a true Santa Cruz hippie with a heart of gold, Florèz Wines was started by James Jelks in 2017. James grew up in the Santa Cruz area and was schooled in winemaking at nearby UC Davis. He worked in wineries all over the world for 10 years before returning home to make wine in the Santa Cruz area. The labels are Japanese-style woodcuts by James’s friend & tattoo artist Drew Nelson.
Old world-style, lifted and juicy. Fun and serious.
region: Dunnigan Hills, Santa Cruz, California
varietal: 50% Chardonnay 50% Pinot Noir
style: chilled red (co-ferment)
farming/cellar: He is farming some vineyards himself, always dry-farmed, and is also sourcing some fruit from organic and sustainable vineyards. He always works with native yeasts, does not use additives except for a minimal amount of sulfur at bottling, and does not filter the wines.
pairing: caramelized pork belly
