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JN Wines Skull Ring Red Blend

Happy Halloween!

Nat Komes, General Manager of Flora Springs (and son of founder John Komes), and I have a few things in common — a love of Halloween and a love of good wine. Nat put his hands together when he created the Skull Ring Red Blend under Flora Spring’s sister label JN Wines. You may see the label and think “gimmicky;” you may read the blend — Syrah and Petite Verdot — and think “scary.” But I tell you to cast these assumptions aside because if there’s anything I know, it’s that Flora Springs crafts excellently balanced wines, especially when it comes to their red blends. And this crazy Skull Ring is no exception…

Happy Halloween!

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Chardonnay: Winemakers’ Play-Doh

Chardonnay — the decision of whether or not it’s one of your go-to varietals or if you’ve opted into the ABC club (Anything But Chard), is based on a certain stereotype. Oaky? (over-oaked?) Buttery? (butter-bomb?) Popcorn? (is that a good thing?) But the truth is that this green-skinned grape provides a whole spectrum of flavor profiles determined, predominantly, by the winemaker. But let’s back up a bit and learn a bit more about this (too?) popular varietal.

Photo Courtesy of wine-searcher.com

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