In the late 1980s when we purchased the Kairos Vineyard, if you’d told me that one day it would produce one of Flora Springs’ finest wines, our Single Vineyard Out of Sight Cabernet Sauvignon, I wouldn’t have believed you. When my sister Julie and her husband, Pat Garvey, showed me the property, it was frankly kind of a mess. The vines were old and head-trained, but not in a good way. They’d been neglected for years, and the fruit they produced showed it. But Pat and Julie saw promise in the site, and we went ahead with the purchase. It took them years to redevelop the vineyard, and even more time for the vines to produce Cabernet Sauvignon that was of a quality to be bottled on its own. But in 1998 it happened, and we produced our first single vineyard Out of Sight Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2017 wine in your shipment is the 20th vintage of Out of Sight, so named because at first, sitting o the Silverado Trail, the vineyard was a little hard to find. Initially, it was hard to see how a vineyard like Kairos could produce a wine like Out of Sight. But with hard work, persistence and patience, it did. I hope you enjoy this 2017 vintage, brought to you with gratitude from our small, family-owned winery. AUGUST 2020 THE PLACES IN BETWEEN One of the many reasons Napa Valley is such a superb region for growing wine grapes is its incredible diversity. Although a mere 30 miles long and several miles wide, the valley is home to a wide range of microclimates and a vast array of soil types. Over the years, this diversity has led vintners and growers to create defined grape growing areas within Napa Valley. These areas, which reflect their regional designations, are called American Viticultural Areas, or AVAs. The Napa Valley is itself an AVA having received its own designation in 1981. It is California's first recognized AVA and the second in the United States. Over time, sixteen “nested” AVAs have been designated within the Napa Valley AVA. Flora Springs owns and farms vineyards in five of these, including the St. Helena, Rutherford, Oakville, Oak Knoll and Los Carneros AVAs. But what about the places in between, the regions in Napa Valley that are not part of a nested AVA? If you look at a Napa Valley AVA map, you can see there are several areas that lay outside of the nested AVAs, in fact, our Kairos Vineyard, home to our Out of Sight Cabernet Sauvignon, is in one such area. “Kairos is just south of the Stags Leap District, kind of wedged between the Stags Leap, Oak Knoll and Coombsville AVAs,” says General Manager Nat Komes. “So when we bottle the Out of Sight Cabernet, we use the Napa Valley appellation on the label. But that doesn’t have any bear- ing on the quality of the vineyard or wine.” In fact, there are plenty of properties renowned for high quality grapes and wines that do not lie within a nested AVA. Examples include sites that are between the St. Helena and Howell Mountain AVAs as well as vineyards found east of Oakville in the mountainous area known as Pritchard Hill. In fact sometimes the boundary lines of AVAs have been determined not only by regional charac- teristics, but by marketing motivations. Throughout the years certain vintners have fought hard to have their properties included in a nested AVA, which can be seen as a commercial advantage. But that’s a story for another time. For now, says Nat, “The Kairos Vineyard is a perfect example of the quality that can come from areas outside the nested AVA system.” For proof, look no further than Flora Springs Out of Sight Cabernet Sauvignon. 2017 OUT OF SIGHT CABERNET SAUVIGNON Planted on an oak-laden hillside between the Napa Valley AVAs of the Stags Leap District, Oak Knoll and Coombsville, our Out of Sight Vineyard o the Silverado Trail is easily missed, hence its name. When we purchased the property in the late 1980s, the site’s gravelly soils and northwest exposure signaled great potential, but the tangled head-pruned vines also suggested years of neglect. After completely re-developing the property, however, our organically-farmed Out of Sight vineyard is today one of our most treasured fruit sources. With a core of mouth-filling blue and deep red fruit flavors, including dark cherry, boysenberry and warm cassis, our 2017 Out of Sight Cabernet reveals fresh notes of underbrush and just-picked herbs along with allspice and cedar. This is a medium to full-bodied wine, sleek and classic yet with a firm, chewy texture and bold tannins. It would be a fine match with crispy roast chicken, wild mushroom risotto, oily fish such as salmon or trout, and hard, aged cheeses. 92 points – JebDunnuck.com, February 2020 CELLAR FACTS Appellation: Napa Valley Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Cases: 410 Aging: 22 months in French (68%) and American (32%) oak barrels Enjoyability: Drink now or cellar. Will continue to age through 2035. PRICING & REORDER Price $125 | Shipment $100 | Reorder $100 CONSIDER US YOUR WINE EXPERT & SERVICE TEAM Need wine pairing advice? Question about an order? We’re here to help! (800) 913-1118 | wineclub@florasprings.com FROM OUR FAMILY, WITH GRATITUDE The last few months were some of the most challenging we’ve ever been through as a small, family-owned winery. With the country shut down, including our St. Helena Tasting Room, we had to rely solely on our direct sales. Thankfully, the response from our Preferred Palates members was overwhelming. You were happy to hear from us and stocked up on your favorite Flora Springs wines. Because of your patronage, Flora Springs has been able to weather the pandemic. We will never forget how you supported us. As of now, our Tasting Room in St. Helena is open! We have missed you and can’t wait to welcome you back. A couple items to note: • Wine Club Pick-Up To ensure the health and well-being of our guests and employees, for now, reservations for Wine Club pick-ups and wine tastings are required. Due to limited hours we encourage you to reserve your spot today. Your Preferred Palates August Wine Club Selection will be ready for pick up August 5-September 30. • Outdoor Seating and Open-air Wine Tastings Remember that your Preferred Palates membership includes a complimentary tasting for four people at our Tasting Room. Right now we have a simplified oering of just one tasting flight – The Family Estate Tasting. We plan to roll out additional tasting flights in the fall. With the everchanging scenario for public gatherings, please be sure to check the website for updated information or email theroom@florasprings.com. INTRODUCING DUST & GLORY OUR FIRST NEW SINGLE VINEYARD CABERNET IN OVER TWO DECADES! That’s right, we’ve got another Single Vineyard Cabernet in the portfolio, this one from the Howell Mountain AVA! John and Nat have been working on this for years, tasting wines from all over the appellation to find just the right flavor and tannin profile. As they explored and experimented, they finally identified a wine from one of the highest elevation sites in the AVA that met their criteria, a beautifully expressive mountain Cabernet, distinct from our other Single Vineyards but no less prized. Keep an eye out for the initial oering of this 2017 superstar, and we’ll let you know why Nat named it “Dust & Glory!” .