Wine Tasting at Flora Springs – Napa Valley

As a post Thanksgiving treat for my good friends, Jack and Kelli, plus Alena and me, I pulled some strings with a guy I know (my Dad) and got a reservation for a morning of wine tasting at Flora Springs in Napa Valley! I have tried some of their wines before with my father and I knew they were the cream of the crop in Napa. After tasting 10 of their fantastic wines, Flora Springs’ designation as one of my favorite wineries, not just in Napa, but ever, was further cemented.

Getting to do a full tasting at the Flora Springs’ Saint Helena tasting room with some of my favorite people was a dream come true. We were fortunate to have an awesome host in Tom, who guided us through four fantastic white wines and six superb reds.

Some how we were lucky enough to have another group cancel, so we were able to have our tasting in one of Flora Springs’ private tasting rooms. It was a beautiful ambiance and made the experience feel even more decadent then it already was.

Jack and I had previously tasted some of Flora Springs’ Napa Cabernet and Trilogy wines during a tasting at my Dad’s house, so we were adequately excited for the tasting, while the ladies were in for a delightful surprise.

Here are the standard tasting flights they were offering. We tried a hodgepodge from various flights and a few off menu wines.

Tom started our group off with the 2017 Family Select Chardonnay. I liked it a lot. It had a nice balance between white floral and fruit flavors and an oaky buttery finish. It would be great to drink alone or to pair with food.

Second up we tried the floral and melony smelling 2017 Sauvignon Blanc. It was a bit less fruity and had more complexity than I expected. It was a fun wine to drink and our whole group seemed to enjoy it.

Tom then poured us the famous Soliloquy Sauvignon Blanc. The 2017 vintage had a sweet white flower smell that carried over to its well balanced flavor profile. The floral notes blended well with the strong minerality and subtle oak finish.

The last white wine of the tasting was the 2016 Honest Bucker. It had a nice perfume and green apple smell. It tasted like flowers and pear. I really enjoyed this wine, which was fortunate as we purchased a holiday mystery pack and received a bottle of Honest Bucker in our 4 pack. Alena and I ended up drinking it with our hotel suite dinner the night before our Disneyland adventure. It paired very well with our breaded pork chop and roasted cauliflower meal.

With our group through the 4 tasty whites Tom offered us, we moved on to some amazing red wines. The 2016 Cab Franc was first up. I thought it had amazing flavors and I was getting a bit of cherry along with a distinct smoked meat taste. I really enjoyed it and thought it would pair great with food, especially cheese. It was one of my favorite wines of the day.

Next we were able to try the Malbec. It had a red berry and dark oak nose along the lines of dark chocolate and slight coffee. It was very well balanced with high acidity and mild tannins along with strong fruit, making it a good candidate to age nicely. I also really enjoyed the slight rose petal and light oak finish, more along leather notes than woody flavors.

At this point it was really nice having our own little room where we could take our time enjoying the amazing wines and the conversation among good friends. Having moved from San Francisco to Santa Barbara this summer, I don’t get to see many of my friends often so I really enjoy when I get the opportunity to catch up in person and enjoy such an amazing experience as this.

Tom let us try the Flora Springs Merlot next. It was a sweeter wine with lovely strawberry and cherry smells. The merlot tasted a bit on the sweeter side too with delicious raspberry and baking spices and a nice vanilla finish. This was a crowd favorite as we all enjoyed trying it.

Now Tom moved us into the bigger bolder reds, starting with the 2015 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. It was so smooth and had well blended tannins and acid, as well as bold fruit and smooth oak. Everyone really liked this wine and since they were have a great holiday sale, we purchased a case of the Cab to split. Looking back, and recently opening up a a delicious bottle, I wish I would have gotten a whole case for myself it is so good!

Next up we were able to try the 2015 Trilogy. This is one of the wines that Jack and I had previously tried with my father and everyone loved. This time around with our merry group was no different. The Trilogy was again super smooth and quite delicious. It is well priced Cabernet blend, given that it is a true premium Napa Cab. It is drinking well now, but I imagine it will definitely age fantastically too.

Last on our awesome tasting flight was the 2013 Wild Boar. Tom said this was one of his favorites and we all tasted why. It had amazing complexity and big bold flavors. I actually liked it better than the Trilogy. You could smell the complexity on the nose with notes of vanilla, cherry and plum. It had a super dark red color which matched its flavor profile: black cassis and cherry fruit flavors with a super smooth vanilla and oak finish. I loved this wine and look forward to getting to taste this again at my next Flora Springs visit!

Our group was given the VIP treatment by Tom and he really made our visit amazing. Not to mention all the wines we tried were top notch! While we each had our different favorites, not one of the wines was a dud. They truly are one of the best wineries in Napa Valley. Next time, I hope to get to the actually winery and see beautiful vineyards and the famed ghost winery.

We had a great time at Flora Springs and I look forward to visiting again soon.

Check out the Flora Springs website to learn more about its fascinating history. Make sure to book your own tasting before visiting and try to reserve a spot with the famed Tom!

If you want more wine tasting reviews check out my Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail Project.

Cheers and drive safe while wine tasting!

Alan Evans

– Visited on November 24, 2018