menu that the owners switch up from time time. Wine can be purchased by the glass or by the bottle.



Among some of my favorites (it was tough to choose because I loved them all!) were some interesting whites.



2010 Cartograph Floodgate Vineyard Gewurztraminer. Gewurztraminer isn't a wine I drink a lot of but one sip of this spicy, sassy white and I immediately started thinking about all the Asian, Mexican and Indian cuisine I could pair it with! $22.



2009 Stark Windsor Oaks Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay. This is where the bold and the beautiful comes into play! Huge, creamy, and tropical. When I'm in the mood for this style of Chardonnay, this is where I would come to find it. They only made 118 cases so get it now while you can! $30.

And some interesting reds...

2009 Cartograph Perli Vineyard Mendocino Ridge Pinot Noir. Interesting and rustic. Leather, mushrooms, cranberries, very full-bodied. Perfect for those gamey meals but I'd drink it with a lamb chop or a huge steak. It's va-va-voom and in your face! $42.



2009 Stark Eaglepoint Ranch Mendocino Ridge Syrah. Drool. Drool. Nom. Nom. Nom. My mouth is watering when I think about this wine. It is so elegant. To me, it was almost perfect. Layers and layers of dark fruit and minerals. Another small case production. 118 cases. Very recommended. $42.

The more I sampled, the more I didn't want to leave! I had such a great time meeting Alan and Serena and hanging out with my close girlfriends. It was such a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I highly recommend everyone visit this little place. It will certainly find a place to stay in your hearts!



I want to thank Alan Baker and Serena Lourie for being such gracious hosts and making such great wines! I would love for you two to join me on Twitter the evening of April 18th as we discuss Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir on #winechat!! I will come back and see you in July!!

I also want to thank my wonderful friends Thea Dwelle, Jerae Knutson, Sherri Housman and Barbara Phillips for being part of this great afternoon! I hope you had as much fun as I did! A special thanks to Katherine Parker, for bringing Cartograph Wines to my attention!

For more information on Garagiste Healdsburg, Cartograph and Stark Wines, please visit the following website: garagistehbg.com. Follow them on Twitter at @garagistehbg and @cartographwines or visit their Facebook page!

But don't just take my word for it! Go visit them! They are located at 439 Healdsburg Avenue.

"You Saw It Here First"...This post was created solely for "Cellarmistress' Cellar Talk" by Grace Hoffman. Grace is an Italian-born, American-bred wine blogger/educator with an all-consuming passion for wine and all it encompasses.

Sparkle Up Your Holiday With Domaine Carneros

Bubbly...Everyone who knows me, knows how much I love it!! A lot of people save it for special occasions, but not me. I love to sip my bubbles seven days a week. But what about those special occasions like holidays? Easter is coming up and there are plenty of reasons to bring bubbly into the mix!

Who's been to Domaine Carneros? Domaine Carneros is a gorgeous place, nestled in the hills of Napa Valley's Carneros AVA and one of the first attractions as you enter Napa Valley. The beauty of the chateau alone will take your breath away! I've visited them many times and they make some wonderful sparklers and great still wines. In fact, every time I turn around, they have more new wines in their portfolio! There's nothing I enjoy more than to spend a relaxing Sunday afternoon sipping bubbles outside on their terrace.

Last month while I was traveling around Napa Valley, their PR and distribution firm, Kobrand, approached me about sampling some of their sparklers. How could I say no?

This winery makes absolutely gorgeous sparkling wine. End of story. I feel like I'm in another world when I'm sipping these. This time I tried a couple of what I call their "flagship" sparklers, the Brut Rosé and the 2005 Le Rêve Blanc de Blancs.



The Brut Rosé is an easy one to find in most U.S. markets which is why I decided to share. You should be able to go to a local wine store and find it. (Though you may want to order a case or so for later because it's really delicious!!) A blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, it's exotic spicy raspberry and strawberry flavors will entice you! This one is an easy choice and for $38 a bottle, it definitely is a value!



The 2005 Le Rêve Blanc de Blancs is the true star of California! The wine is sparkling but not just because of the bubbles! 99% Chardonnay and 1% Pinot Blanc, this bubbly is guava and lemon cream with a slight hint of toast! Absolutely breathtaking and beautiful! And it should be for $95 a bottle! Definitely try this one sometime! It'll definitely make you happy!

For more information on Domaine Carneros, their wines and visiting the winery, please go to domainecarneros.com.

I want to thank the folks at Kobrand and Domaine Carneros for sharing these lovely wines with me. I hope everyone out there has a fantastic Easter holiday and hopefully the Easter bunny will bring you lots of Domaine Carneros bubbly!

"You Saw It Here First"...This post was created solely for "Cellarmistress' Cellar Talk" by Grace Hoffman. Grace is an Italian-born, American-bred wine blogger/educator with an all-consuming passion for wine and all it encompasses.

Cellarmistress Discovers Some Of Napa Valley's Hidden Gems

In December, I was invited to attend Premiere Napa Valley, a Napa Valley charity event put on for the trade. It would be the most exciting, overwhelming experience I had ever encountered. I attended fifteen events in three days--from winery open houses, to grand tastings by AVA. From a barrel tasting and auction of hundreds of rare wine lots produced just for the event to post auction theme parties. In those three days, I met more important people in the industry than I ever would have on my own. It was absolutely amazing... This post is rather lengthy but I wouldn't be doing it justice if it wasn't.

After my invitation arrived and for the following two months, I received countless invitations to wine tasting events and winery open houses all over the valley. It was tough to pick and choose because many of them overlapped and you can't be everywhere at once! One Sunday night, very late in the evening, I received an invitation to attend a gathering of small producers at an event in St. Helena. The event was held at a place called 750 Wines. I admit I'd never heard of the place but the names of the producers enticed me. Why? Because I didn't know who they were. I now consider them Napa Valley's Hidden Gems.

Arkenstone, Aloft, Continuum, Detert, The Vineyardist, and Tor...Six producers worth their weight in GOLD! If you don't know who these producers are, I am here to educate you! You will want to know them and embrace them. I admit I wish I could mention every producer that was at this event. I ran out of time and didn't make it to each booth. Looking back, I wish I had! Collectors of fine wine, perk up your ears! These are wines you will want in your collection!


The first table I spotted was Arkenstone Vineyards. I immediately connected with them because of their midwestern roots. Pouring the wines, proprietor Susan Krausz confided in me she was originally from Minnesota. It's amazing how many midwesterners I've met in Napa. Guess we all want to be in the land of wine and sunshine! Susan and her husband Ron have been transplants since the 80s. Their property, up on Howell Mountain near the town of Angwin, is a work in progress. The wines? Amazing! I sampled the 2007 Obsidian, a Bordeaux blend of Howell Mountain fruit. Dark, rich, huge. Memorable. $120. I need to make an appointment and venture up there to see what they've done with this property. They also make a wonderful Sauvignon Blanc. Unfortunately, the 2009 vintage I sampled is sold out. For more information on Arkenstone wines and how you can visit them, please check out their website, arkenstone.com.


Years ago, I met Marc Mondavi of Charles Krug winery. He did a tasting here in my home town and mentioned he had been working on a wine project near his Howell Mountain home. I remember mentioning to friends I was hoping to try some of those wines some day! Well, that day finally came but it wasn't until that moment that I made the connection. Marc's wife, Janice Mondavi, was pouring Aloft. The brainchild of Marc and his brother, Peter Jr., Aloft is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Cold Springs Vineyard, 1660 feet up Howell Mountain, crafted by well-known winemaker, Thomas Rivers Brown and aged 19 months in new French oak. It has a huge backbone making it very ageworthy and the huge flavors (tobacco, chocolate, plum) will make you swoon! $150. To order this wine, please go to their website, aloftwines.com.


Now on to the other Mondavi family. I was pleased to meet Marcia Mondavi Borger (whose father was the great Robert Mondavi). She, along with her brother Tim and Tim's four children have come up with a gorgeous wine they've named Continuum. Such an appropriate name for the continuation of their winemaking going forward into the future.


The 2009 Continuum comes from the family's single estate vineyard on Pritchard Hill in the eastern mountains of Napa Valley. It is an elegant and powerful Bordeaux blend. I was pretty moved by this wine. My nose was permanently glued to my glass. The aromas were floral, fruity and chocolatey followed by lush dark berries on the palate. Wow! I'm not sure what the price point is on this wine. In order to purchase it, you have to belong to their mailing list and have a password to sign on to purchase. After a little research, I figured out the average price of this wine was around $150. Correct me if I'm wrong. You can access more information on their website, www.continuumestate.com.


On an added note and much to my delight, while attending the barrel tasting and auction a few days later, I had the pleasure of meeting Tim Mondavi and sampling his special lot of the 2010 Continuum that was being auctioned off that day! Whoever obtained that lot is one lucky person! It too, although extremely young, was just as amazing!



And now to a very small producer of Cabernet Franc, Detert Family Vineyards. I don't know about you, but I love Cabernet Franc and when I find a good one (since there aren't too many producers of the real thing alone), I want to shout about it! The Detert family has been in the valley since the 1950s. Primarily they were growers and their fruit was often used in such powerful wines such as Robert Mondavi's To Kalon Cabernets and Opus One. In fact, their vineyard is located in Oakville, just behind the famed To Kalon Vineyard. In the year 2000, they decided to start making their own wines. I met Tom Garrett, the Detert's grandson and winemaker of the current wines. He was very down to earth and listening to his story spoke volumes to me. The 2008 Detert Cabernet Franc was so nice. I smiled as I sampled it. It was smoky, with blackberry, violets and spice. Detert wines are allocated so you will need to access their website for more information. This wine sells for around $60. www.detert.com.



The tasting was not crowded so it was easy to lose track of time talking with all the producers. I was having such a wonderful time, I didn't want to leave!


This next winery took me completely by surprise! They are so new, in fact, that until the last couple weeks, I couldn't find any information on them. The Vineyardist is the brainchild of winemaker, Mark Herold. We had a great time talking to him. He was very personable and funny! Mark's small production Cabernet Sauvignon is a true discovery!! Mark's story is great! He started out making wine at home, then with the encouragement of a college professor, he went on to make his own wine, Merus, as well as consulting for other wineries such as Celani Family, Kobalt and Kamen. 2009 The Vineyardist is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Diamond Mountain. Sold in three packs on their website for $465.00. Mark's wines come highly recommended by many critics. I thought the wine was wonderful! Last I heard he is planning to open a tasting room in downtown Napa. That's exciting. For more information, please access their temporary website, www.vineyardistwines.com.


The last booth I visited was Tor Kenward Famiy Wines. You pretty much had to pry me away from them. It was a great way to spend my last few moments there! Tor Kenward began his wine industry career as a senior executive for Beringer Vineyards. He worked with them in winemaking and marketing for 27 years before retiring and starting his own label. He was great!! The wines are exquisite! I sampled the 2009 Tor Beckstoffer To Kalon Clone 6. 100% Cabernet sauvignon with floral flavors, licorice and spicy goodness. This wine is available for purchase on their website if you set up an account with them. Average price is around $130. Tor makes many different To Kalon Cabernets. This particular one was one of the smallest production ones I sampled, at only 175 cases made. www.torwines.com.


The next day, I had the pleasure of running into Tor again, this time in Oakville at another grand tasting. He was pouring samples of his 2009 To Kalon Clone 337 Cabernet Sauvignon out of a magnum! This wine was more rustic, meaty, woody and toasty! It grabbed me!! These wines are definitely worth seeking out!

I've only begun to hit the surface of what is out in Napa Valley! It has become my pet project to discover more and more of what makes this area tick! And I'm enjoying every minute of doing it! I want to thank the Barbour family for inviting me to such a wonderful event, the great producers at the event and to my great friend, Jerae Knutson, who accompanied me and took some of these great photos with her iphone!

"You Saw It Here First"...This post was created solely for "Cellarmistress' Cellar Talk" by Grace Hoffman. Grace is an Italian-born, American-bred wine blogger/educator with an all-consuming passion for wine and all it encompasses.

An Afternoon At Flora Springs Estate

My recent voyage to the Napa Valley has produced many milestones for me. One of my goals was to visit wineries I was unfamiliar with. One of the wineries I had always wanted to visit in the past was Flora Springs. With roots firmly planted in the Napa Valley and a rich family-owned history, Flora Springs painted a beautiful picture of what I loved most about the valley--the family tradition. A week before my trip, the winery's Director of Hospitality & Social Media, Margaret Meraz, reached out to me and invited me, along with a small group of my close friends, to a luncheon and tour of the family's estate in St. Helena. I was thrilled! It would be my most memorable event and a turning point in my wine journey. A real "A-HA!" moment!


The anticipation was killing me as we drove up tiny little Zinfandel Lane towards the breathtaking estate! Once we arrived, we began by gathering outside and our tour host, Travis, poured us all a glass of the most delicious Sauvignon Blanc I've had in a very long time, the 2010 Flora Springs "Soliloquy". I couldn't get enough of the melon and citrus and it has definitely become a favorite at a wonderful price! ($20) Travis is a gracious host and his enthusiasm and knowledge of the winery is impeccable! It was one of the most enjoyable tours I'd ever done! As we sipped our "Soliloquy", our chef came out and served us some nice little bites to go with the wine.


As we stood outside, Travis gave us a little bit of history surrounding the estate. I was thrilled to find out that the estate's matriarch, Flora Komes, had just celebrated her 100th birthday back in October! Now that is longevity! (Must be all that fabulous wine!). The winery has been in operation since 1978, founded by Flora's children, John Komes and Julie Garvey. Today, both families are still operating the winery and have painstakingly preserved the heritage and tradition for future generations. Organically-farmed vineyards and traditional winemaking techniques are what this family is all about.



As we walked through the caves, I spied something I had never seen before and had to ask. Apparently, unbeknownst to me, years and years ago, some winemakers would ferment white wines in concrete. Flora Springs has some egg-shaped concrete containers they do some fermentation in. I guess this method is making a slow comeback!



We also did a little "workshop" where we sampled red wines macerated in different types of oak, American and French (as shown in the photo below). Interesting to taste the difference, side by side!



After our educational and entertaining tour, we sat down for a gorgeous luncheon of baby spinach salad, pork tenderloin with creamy polenta and for dessert, dark chocolate cupcake with blackberry jam--all made on the premises! Each course was served with one of their signature wines: 2010 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay, 2009 Trilogy and the 2008 Rennie Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.



The three wines we had with the luncheon were perfectly paired! The 2010 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay was creamy with a lovely nutty finish ($35). The 2009 Trilogy is a flagship meritage blend for Flora Springs. Made up of four Bordeaux varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec, it was amazing with the pork tenderloin! ($65)



The 2008 Rennie Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was a powerhouse! 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from their St. Helena vineyards and aged 23 months in new French oak. Huge, huge flavors and just a marvel of a wine! I have been extremely impressed with a lot of the valley's 2008 vintage I've sampled so far and this wine was exceptional. I highly recommend it! ($100)


I felt like a queen sitting at this table with these remarkable women I call my close friends and I remember thinking, "This is what life should be all about!" Those memorable moments you make sharing great wine and food with your close friends and family! This experience really changed the way I was looking at my life and I realized that day what I wanted to do and how I wanted to spend my life going forward. It was just an exciting afternoon full of joy! We even got a glimpse of the season's first wildfire in Soda Canyon!



I would like to thank Margaret Meraz for putting on such a beautiful event for us! Your friendship and graciousness is much appreciated and I look forward to many years of friendship to come! You are awesome! Margaret gave us all goody bags on our way out. In addition to some fun information about the winery and some cute logo trinkets along with a book of photos commemorating Flora's life, we each received a bottle of the 2010 Flora 1911 Sauvignon Blanc, a special commemorative bottling in honor of Flora Komes' 100th birthday! It is available on their website and at the winery for $25. I can't wait to try it!


Thanks to the wonderful staff at Flora Springs Estate for your great hospitality and for sharing your history with us on such a great afternoon! I feel so fortunate to have been a part of this day!



Flora Springs Estate is open by appointment. They have many tour, tasting and dining options available. (Our tour, tasting and luncheon was put on as a special trade event for us.) To experience them for yourselves, please contact Margaret Meraz at the estate. More information is available on the winery's website: florasprings.com. Flora Springs also has a tasting room in St. Helena on Hwy 29.

I can't wait to come back!!!


"You Saw It Here First"...This post was created solely for "Cellarmistress' Cellar Talk" by Grace Hoffman. Grace is an Italian-born, American-bred wine blogger/educator with an all-consuming passion for wine and all it encompasses.