Flowers

Over three decades ago, Flowers Winery planted their vineyards in the rugged northwest corner of Sonoma County, which had long been considered too cold, wet, or extreme for wine growing. It wasn’t easy, but today Flowers produces some of the county’s most distinctive Chardonnay wines that delight with balance, pure fruit, freshness, minerality, and bright acidity. The 2020 vintage year was a challenge as winter rains were few - even at the coast. However, while yields, grape clusters, and berries came in smaller than usual, the fruit showed outstanding purity, complex flavors, and dense textures. Inside the winery, low-impact methods, such as native yeast fermentation, low sulphur additions, and a mix of stainless steel and neutral French oak barrels allowed the inherent qualities of the fruit to shine. Awarding this wine 93 points, James Suckling called it “a linear and tight white with sliced lemon and green apple, as well as hints of honeysuckle. Medium body with a creamy texture and a salty, jasmine undertone to the fruit at the finish. Solid. Phenolics.” The wine’s bright acidity and freshness suggest excellent pairing with raw or lightly cooked shellfish, seafood terrines, or creamy risotto with scallops.

At an elevation of over 1200 ft (365 m), Camp Meeting Ridge sits well above the fog line. The vines enjoy plenty of sunshine, but the air remains cool because the vineyard literally overlooks the ocean. Planted in 1991, this organic and biodynamically-farmed vineyard produces exceptional fruit that is being made into some of this winery’s most distinctive Chardonnays. 2017 started out cold and wet as winter turned to spring. Some midsummer days were hotter than usual - but coastal vineyards were spared the extremes felt inland. The winery summed up the vintage as, “wonderfully expressive, with intensity of fruit and a supple, evolved texture.” Camp Meeting Ridge Chardonnay is a wine that captures the rugged terroir of the Sonoma Coast, crisp, with lively citrus fruit, intense focus and mouthwatering minerality. Try it with cracked crab or fresh figs sprinkled with gorgonzola.  

The ubiquity of rosé on wine lists and even in popular culture should not dissuade you from seeing it as a serious wine, too. That’s how our friends at Flowers approach their rosé: a 100% Pinot Noir sourced primarily from their estate Sea View Ridge vineyard. Cool conditions along the coast encourage grapes to retain acidity, extending the “hangtime” for optimal development of flavor. In the winery, native yeast and minimal intervention result in a delightful salmon hue, lifted aromas of red berries, grapefruit, and rose petals and a complex palate of strawberry, peach and orange zest. While the price is higher than usual for rosé, it’s an excellent introduction to the many fine wines that Flowers produces. It certainly stands out as one of California’s best rosé wines. 

Flowers Rosé is 100% Pinot Noir, sourced from the winery’s estate and from a few other vineyards located nearby. Fermented on native yeast and aged a few months in stainless steel, this rosé offers not only an early taste of the 2021 vintage but an expression of the cool and rugged coastal terroir. With notes of rose petals, fresh strawberries, and grapefruit on the nose, the wine exudes a fresh and energetic melange of strawberries, peaches, and orange zest. A fantastic match with salmon, shellfish, salads, or quiche, Flowers Rosé is the obvious choice for lunch in the garden, and the 1.5 L bottle ensures that everyone at the party can enjoy a glass... or two!

Floral notes - lilac, rose petals, and rose hips - swirl in tandem amidst layers of crushed red berries, plums, savory herbs and earthy minerality. Here’s a wine that lives up to its label! Sourced from the estate as well as local growers, this wine expresses the terroir of the rugged Northern California coast, where a cool climate and rocky soils produce an elegant, structured wine with a complex profile of opulent fruit, soft tannins, bright acidity and minerality. In 2019, the winter brought above-average rainfall (an even a dusting of snow) to the vineyards, ensuring that irrigation would not be needed all summer. Over the summer, regular coastal fog kept summer days from getting hot, allowing the grapes to ripen evenly and slowly. This is superb Pinot Noir. Jeb Dunnuck described it as “ruby-hued (with) pure, classic, textbook notes of ripe cherries, raspberries, spring flowers, and underbrush. The balance is spot on, it has ripe, present tannins, good freshness, and a great finish.” Roast lamb, pork tenderloin, grilled salmon or shiitake risotto are just a few pairing suggestions.

Like Camp Meeting Ridge, the Sea View Ridge Vineyard is planted along a high ridge (elevation 500 m) that looks out over steep slopes of redwood forest to the Pacific Ocean nearby. Breathtakingly beautiful to the human eye, the conditions are tough for the vines: shallow and rocky soils, strong winds, and cool temperatures - even in the summer. Compared to Camp Meeting Ridge, Sea View Ridge is nearer to the ocean, has more volcanic ash among the sandstone and slate soils, and includes a higher percentage of Dijon Clone (in addition to Swan, Calera, and 777) among the vines. Seductive elegance is one way to describe the wine. Plusher and rounder than Camp Meeting Ridge, it leads with high-toned fruit aromatics of huckleberry and strawberry balanced by a beautiful, minty, forest floor earthiness. Pour a glass and be patient: the wine may take a few minutes to reveal its secrets.

Floral notes - lilac, rose petals, and rose hips - swirl in tandem amidst layers of crushed red berries, plums, savory herbs and earthy minerality. Here’s a wine that lives up to its label! Sourced from the estate as well as local growers, this wine expresses the terroir of the rugged Northern California coast, where a cool climate and rocky soils produce an elegant, structured wine with a complex profile of opulent fruit, soft tannins, bright acidity and minerality. In 2019, the winter brought above-average rainfall (an even a dusting of snow) to the vineyards, ensuring that irrigation would not be needed all summer. Over the summer, regular coastal fog kept summer days from getting hot, allowing the grapes to ripen evenly and slowly. This is superb Pinot Noir. Jeb Dunnuck described it as “ruby-hued (with) pure, classic, textbook notes of ripe cherries, raspberries, spring flowers, and underbrush. The balance is spot on, it has ripe, present tannins, good freshness, and a great finish.” Roast lamb, pork tenderloin, grilled salmon or shiitake risotto are just a few pairing suggestions.