David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Bruce Phillips and his wife were pouring their 2021. Talked w/ him at length. Very nice couple.

The 2021 showed well young with room for improving with 10-25 years in bottle and beyond. It showed some evolution, wasn’t all primary. Elegant, very well balanced with excellent structure and finish. Drink 2033-45 properly stored.

The general Napa consensus on 2022 vintage will be a story of did you pick before or after the 6 days of extreme heat during the harvest window. One producer told me his would add 5% of 2023 to some of his 2022’s, which is allowed. He mentioned that he was going to add 15%. But, I think he just misspoke? Get ready for an amazing 2023 vintage from Napa. It was a cooler, not hot-hot, which was a near perfect growing season for long slow even ripening. Some say a vintage of a lifetime and others would only say exceptional.

The Saturday-Sunday Pavilion tasting at Pebble Beach Food & Wine is an excellent four hours to taste a lot wine, taste curated dishes from chefs from all over the country and meet the people behind the bottle. These short ribs were one of the top two or three things I tasted at the Pavilion Saturday. — 9 months ago

Brehove

9.1

2015 drunk in 2021. Nutmeg, vanilla, and blackberry nose. Cherry cola mid-palette, hint of wet tea leaves on finish. Great backbone. — 3 years ago

Rebecca Salazar

8.9

Blackberry, honey notes, fruit finish — 4 years ago

Shay A

9.1

A bottle that holds a lot of sentimental meaning, this was the first “nice” bottle of wine my wife and I bought together shortly after we got engaged in 2015. We went to Napa a few days later and attended the Flora Springs Trilogy release party (which we ended up doing 6 times in a row). While iced-in here in TX this week, we decided to open this bottle that we’ve had for almost 8yrs exactly to the day. One of the things I love about wine is the ability to attach memories to bottles!

Right off the bat, this is classical 2011 Napa. It has a distinct green streak down the middle of the palate. Flora Springs was able to get the fruit semi-ripe which balanced out the lean and mean acidity. I have no qualms with 2011 Napa (and have found some to be absolutely incredible). I can appreciate a wine that speaks to the vintage, like this one. At roughly 12yrs, this is integrated. Oak is in the background, with cherry pipe tobacco, cherry cordial and underripe blackberries. Smooth and light bodied on the palate. Not getting any better, I suggest enjoying now. — 2 years ago

Jalyn Warren

9.1

Very nice! — 3 years ago

LaShaune DeJean

9.3

Delish with my steak. Fruit-full. — 4 years ago

Shay A

9.2

My last of a 3-pack. The fruit is from the Armada Vineyard in a special two row section that is used solely for rosé.

Compared to the 2017 I had in 2020, I found this to be more mellow (not sure if it is due to vintage or the fact that this has almost four years of age compared to when I had the 2017 it had three years of age). Much more pale pink and extremely Provençal. Watermelon rind, cantaloupe and a very mineral driven aromatic profile. Not as tangy/iron driven as the 2017 I had, but the acidity seems brighter. Rose petals, black cherry skin and dragonfruit on the palate with more stony/mineral notes. No way anyone takes this to WA state (let alone Cayuse). Incredibly French. I’d consume in the next year or two, but certainly has the bones to hold on for a bit — 3 years ago

Nathan Renfro

9.6

Deep garnet. Oak and dark fruit on the nose. Hour decant and still a bit tight but yet still very smooth and well structured. Red and black fruit. Tannins silky smooth with nice long finish. Beautiful wine! After another hour this wine was hitting its stride! So good!! — 3 years ago

Sandeep Konchady

9.0

Really great taste, mild yet flavorful. — 4 years ago

Rachel Sours

9.0

2017. Very smooth from the first glass to the last. — 5 years ago