Flora Springs

It's hard to imagine now, but the majestic stone cellar of Flora Springs was once an abandoned "ghost" winery. It was Flora who saw the magic hidden behind decades of neglect, over-grown ivy, and shifting rock walls. The property's winemaking roots date back to the 19th century, but it's been the work of Jerry and Flora's children, John Komes and his wife Carrie, and Julie Garvey and her husband Pat Garvey, that has written the history.

Located at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains in the far Northwest corner of the Rutherford appellation, the Flora Springs estate is in the heart of the Napa Valley. Founded in 1978, Flora Springs has been a family affair for over three decades. As both artisan winemakers and growers, the family is committed to the traditions of fine winemaking and responsible stewardship of its 650 acres of vineyard land for future generations to savor and uphold. Today, ninety percent of Flora Springs' red wines are sourced from its organically-farmed estate vineyards, and all of these wines are crafted in our solar-powered 19th-century stone winery and caves.

Young founders in 1978:
Carrie and John Komes and Julie and Pat Garvey

Named after our mother and grandmother, Flora, and for the natural springs on the winery property that have flowed uninterrupted even through periods of drought, Flora Springs is both our life's work and our home. Third-generation vintners Nat Komes and Sean Garvey, both of whom grew up at the winery, are now poised to take the helm guiding the winery into a new era of artisanal winemaking in the spirit of tradition, innovation, and community values epitomized by their grandparents, Flora and Jerry.

The Komes and Garvey families of Flora Springs Winery & Vineyards came to the wine business as farmers first. Our love of the land influences everything we do. Every wine we produce, from Trilogy, which comes from the first vineyard to capture our hearts, to our single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons, is crafted to express the beauty, the unique soils, and the microclimate of their respective vineyard sites.

As our family has grown, so have our vineyards, and we now own 650 acres of vineyards throughout the Napa Valley, in some of the region’s most-coveted sub-appellations, including Rutherford, St. Helena, Oakville and Carneros. From the beginning, we’ve farmed our vineyards using sustainable practices. Not only do these practices make for good neighbors, healthy vineyard workers, and an ecologically-sound place to live and work, they also make for what we think are some pretty outstanding grapes. Several years ago, we started farming organically wherever possible. Today, nearly all of our red wines are sourced from our organically-farmed estate vineyards.

Farming sustainably is just one part of Flora Springs' ongoing green efforts. In 2007 we implemented solar power at our historic stone winery. The decision to go solar was an easy one for us, and one that aligns perfectly with our mission to honor Flora, our mother and grandmother, whom believes in being both a good steward of the land, and a good neighbor. Converting our red wine production facilities to solar power helps us to do both.

The panels take up approximately 6,500 square feet, and are mounted on a custom-designed structure that doubles as a storage and shade area. The panels generate 100,000 kWh annually, which will cover all of the energy needed for our red wine production.

In 1977, when we began the restoration of the century old ghost winery on the Flora Springs Estate, we understood the art of winemaking, but we were only beginning to understand the magic in our vineyards. For over thirty years we have served as stewards to our nine sustainably and organically farmed estate vineyards. We now know every corner of our land: how the light falls in late August, where the soils change, and which vineyard blocks ripen earliest. This identity of site dictates how we farm, and in turn, how we make the wine. By respecting this identity, we craft elegant and powerful wines that reflect the place from which they originate. Trends will come and go, but our muse will always be the land.

Under the direction of winemaker Paul Steinauer, Flora Springs continues its legacy as a pioneer in the American wine landscape. The estate blends historical charm with state-of-the-art winery production techniques and environmentally conscious technology. Inside the stone walls of our century old winery you will find specifically tailored stainless steel and concrete fermenters sized to match the blocks on each of our estate vineyards. Beyond the stone archway of the cellar lays 1,000 linear feet of caves. Carved in to the hillside, they provide an ideal and energy efficient environment for aging our wines. In December 2007 we implemented our most globally conscious upgrade with the installation of 6,500 square feet of solar panels. Sun powered wine!

Today, Paul Steinauer, and co-proprietor and vineyard director Pat Garvey, continue their commitment to growing and hand crafting artisan wines that can be enjoyed young and vibrant or cellared and graceful. "The synergy we've created between the vineyard and winery is our foundation," says Steinauer. "We share the same vision and dedicate all of our resources to realize that vision. I don't know any other way to make great wine."